Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs

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Our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list will look at a talented singer, songwriter and musician. She became famous when she worked with Tears for Fears on their album The Seeds of Love. She has been in the music industry for over 45 years and counting. She has come a long way from her start at playing in piano bars hoping for her big break. She didn’t just have success in the U.S. She had success in the U.K. as well. Two of her albums Circle of One and Evolution were top 10 hits in the U.K. She was nominated for a Grammy for her hit single “Get Here.” She has been nominated for Soul Train Awards and Grammy Awards.

Oleta Adams was born May 4, 1953. She was raised on gospel music. She got her start in music by singing in church. She was singing in a choir in the church where her father was the minister. She started taking piano lessons when she was nine. She had a voice coach in high school. In the 70s, she moved to Los Angeles to make it as a singer. She spent $5,000 to make her demo record, but nothing came of it. Music executives weren’t interested in the music she was singing. They wanted a disco sound. Her vocal coach advised her to move to Kansas City, Missouri. She did local gigs at piano bars. She became a regular performer at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

While she was performing, she met George Benson. He tried to help her career, but he couldn’t do it. In 1985 she got the break she wanted. Roland Orzabal and Curtis Smith from the rock band Tears for Fears heard her perform at the Hyatt Regency. They loved her voice so much that she moved them to tears. Two years later, they invited her to work on their album The Seeds of Love. She ended up recording the single “Woman in Chains” with the band. The single was a hit. Oleta Adams was signed to a record label.

Going on Record was released in 1983. The album features the singles “If I Had a Hammer,” “The Greatest Love of All,” “You Make Me Feel So Good” and “I Made My Bed.” Circle of One was released in May 1990. The album peaked at number 11 on the r&b charts, 20 on Billboard 200 and one on the UK charts. Circle of One features the singles “Get Here,” “Rhythm of Life” and “Circle of One.” The album sold over 500,000 copies. Evolution was released in July 1993. The album peaked at number 20 on the r&b chart and 67 on Billboard 200. Evolution features the singles “I Just Had to Hear Your Voice,” “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” “New York State of Mind” and “Window of Hope.”

Moving On was released in October 1995. The album peaked at number 49 on the r&b charts and 194 on Billboard 200. Moving On features the singles “I Never Knew,” “Once in a Lifetime,” “This Is Real,” “Life Keeps Moving On” and “Love Begins at Home.” Come Walk with Me was released in June 1997. The album peaked at number four on the gospel charts. Come Walk with Me features the singles “Holy Is the Land,” “This Love Won’t Fail,” “Never Far Away” and “I Will Love You.”

All the Love was released in February 2001. The album features the singles “All the Love,” “I Can’t Live a Day Without You,” “In the Beginning” and “When You Walking Into My Life.” Let’s Stay Here was released in April 2009. The album features the singles “Feelin’ Good,” “Don’t Explain,” “We Can’t Stay Here” and “Best That I Can Do.” Third Set was released in February 2017. The album features the singles “It’s Alright with Me,” “Only the Lonely,” “River” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Oleta Adams also has a Christmas album and compilation albums.

Oleta Adams is known for her alto and smoky voice. Her voice can soar just like her contemporaries. She has an incredible vocal instrument that is truly underrated. She may not have the same success as the famous power divas, but she deserves to be honored for her amazing vocal talent. Our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list will give her the recognition that she deserves.

# 10 – Place of Peace

The first song on our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list is “Place of Peace.” “Place of Peace” was released in 2020. This is a non-album single. The soothing song is about hope. The narrator is talking to God about her troubles. She believes God can make things possible if you believe in him. She relies on prayer to help her. She wonders what would happen if her prayers aren’t answered. She feels the storm is coming and wants God to make things better. She doesn’t need to walk on water. She wants God to help her find a place of peace. The narrator doesn’t feel as if she is asking for much. Bad things may happen in life, but she found peace with God. When she feels down, she turns to God. God makes things better for her.

