It was released as a single in September 1986 ahead of his album Whispering Jack, and was written by Andy Qunta, Keith Reid, Maggie Ryder, and Chris Thompson.

It was also recorded by the Alan Parsons band, featuring Chris Thompson on vocals, and performed by them at the World Liberty Concert in the Netherlands in May 1995.

From early September 2023, Farnham's song was used in a video advert to advocate for the unsuccessful "Yes" campaign in the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.

"You're The Voice" was composed by British songwriters Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta and Maggie Ryder in response to an anti-nuclear demonstration in London's Hyde Park in 1985.

As an act of penance, he decided to express his remorse by composing a song that emphasised the importance of invoking personal agency when it comes to effecting political change.

Keith Reid confirmed in June 2008 that You're the Voice started life with Chris Thompson, who had the musical idea and wanted to get a lyricist involved.

The song was recorded in 1986 by Chris Thompson in a version (not then released) which the John Farnham track closely resembles (though it contained no bagpipes) according to Keith.

"[4] Farnham, who was in considerable debt due to a series of "very bad business decisions", heard the demo and knew this was a make-or-break moment for his career.

[citation needed] The song, however, became hugely successful, revived Farnham's career, and significantly helped Whispering Jack go 24× Platinum, with sales of 1.68 million in Australia alone.

I called in Derryn and Jacki, some of the guys from Pseudo Echo (James and Vince Leigh) and Greg Macainsh from Skyhooks are in the band, it was pretty much anyone who'd do me a favour".

[6][7] The song was one of the biggest hits of 1986 in Australia, topping the Kent Music Report singles chart for seven weeks from 3 November to 21 December.

Although "You're the Voice" was also successful in Canada (reaching the Top 20), in the United States the track performed relatively poorly, missing the chart on its initial 1987 issue.

[40] The song played as a soundtrack for a video advert directed by filmmaker Warwick Thornton, which was released on social and other digital media and television.

A music video was released that includes footage shot from the tour while coverage of the then-ongoing Gulf War intervene.

[48] "You're the Voice" was then performed at the World Liberty Concert in May 1995 by The Alan Parsons Band, Chris Thompson, and Metropole Orkest.

The B-side was a live recording of "White Dawn", which was performed by the Metropole Orkest and Gelders Opera and Operetta Gezelschap (GOOG) choir.