By Waiching
The cousin of the famous Dionne Warwick, goddaughter of the singing great, Aretha Franklin, born Whitney Elizabeth Houston, she was arguably the third biggest Black African American crossover artist after Michael Jackson and Prince to make an impact and impression on the commercial mainstream pop market, particularly in the 1980s by effortlessly and richly melding R&B, soul and pop into one package. Since her breakout smash, I Wanna Dance With Somebody that helped put her on the map, Whitney's talents didn't go unnoticed. A forerunner of a true R&B & pop diva, Whitney's success paved the way for other female artists such as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Beyonce and Rihanna to follow suit.
Her arrival on the pop scene during the mid-1980s ensued at a time when she was one of the very few pop artists and acts to not only have the looks, but also the singing voice to back it up as well: something that the pop scene didn't appear to have much to speak of. Whitney had one of the biggest, as well as legendary voices to ever grace the pop industry.
There is no denying the success Whitney Houston has managed to expand upon from pop to R&B, in addition to the hits she racked up from the 1980s to mid to late- 2000s whereby her music transitioned into adult contemporary and gospel, and even though she is best remembered for her ballads, Whitney was no slouch when it came to up-tempo numbers, either. She is a terrific vocalist, - always has been, always will be and in terms of records and anthems, she has had some amazing corkers under her belt that reigns as some of the best pop music ever made; there is one 'but', and that is and I'd wished she released more danceable and energetic songs and less so of the gloopy ballads. Some of these are good, some are all right, whilst the rest are somewhat over killed.
Whitney's biggest hit is the (somewhat) iconic Dolly Parton cover, I Will Always Love You, taken from The Bodyguard movie soundtrack, which spent a staggering 14 weeks at #1 in 1992.
Her tragic death in 2012 reignited and rekindled interest in not only her hits but also her unreleased material: B-sides, album tracks and so-called 'chart misses' that failed to crack the top 10. The chart success of the 2019 Kygo offering, Higher Love - a remake of a song that was exclusive in Japan- only & originally recorded and sung by Steve Winwood, further proves that Whitney's legacy still lives on today, and although she is gone, Whitney Houston will never be forgotten. Especially if her older songs are going to be updated & embraced by and for modern audiences and today's generation.
1. So Emotional (1987) - My #1 choice when it comes to Whitney Houston songs, this takes elements from How Will I Know and I Wanna Dance With Somebody and adds in a powerhouse, edgier rock feel, tinged with an 80s' electronica beat. Critics were on the fence with this song, but the sure-fire energy she injects into the record and upbeat feel it projects make it as one of the best songs penned by the duo of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly with Narada Michael Walden's masterful and slick production. It reigned on the U.S Billboard chart for over 3 months after reaching #1 in the Billboard Hot 100. One of Whitney's rare attempts at pop-rock, the end result is that So Emotional is an awesome record.
2. One Moment In Time (1988) - the anthem of the 1988 Seoul Olympic games, it needed someone with a booming voice as huge as Whitney's to bring this song to life. This majestic, inspirational, dynamic and rousing number also yielded her best performance of the song at the 1989 Grammy's. It is also the best Olympics song, ever produced that ought to be the official anthem of the Olympics. She has delivered so many times, but in One Moment In Time, as she hits those high notes with ease and perfection, vocally, this is amiably Whitney at her pinnacle best in that respect.
3. Higher Love (1990) - later remade and re-recorded by Kygo as a dance-pop single in 2019 and it scored Whitney her first posthumous hit, as well as the #2 spot on the UK top 40 - almost 29 years after. Whitney's rendition was the bonus track on the Japanese version of the I'm Your Baby Tonight LP. This cover of the well-known Steve Winwood effort is great. There I said it; Whitney's version is so on point and if there was anyone who could bring that soul factor, it was going to be her. Both versions are great, but Whitney's twist doesn't diminish the song and make it any less inferior to the original, either.
4. My Love Is Your Love (1999) - a mellow neo-soul R&B number produced ex-Fugees' Wyclef Jean, it features a snippet of Bobbi Kristina, Whitney's daughter, it is emotional with a nice, steady pace and became a huge hit around the world with sales in the excess of 3 million copies sold. That, & the Wyclef Jean remix isn't too bad either.
5. All The Man That I Need (1990) - a cover of a Sister Sledge and Linda Clifford song that didn't blow up the charts first time round, it became one of Whitney's chart-toppers as her second single off the 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' LP, & she single-handedly comes to life in this power ballad. This is one of my favourite ballads of hers that gives me goosebumps; probably in the top 3 for me. Forget 'I Will Always Love You' - this my Whitney ballad of choice.
6. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (1987) - though she is best remembered for her ballads, this was our first introduction to Whitney and this uptempo number caught on and became a memorable classic. The Grammy award-winning song for best female pop vocal performance, it still gets airplay on radio stations today.
7. How Will I Know (1987) - originally for Janet Jackson she passed up on this one, this is a fun, upbeat & catchy poppy bop number written by Boy Meets Girl's George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam (who were also responsible for I Wanna Dance With with Somebody) with production by Michael Narada Walden
8. Takin' A Chance (1990) - a sizable hit as an exclusive single in Japan, but like with Higher Love, these were unreleased songs from I'm Your Baby Tonight LP, and Takin' A Chance, the B-side to the single, I'm Your Baby Tonight was co-written by Whitney, as well as Keith Thomas and Bebe Winans. After successfully tackling Higher Love, this is another lesser-known and unfamiliar Whitney Houston song with the late '80s - early '90s spunky feel that could do well with the Kygo revamp/remix treatment in today's pop climate.
9. Love Is A Contact Sport (1988) - 7'' vinyl B-side to One Moment In Time, it's a coincidence that both songs each have a sports connection: One Moment In Time was released as the official anthem and soundtrack that coincided with the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea; Whilst the main song was inspirational and sweeping, Love Is A Contact Sport is more of a celebratory fest, but a frothy & fun one too that you can work out to.
10. My Name Is Not Susan (1990) - Funky early 90s' R&B penned by Kenneth Babyface Edwards, this is the cousin of I'm Your Baby Tonight and a really great song
Honourable Mentions: I Have Nothing, I'm Your Baby Tonight, For The Love of You, Lover for Life, Anymore, I Belong to You, If I Told You That, I Learned From The Best, Saving All My Love For You, Shock Me (With Jermaine Jackson), Love Will Save The Day, My Name Is Not Susan, Like I Never Left (feat. Akon), Could I Have This Kiss Forever (feat Enrique Iglesias), Call You Tonight, Million Dollar Bill (remix), Moment of Truth
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