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Originally written October 31, 2005. I recently felt this song deserved some further attention, because it’s blessed with what may well be Britney’s best-ever vocal.
“You Got It All” was written by Rupert Holmes and was a hit for The Jets in 1987. Holmes’ fifth album “Partners in Crime” - which spawned the hit songs “The Pina Colada Song” and “Him”- was a huge seller in 1979 and he has made many more albums since. His style of music was known back in the day by the term “AOR” - Adult Oriented Rock.. He wrote many wise and witty lyrics, exploring grown-up themes, but at root his albums were generic dinner-party music for the over-30’s.
When Britney was signed by Jive, they weren’t quite sure what to do with her, and their first big idea was to send her off to work with Eric Foster White. White had made his name working with female singers in the AOR and sweet-soul genres, so it wasn’t surprising that he tried Britney out in those areas too. And a listen to her performance on this song shows that she was taking the idea of being an AOR singer extremely seriously.
“You got it all” is known to UK fans as one of the bonus tracks on the Oops album. And the credits don’t tell us much about it, except that it was produced and arranged by Eric Foster White. There appear to be real musicians - the drum track is a classic backbeat with snare and hi-hat, and there are real electric bass, keyboards and guitar, but they’re uncredited, as are the backing singers.
These are the words of the song - it’s interesting to note that you can’t find them on any of Rupert Holmes’ many fansites. I got these words from a Britney site, which doesn't guarantee accuracy, but I’ve checked them and changed them where necessary.
I....I was the game he would play
He brought the clouds to my day
Then like a ray of light
You came away one night
Just one look and I knew
You would make everything clear
Make all the clouds disappear
Put all your fears to rest
Who do I love the best
Don't you know, don't you know
You've got it all over him
You got me over him
Honey it's true, there's just you
You must have been heaven sent
Hearing me call you went out on a limb
And you're all that he's not
Just look what I've got
'Cause you've got it all over him
All over
You've got it all over
All over
You've got it all over
Now, don't let him worry you so
Once I met you I let go
Oh you can surely see
You're so much more to me
Just one look and I knew
You would make everything clear
Make all the clouds disappear
You're better than all the rest
Who do I love the best
Yeah...
Don't you know
Don't you know
You've got it all over him
You got me over him
Honey it's true, there's just you
You must have been heaven sent
Hearing me call you went out on a limb
And you're all that he's not
Just look what I've got
'Cause you've got it all
All over him
You've got it all over him
You got me over him
Honey it's true (so true)
There's just you
You must have been heaven sent
Hearing me call
You went out on a limb (out on a limb)
And you're all that he's not (all that he's not)
Just look what I've got (look what I've got)
'Cause you've got it all (you've got it all)
Over him
All over
You've got it all over
All over (uh, huh)
You've got it all over him...
The track begins with a backbeat, then bass and guitar join in and things never get any more complicated than that. The backing vocals (in which Britney is prominent) are extremely subtle, and alternately supplement, complement and echo Britney’s lead vocal, also adding some gentle supportive cooing sounds as necessary. The ambiance of the recording is very clear, yet with warmth and colour. Production values are extremely high, and although it’s in no way a fashionable sound, it’s a timeless one and will sound just as good 20 years from now.
Despite all that, there is one clear highlight, and that is Britney’s vocal. Now I can’t pretend to know what happened that day, but here she sings like someone who has been doing classic cover-versions for 10 years. She takes a pleasant but unremarkable song and lifts it to amazing heights by selling every single line as if her career depended on it, all the while adding her own special flavor.
Throughout the song she sings strongly and confidently, handles the many climaxes wonderfully well with none of the throat constriction she suffered from on “Where are you now?” and adds a whole encyclopedia of little yodels, falsettos, improvisations and accents of one kind or another to almost every line. If you listen on high-quality headphones you realise what a masterpiece it is.
This track alone should give every fan confidence that, should Britney decide at some point that her days as a cutting-edge pop singer are over, she will still be able to entertain and fascinate us with some top-class interpretations of more adult-oriented material. She does it slightly differently nowadays, and whispers a lot more, but “Someday” showed us that she hasn’t lost these gifts.
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