This is the type of track that you listen to when your world has turned upside down. If you find yourself in a place of sorrow, these words will comfort you. This song will let you know that God will be on your side. This song is the belief that music can heal you and offer you peace. We all want peace in our lives, so this song is needed. With everything going on in the world, this song is what we need to help us get through our troubles.

This track takes Oleta Adams back to her gospel roots. The music has a comforting beat. The music will make you feel as if you are in church. Oleta Adams uses her powerful vocals to the best of her ability. You can tell she grew up in church based on her voice. It sounds as if a choir is in the background. This song was released decades after her big hit “Get Here.” She proved that she still has a golden voice with this track.

# 9 – Window of Hope

The next song on our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list is “Window of Hope” from the Evolution album. “Window of Hope” was released in 1993. This touching song is about not giving up. When you think you are at the end, you see the light at the end of the tunnel. The light will shine through so you can see that there is hope out there. The “window of hope” is a chance to solve your problems. If you think the world is lost, the light is there to show you that you shouldn’t give up. You should keep looking for the light. You shouldn’t beat yourself up for things you can’t control. The light from the window is going to see you through the darkness.

Oleta Adams wrote this song because of a girl who had leukemia. The girl used to draw pictures of what it was like to go outside. She drew a picture of a tree during the winter. Her nurse called it the “window of hope.” Oleta Adams was inspired when she heard about this story and wrote the song. The lyrics will touch your heart whether you are going through this experience or not. The lyrics will make you hopeful that things will be better. If you are ready to give up, you can let Oleta Adams’ lyrics convince you not to give up. The music is upbeat and will put you in a good mood. You can’t help smiling while listening to the music. It is a good blend of gospel and r&b music. The beat will touch your soul.

The lyrics are inspirational without being too preachy. Oleta Adams sounds amazing in this song. She sings this with a lot of passion. She sounds a little like Stephanie Mills in this song. When she performs runs, she sounds like Stephanie Mills. She gives the listeners a treat because she holds a long note toward the end of the song. This is a note that would be out of her range, but she makes it work.

# 8 – Woman in Chains – Tears for Fears ft Oleta Adams

The eighth song on our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list is “Woman in Chains” from Tears for Fears The Seeds of Love album. “Woman in Chains” was released in November 1989. This is a melodic track about a woman being abused. The song is about a woman who was going through domestic violence. The song tells a story about a man who abuses his girlfriend. The woman has herself convinced that he is her savior even though he is cruel to her. He treats her like she is nothing. He expects her to behave. He abuses her because he has no emotional outlet. He takes his anger out on her. He grew up believing men weren’t allowed to express their emotions. He keeps his feelings bottled up and explodes on his girlfriend. He is violent in and out of the bedroom.

Roland Orzabal wrote this song about his mother. She was getting abused by his father. Roland Orzabal grew up watching the violence and it traumatized him. This is a serious story about abuse. This is an issue some people suffer in silence. If you have experienced abuse, this song will resonate with you. The music starts softly and then explodes. The music is a great blend of rock and gospel. Tears for Fears and Oleta Adams’ styles are completely different so this match up could be been a disaster.

Luckily that wasn’t the case. They worked well together. Roland Orzabal and Oleta Adams sound amazing together. They both start the song softly and then build up to the amazing finale. Oleta Adams‘ voice will blow you away. She sings the song with a lot of power. She has incredible vocal control over her voice. She knows when to pull back and when to let go. Roland Orzabal sings the song with passion. You can tell the song is close to his heart.

# 7 – Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me

The seventh song on our list is “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” from the Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin album. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” was released in 1991. This is a remake of Elton John’s song. The somber song is about trying to save a relationship that is on the verge of ending while trying to discover her true self. She was being manipulative and that was why her relationship was on the verge of ending. She blamed herself for what happened and she wanted to work on herself. She doesn’t want her man to let the sun go down on her because of his anger towards her. She realizes she was trying to change him instead of working on herself. She didn’t mean to hurt him, but she pushed him away.

