15 powerful, essential Whitney Houston songs (that aren’t “I Will Always Love You”)
Wanna dance to Whitney before I Wanna Dance With Somebody hits theaters? These tracks are well worth a spin
Music Features Songs
No one before and no one since has quite captured Whitney Houston’s kind of stardom. Nicknamed “The Voice,” Houston ascended by swift leaps and bounds after entering the industry in the early ’80s. Within a decade, she went from singing in her church choir to becoming the only person to ever release seven consecutive number one singles, a record she still holds. To this day, Houston’s first albums—her 1985 self-titled debut and 1987’s Whitney—are two of the biggest-selling records of all time.
A new biopic on the singer’s life, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, tries to detail Houston’s impact on the industry (and tragically, the industry’s impact on her). Naomi Ackie plays the star, but the vocals are all Houston. After all, how could even the most talented actor be expected to recreate Houston’s rare vocal, unencumbered and soaring? Her biggest hit may be her iconic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” but we decided to place the spotlight on 15 other Houston tracks that are worth spinning now, whether for the first or for the umpteenth time, before I Wanna Dance With Somebody hits theaters on December 23. This mix of covers and originals are as versatile and introspective as Houston herself, who died in 2012.
23 Comments
The Junior Vasquez remix of Step by Step is perfection:
It’s hard to choose a favorite among so many great tracks, but “The
Greatest Love of All” is one of the best, most powerful songs ever
written about self-preservation, dignity. Its universal message crosses
all boundaries and instills one with the hope that it’s not too late to
better ourselves.
Better ourselves? Mister, when you’re on Skid Row, ain’t no such thing.(Just watched Little Shop of Horrors last night, a great December movie.)
Love Will Save The Day deserves a mention. I prefer the Euro House remix of I’m your baby tonight. And How will I know is my favourite too. There are many great covers of it, this being my preferred one
just a few years ago i found out that boy meets girl wrote ‘how will i know.’
the stylistic similarites seem obvious now that i know
“Queen of the Night” showed her range. Whitney wasn’t all ballads and pop hits — she can sing an absolute banger.
Playing the Thunderpuss remix of “It’s Not Right but It’s Okay” followed by the Hex Hector remix of Deborah Cox’s “Nobody’s Supposed Be Here”… that’s gay culture.
Speak it!!!
i went to the club to hear that one tune. quite literally, too; i’d stand in the corner until the tune hit, then i’d leave.
I hope you said “Big tune” before you left.
they key change on “dance with somebody” is better than most artist’s entire discography.also a good excuse to post this
I was unaware this existed. I was also unaware of how happy it makes me. And I’m not a big Talking Heads fan.
Thanks for sharing this!
Her final song being a cover of Bobby Darin’s “Splish Splash” was unfortunate.
You’re terrible, Muriel.
I’m an old POC and How will I know was blasting on our Junior High (we called it Junior High and not middle school back then) dude ranch trip in New York.Everyone was singing it on the bus and when I drank in my favorite 80’s bar in the 00’s to the 10’s everyone always go up when we heard How will I know or I wanna dance with somebody.
It might be a Canadian thing, but we have a difference between Middle School and Junior High. Junior High is from Grade 6-9. Middle school is grades 5-8.Not that it has anything to do with Whitney. Apologies.
When I was a kid in the 80’s. Jr. High was 6-8 Grade. I know most of my friends say middle school now at days when their kids were in grades 6-8.
I listen to her and hear the easy listening FM radio format. Somewhere along the line R&B became easy listening. I’m blaming Luther Vandross and Roberta Flack. Great singers, yes. I guess they wanted to cash in on some of the money Air Supply was making.
“I’m Your Baby” came up in a random Spotify run while I was in the car. I knew that song, but had somehow forgot what an absolute banger it is. I was oddly hyped up returning to work from my lunch break, considering the subject matter.
‘I have nothing’ is one of my top 3. A drama song. Love it.And on ‘your love is my love’ her daughter makes a very sweet cameo.
Patrick Bateman approves
My personal favorite: So Emotional.