Video hit Oleta Adams

Oleta Adams - Get Here

This song was written and originally performed by Brenda Russell, who was working on an album in Stockholm, Sweden when inspiration struck. Says Russell, "It was a beautiful day, and I was looking outside. I was staying in a penthouse in Stockholm, so I was looking out over the city... Stockholm's a beautiful city. And then there were hot air balloons flying that day. And I was really tripping on how many ways you can get to a person. But anyway, I knew that's not what the [record] company wanted, and I went to bed. Later, I woke up, and the music was still there. And because I don't read or write music, it's extraordinary if a song is still in my head that I haven't jotted down or recorded. So if it's still in my head overnight, I think that's something extra special, it's like somebody trying to tell me something... So I said okay, well, maybe I'd better finish writing that song, because, you know, this never happens to me. So I wrote it... It was such a game for me writing that song, you know, how many ways you can get to a person. And the visuals. Like climb a tree and swing rope-to-rope, take a sled and slide down slope, ride a trailway, railway. You know, how many ways can you get to a person. And that became a fun thing to do."

Not surprisingly, Russell hears many stories from people who find comfort in this song when their loved ones are far away. But she was initially surprised that the song touched people on a deeper level. Says Russell, "The engineer, this fellow I was working with, came over, and he was the first person that I played the song for. I was kind of embarrassed because I thought it was pretty corny. It was so funny, because I always hear artists say this about songs that people love. Like John Mayer thought the Fathers and Daughters song was really corny. When I heard that I laughed, because that's exactly what I thought about 'Get Here.' You know, it's so corny, and meanwhile this guy's sitting here like, 'This song is great. What do you mean corny?'"

Oleta Adams' version of this song became a worldwide hit. Ironically, Adams first heard the song in a record store in Stockholm, Sweden. Says Russell, "It was so bizarre. It's like, that's where I wrote the song. And because I had written it there they were playing it a lot there. Because they were kind of proud of me, the Swedes. And she just happened to be in this record store and they were playing it, and she went, 'Whoa, what is that? I've got to have that.' That's how she found it, in the very city in the world where I wrote it."

After a long career playing piano bars, hotel lounges and showrooms in Kansas, Oleta Adams was discovered by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears For Fears while touring America in 1985. Oleta Adams was playing in the bar of a Kansas City hotel and the duo paid $1.50 to get in as she was singing. They were impressed by her talent and 2 years later invited her to sing on 2 tracks, "Woman In Chains" and "Badman's Song" on their The Seeds Of Love album and perform with them on the subsequent European tour. This led to her own contract with Tears For Fears' Phonogram label, and Roland Orzabal co-produced her Circle of One album.

This was sung by Justin Guarini on the first season of American Idol 2002. Guarini came in second to Kelly Clarkson.

The lyrics:

You can reach me by railway, you can reach me by trailway

You can reach me on an airplane, you can reach me with your mind

You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man

I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can

You can reach me by sailboat, climb a tree and swing rope to rope

Take a sled and slide down the slope, into these arms of mine

You can jump on a speedy colt, cross the border in a blaze of hope

I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can

There are hills and mountains between us

Always something to get over

If I had my way, surely you would be closer

I need you closer

There are hills and mountains between us

Always something to get over

If I had my way, surely you would be closer

I need you closer

You can windsurf into my life, take me up on a carpet ride

You can make it in a big balloon, but you better make it soon

You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man

I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can

I don't care, I don't care

I need you right here right now

I need you right here right now right by my side yeah yeah

Get here

I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can.