You know that feeling when a song comes on and the world just... stops? It’s usually not the overproduced pop hits that do it. It’s the ones with a voice so grounded you can almost feel the wood of the piano. For a lot of people, that song is "Get Here." And the woman behind it, Oleta Adams, has a story that’s way more interesting than just being a "one-hit wonder"—a label that honestly doesn't do her justice anyway.
Most people recognize the chorus immediately. "You can reach me by railway, you can reach me by trailway..." It’s a laundry list of ways to travel, but when Oleta sings it, it sounds like a desperate prayer.
What’s wild is how she ended up recording it in the first place.
The Kansas City Bar Scene and a Lucky Break
Oleta wasn't some teenager plucked from a reality show. She spent years—literally over a decade—grinding it out in hotel lounges and piano bars. Imagine being a world-class talent playing for people eating steak dinners and nursing old fashioneds at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City.
That was her life.
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Then, in 1985, two guys named Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith walked in. You might know them as Tears for Fears. They were at the height of their Songs from the Big Chair fame, and they were completely floored by her. They didn't just clap and leave a tip; they remembered her. Two years later, they reached out and asked her to join them for the Seeds of Love album.
If you listen to "Woman in Chains," that's her. She basically stole the show from one of the biggest bands in the world. That collaboration was the catalyst that finally got her a solo deal and led to the release of her 1990 album, Circle of One.
The Song That Defined a War (By Accident)
Get Here singer Adams didn't actually write the song. It was originally written and performed by Brenda Russell in 1988. Brenda wrote it in about 15 minutes while staying in a penthouse in Stockholm, watching hot air balloons float by. She was missing her husband and just started listing every possible way he could get to her.
Oleta heard the song in a record store while she was also in Stockholm. Talk about a coincidence. She knew she had to record it.
When her version dropped in late 1990, the timing was eerie. The Gulf War was kicking off. Thousands of families were separated, with loved ones stationed in the Middle East. Suddenly, the line "Cross the desert like an Arab man" wasn't just a quirky lyric anymore. It was a literal reality for soldiers and their spouses.
The song became an unofficial anthem. It peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there because it tapped into a collective longing that no other track could touch at the time.
Why It Isn't Just Another 90s Ballad
There’s a technical reason why this version works better than the original (sorry, Brenda). Oleta’s background is pure gospel and jazz. She was a preacher’s kid from Yakima, Washington. When she sings, she isn't just hitting notes; she’s testifying.
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- The Arrangement: It’s sparse. No heavy 90s synthesizers or gated reverb drums. It’s mostly just Oleta and her piano.
- The Vocal Control: She moves from a hushed whisper to a full-on belt without it feeling like she's showing off.
- The Emotional Weight: You believe her. You actually believe she’d wait for someone coming by a "speedy colt" or a "carpet ride."
What Happened After the Big Hit?
A lot of people think she vanished after 1991. She didn't.
Oleta actually has a massive following in Europe, especially the UK and the Netherlands. She’s released nine albums since then, ranging from secular soul to deep gospel and even Christmas records. She even got a Grammy nod for her cover of Elton John’s "Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me."
She’s stayed in Kansas City all these years, too. She seems to prefer the "big fish in a small pond" vibe over the chaos of LA or New York. In 2019, she was even inducted into the American Jazz Walk of Fame.
Honestly, she’s the definition of a "musician's musician."
Actionable Takeaways for Music Lovers
If you only know "Get Here," you're missing out on the full picture. To really appreciate what she brings to the table, here is how you should explore her catalog:
- Listen to "Woman in Chains" first. It shows how she can hold her own against peak-era 80s pop production.
- Check out her album Evolution. Specifically the track "Window of Hope." It captures that same soulful optimism but with a bit more of an R&B groove.
- Watch a live performance. There are clips of her at the North Sea Jazz Festival that prove she’s one of the few artists who sounds better live than on the record.
The lesson from Oleta’s career is pretty simple: true talent usually finds a way out of the hotel lobby, even if it takes a decade and a pair of British pop stars to make it happen. "Get Here" remains a masterclass in how to convey a universal feeling without overcomplicating things. Sometimes, a piano and a voice are all you really need to reach people.