Yes, as you may have guessed I am adding my own thoughts on the music of one Whitney Houston. Saturday evening, I received a text from my cousin asking me if I had heard of Whitney’s passing. Right after reading the message, I checked out the hub of social activity and sure enough there were already 20 posts devoted to the diva. Growing up in the 80s, I was lucky enough to have lived to see and hear the infectious music of two powerhouse phenomenons: both of them are gone. However, they each left an indelible mark on the music world that still has yet to be surpassed. In the 1980s, Ms. Houston shared a stat of having 7 number one singles in a row! Not only was she a pop diva but frequently returned to her gospel roots with such notable entries as the soundtrack to her film The Preacher’s Wife.
The 1990s was also a high point for Whitney with the monstrous film and soundtrack to The Bodyguard which featured a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” as well as performing what is arguably the finest performance of the National Anthem of any Super Bowl. Who else can claim to have had their version played on radio stations across the country weeks after it was presented?
Say what you will about the tragic life outside the music. I choose to leave that for the tabloid mongers. Anyone who lived during the 80s-90s can name at least one Whitney Houston song. Like it or lump it, her music is infectious whether it be a hit pop ditty that makes you want to get up and dance (With somebody who loves me) or a powerful torch song. OH… and lest I forget, she served as the Executive Producer and Fairy Godmother on a multi-ethnic version of a televised version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
My favorite Houstons song is a duet with Jermaine Jackson that I do not believe was a major hit. I only discovered it as part of a Greatest Hits compilation more than a few years ago.
And her remarkable Anthem from 1991:
She could have so over done this but chose to keep it straight and simple and is all the more powerful for it. Thank you Whitney!
Nice to see a video of her performing that isn’t being played over and over because she is so out of it like the infamous Sydney video. Just a sad story all around… God gave her a beautiful voice, and the gift was not fully appreciated. Not that I know any of what really happened in her life. I just hope she knew Jesus when she died.
I choose to believe that she knew Him at the end and at the beginning (optimist that I am). Many of the choices she made I fear are part of the “glamour” that so many fall victim to and unfortunately diminished her remarkable talent but at the pinnacle of her career she was remarkable. God be with her daughter and family in the days ahead.
She was never really on my charts, though I did listen to her hits like everyone else like “Greatest Love of All” and “So Emotional” among others. Her most memorable song for me though was her 1988 Summer Olympic hit, “One Moment in Time.”
Indeed it would be nice to meet her one day up there. I don’t suppose I’ll know for sure if she’s there until I arrive myself.
Yep, that was another good one, Derek.