Oleta Adams fought to record this song. She thought she was a versatile enough singer that she could pull off singing this song. She was right because this song was excellent for her range. Here is some trivia about the song. Oleta Adams wanted to release the song as a single, but George Michael released his version with Elton John which went on to be a huge hit. Oleta Adams had big shoes to fill when she recorded this song, but she was up for the challenge.

Her version sounds like jazz, gospel and r&b music instead of pop rock. The change didn’t hurt the music. Oleta Adams’ voice is outstanding in this song. She sings the song as if she wrote it herself. She has so much power in her voice as she soars to heights unknown. She made the song her own. You may not forget Elton John or Elton John and George Michael’s version of the song, but Oleta Adams gave them a run for their money with her version of the song.

# 6 – Circle of One

“Circle of One” is from the album of the same name. “Circle of One” was released in 1990. The metaphoric song is about traveling somewhere new to get what she wants. She thought she was going to be surrounded by people who were going to care about her but she was wrong. Her heart tried to warn her that something wasn’t right, but she wanted to believe that it was right. She got carried away with wanting to reach her goal that she didn’t see the obstacles that were in her way. She finally became free by relying on herself. She never wants to be in that position again. She doesn’t want to go back to that feeling of loneliness. She wanted a way to reach her goal so she could get away from her old life.

Oleta Adams cleverly disguised her journey to becoming a singer as a love song. If you read the lyrics, it seems as if she is talking about being in love. She was talking about being in Los Angeles and feeling lonely in a crowd. No one enjoys feeling lonely and she captured that feeling well in her lyrics. The song has a dance beat to keep it from being melancholy. She is celebrating not being alone anymore and we are here for it. The guitar, bass, drums and synthesizers sound pretty good.

They give the music a great r&b and funk sound. Oleta Adams’ vocals blend well with the music. Her voice is rich and soulful on the track. The background singers also sound great in the song. They do an excellent job backing her in the song. “Circle of One” is on the same album as “Get Here” so the song easily gets overshadowed by the monster hit, but this is a great song to listen to.

# 5 – I Just Had to Hear Your Voice

The next song on our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list is “I Just Had to Hear Your Voice” from the Evolution album. “I Just Had to Hear Your Voice” was released in 1993. The touching song is about a woman who misses the sound of someone’s voice. She talks about the person telling her that they had to spend time a part. She agreed to stay away, but she couldn’t resist calling. She had to hear the person’s voice. She tried not to call, but she picked up the phone anyway. She hung up the phone after she heard the person’s voice. She wanted to know if he/she was okay. The narrator couldn’t sleep without knowing whether the person was okay. She knew she wasn’t supposed to do it, but she had to reach out anyway. She wanted to hear the sweet voice.

The lyrics to this song are versatile. The song could be about a couple who broke up or it could be about a friendship. It can also be about a family member you are no longer talking to. If you lost someone in your life that you love and want to hear their voice one more time, the lyrics will hit close to home with you. You may find yourself nodding along with her if you have lost someone and you are trying your best to avoid contacting them.

She manages not to come off like a stalker. She sounds like someone who is truly heartbroken about losing the person she loves. The music is heartwarming and goes with theme of the song. The melody of the song starts off like Whitney Houston’s “One Moment In Time.” Oleta Adams is at home behind the acoustic piano. She sounds like a maestro on the piano. Oleta Adams has impeccable control over her voice. She belts throughout the song effortlessly. She has a deeper voice so it might have been a challenge for her to belt and hold notes the way she does in this song, but she knocks them out of the park. She will stun you silent listening to the notes she holds in the song.

# 4 – Life Keeps Moving On

“Life Keeps Moving On” is from the Moving On album. “Life Keeps Moving On” was released in October 1995. The deep song is about moving on with your life after someone is no longer in it. She talks about what the person did for her when they were in her life. The person changed her life. They changed how she lived and had her believing that she had a lot to offer people. The person opened her eyes to things she never noticed before. The person made her believe dreams could come true. She will remember the person’s eyes because she has them memorized. She will never forget the person no matter where they are. She is convinced she will never love the way she did when she was with him.

