Music history is littered with covers that nobody asked for. You know the ones—breathless, over-produced, and devoid of the soul that made the original a hit. But when news broke in 2007 that bluegrass royalty Alison Krauss was teaming up with British rocker John Waite to reinvent his 1984 mega-hit, the vibe was different. It wasn't just a gimmick.
Alison Krauss Missing You wasn't a solo cover; it was a reimagining. By bringing the original creator back into the booth, Krauss turned a quintessential 80s synth-rock anthem into a haunting, vulnerable country-crossover masterpiece. Honestly, it’s one of those rare moments where the remake actually adds a new layer of grief to the lyrics.
The Story Behind the Collaboration
Most people remember the original "Missing You" for its iconic 1984 music video—John Waite in a phone booth, the swinging lamp, and that "tick-tock" guitar rhythm that borrowed just a little bit from The Police. It was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, famously knocking Tina Turner’s "What’s Love Got to Do with It" off the top spot.
Fast forward more than two decades.
Waite was living in Nashville, exploring a more stripped-back, rootsy sound. He had originally re-recorded the song for his 2005 album Downtown: Journey of a Heart. But the magic really happened when Krauss joined the project for her 2007 compilation, A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection.
Why did it work? Because Krauss doesn't just "sing" songs. She inhabits them.
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Her voice—that "angelic" soprano that’s earned her 27 Grammy Awards—acts as the perfect foil to Waite’s weathered, gravelly rock delivery. Where Waite sounds desperate and raw, Krauss sounds like the ghost of the woman he’s trying to forget. It’s basically a five-minute masterclass in musical chemistry.
Why "Missing You" is the Ultimate Song of Denial
If you listen closely to the lyrics, the song is a total lie. The narrator spends every verse describing how their heart is "breaking down this long-distance line," only to scream in the chorus: "I ain't missing you at all!"
It’s the ultimate anthem of denial.
Waite has often said he wrote the lyrics in about ten minutes as an emotional outpouring. He was thinking about three different women: his ex-wife back in England, a past love from New York, and a current flame. He was caught in a transition, feeling the "caving in" of his marriage while trying to move forward.
When you add Alison Krauss to that mix, the denial feels even more tragic. In their duet version, the back-and-forth vocals make it sound like two people who are both lying to themselves—and each other.
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A Departure from the Bluegrass Norm
For hardcore fans of Alison Krauss & Union Station, this track was a bit of a curveball. Krauss is the woman who saved bluegrass, after all. She’s the fiddle virtuoso who brought traditional Appalachian sounds back to the mainstream with the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.
But "Missing You" isn't bluegrass.
It’s got a driving pop-rock beat and polished Nashville production. Critics at the time, including those at PopMatters, noted that it was "somewhat shocking" to hear Krauss belt it out over such a commercial arrangement. Yet, it fits her. She has this uncanny ability to maintain her "ethereal" quality even when she’s standing in front of a rock drum kit.
Chart Success and Legacy
While it didn't hit #1 like the 1984 original, the Alison Krauss Missing You version made a respectable dent in the charts.
- It peaked at #34 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
- It helped propel her album A Hundred Miles or More to #10 on the Billboard 200.
- The music video became a staple on CMT, showing a moody, cinematic side of both artists.
Even years later, the song remains a highlight of her live sets—though she’s notorious for keeping those sets tightly rehearsed and occasionally frustrating fans by playing "truncated" versions of her hits. When she does play the full version of "Missing You," though? The room usually goes silent.
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What Most People Get Wrong
There's a common misconception that this was a "country cover" of an 80s song. In reality, it was part of a larger trend of 80s rockers moving to Nashville to find their "second act." John Waite wasn't just a guest; he was a contemporary.
People also forget that Tina Turner did a version in 1996, and Brooks & Dunn tried their hand at it in 1999. But none of them captured the specific, high-lonesome ache that Krauss brings to the table. She didn't just cover a pop song; she found the "bluegrass soul" hidden inside a synth-rock melody.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you've only heard the radio edit, you're missing out. Here is how to truly appreciate this era of Krauss’s career:
- Listen to the full album: A Hundred Miles or More isn't just a hits collection. It features duets with James Taylor and Sting that show Krauss’s range outside of the Union Station bubble.
- Watch the 2007 Live Performances: Search for their live TV appearances from that year. The vocal blend between Waite and Krauss is even tighter in a live setting than it is on the record.
- Compare the "Denial": Listen to the 1984 original and the 2007 duet back-to-back. Notice how the tempo change in the duet emphasizes the sadness rather than the 80s "power ballad" energy.
The collaboration proved that a great song can live a thousand lives. Whether it's a 1984 rock anthem or a 2007 country duet, the lie at the center of the song—"I ain't missing you"—is a universal truth that everyone understands.
To dive deeper into the technical side of her music, you should look into the production work she did for the Raising Sand album with Robert Plant, which followed shortly after this project and used a similar "blended genre" approach.