She turns a bad situation into a good one. She talks about losing the person she loves but she wants to be strong and move on with her life. The lyrics are perfect for anyone dealing with losing someone. The lyrics are encouraging because she advises you to move on with your life. Hearing this song is like getting advice from a good friend. This is another track on our list that doesn’t have to be romantic. It can be for anyone who has lost someone in their life and has trouble moving on from the loss. The song is uplifting. Oleta Adams’ voice is extraordinary. Her vocals are strong and powerful. She sounds like an angel. She lets the song simmer before she goes in with the power singing. This song is underrated. This is a beautiful song that should have been a big hit.

# 3 – Rhythm of Life

Coming in at number three on our list is “Rhythm of Life” from the Circle of One album. “Rhythm of Life” was released in 1990. The moving song is about looking before you leap. The song is about life and how you should live it. You should do different things in your life. She hopes that the girl in the song has better luck than she did. She wants her to work hard and learn that the road is flat. She wants people to know the realities of the world. The song has a good message about living life to the fullest.

This song is something you can listen to when you are wondering about life. If you find yourself in your feelings, you can allow Oleta Adams to make you feel better. The music is rhythmic. It has a cool r&b and jazz vibe. The music is relaxing. You can listen to it while you are ready to wind things down for the day. Here is some trivia about the song. The song was written for Tears for Fears, but they didn’t think they could do the song justice so they gave the song to Oleta Adams. It was a great choice because she did a great job with the song. Her vocals never disappoint. You can hear her church roots in this song. Her voice is always strong and beautiful in every song she sings.

# 2 – Never Knew Love

“Never Knew Love” is from the Moving On album. “Never Knew Love” was released in 1995. The bouncy song is about a woman in love. She knows that his love is here for her. Love is a mystery. She didn’t know she could feel this way. Her man is giving her joy, happiness and so much more than that. She thought she knew everything there was to know about love until he came along. The narrator is open for love now that she has him. She didn’t believe in love the way others did until he came into her life. He changed her view about love. She thinks about him all the time.

This is the perfect song for people in love. If you have lost faith in love, this song will show you not to give up. If you are open to love, love will find you. The music is energetic and upbeat. It will have you out of your seat and on the dance floor. This beat is impossible to sit through without moving around. Oleta Adams uses the same energy for her dance songs as she does with her ballads.

She sings this song with the same power she uses for her ballads. She sounds as if she is having fun on the track. You can tell she is smiling and having fun while she is singing. She is in love and you can hear it in her voice. Everything about this song works. This is another underrated song that should have been a bigger hit than it was. It could have been number one on our list, but we couldn’t end our list without including the song that we picked for number one.

# 1 – Get Here

The number one song on our Top 10 Oleta Adams Songs list is “Get Here” from the Circle of One album. “Get Here” was released in September 1998. This is a remake of Brenda Russell’s song. The loving song is about a woman who wants the person they love to get to her as quickly as possible. She doesn’t care how the person gets to her. She wants them to get there if they can. She knows they are a part, but she wants them to be closer to her. She feels lost and needs the person with her. This version of the song became an anthem for the troops in the Gulf War.

This song became Oleta Adams’ signature song. Oleta Adams recorded this song because she loved the track. She heard Brenda Russell’s version and thought it was a wonderful ballad. She wanted to record the song herself. She learned the song and sang it. This track will make you feel emotional if you are missing someone in your life. The music is slightly different in Oleta Adams’ version. Oleta Adams’ version is more of an r&b and gospel song while Brenda Russell’s is more of an r&b song.

Oleta Adams may not have written this song, but her vocals will touch your heart. She sings the song as if she wrote the lyrics. Oleta Adams vocals are powerful in this song. She will take you to church. Her voice is clear and pure. Her vocal range is amazing. This is a song you can listen to on repeat and never get tired of it. There was no way we could finish our list without including Oleta Adams biggest hit song.