Whitney Houston singles poll

Only one vote on this is pretty brutal. Initial inclination is to lean towards either "Saving All My Love" or "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"

― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

the one i posted without thinking on fb when i learned of her death was "my love is your love". i spent all day yesterday relistening to most of her discography while writing about her though and...i might go for..."i have nothing", which i didn't expect

― first period don't give a fuck, second period gon get cut (lex pretend), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

i'm a little stumped on whether to add to the inevitable deluge of "I Wanna Dance" votes or throw some support to "It's Not Right But It's Okay"

― some dude, Monday, 13 February 2012 18:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

You Give Good Love
Saving All My Love For You
How Will I Know
Greatest Love of All
I'm Your Baby Tonight
My Name Is Not Susan
I'm Every Woman
I Have Nothing
Run To You
It's Not Right But It's Okay
My Love Is Your Love
I Learned From The Best

the winner should be one of these

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

"how will i know" is kind of like if "i wanna dance..." was a zillion times better imo

"it's not right..." is certainly in my top 5 and will doubtless have a good deal of support of its own

― first period don't give a fuck, second period gon get cut (lex pretend), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:45 (1 year ago) Permalink

BTW I agree that "I Have Nothing" is the secret standout song on the Bodyguard soundtrack. Maybe I should re-listen to these before I vote.

― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

"I Have Nothing" is pretty essential

― some dude, Monday, 13 February 2012 18:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

"how will i know" is one of my all time favorite songs but i want to pick one song from each one of her eras

― max, Monday, 13 February 2012 18:53 (1 year ago) Permalink

i will definitely need to really listen to her catalog at some point but my kneejerk pox is:

I Wanna Dance With Somebody
It's Not Right But It's Okay
Saving All My Love For You
I'm Your Baby Tonight
I Have Nothing
Million Dollar Bill
How Will I Know
I'm Every Woman
Heartbreak Hotel (with Faith Evans and Kelly Price)
I Will Always Love You

― some dude, Monday, 13 February 2012 18:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be (with Aretha Franklin)

It certainly wasn't on the pop chart

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

prob "it's not right but it's okay" but i love "i wanna dance with somebody." also had forgotten how much i liked "love will save the day."

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 18:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

"How Will I Know" is "Who's Zoomin' Who" improved. You had to be in the fall of '85 to know what an aural impact this thing had.

I'm very fond of "All at Once" (cowritten by Jeffrey Osborne!).

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

Didn't We Almost Have It All
So Emotional
Where Do Broken Hearts Go

the worst of her big hits imo

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 18:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

add in "So Emotional" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and that's my bottom 5

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol I can't read

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

"So Emotional "Shoop Shoop (The Exhale Song)"

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

why do you hate i wanna dance with somebody so much, dan? ;_;

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

he fears her hair in the video

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

i don't get that shoop song at all. i don't hate it, i just don't understand. waiting to exhale soundtrack is fine by me though because of brandy's "sittin' up in my room"

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

haha i was going to mention her i wanna dance with somebody hair as the potential reason

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

"how will I know" by a mile for me

haven't heard everything though

― ploppawheelie V (k3vin k.), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

I only learned a few weeks ago that Annie Lennox wrote "Step by Step."

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh i like that one, too. but it's one of the remixes that i like.

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

So Emotional
Where Do Broken Hearts Go

I honestly don't remember these songs at all when I could easily call everything else she did from that decade to mind. Very strange.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol I could probably write an essay

- the irritation of a song about dancing sung by someone who couldn't dance to save her life
- her first actually irritating vocal, devoid of the character necessary to sell those terrible lyrics
- the awful, awful video (the hair is not an insignificant part of the antipathy, but also the vacant miming of manic happiness that read more pathetic and controlled)
- the contrast between her initial breakthrough singles, particularly the vastly superior up-tempo "How Will I Know?" and this unappealing frothy nothing
- the sheer ubiquity of the song at the time of its release
- the number of horrible cover versions and dance routines girls my age put on to it
- that every single released from the album managed to be progressively WORSE than the song that preceded it

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

also can I just say how fucking lucky Mr Ned Raggett is to have "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?" excised from his memory, because those songs fukkin SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

- her first actually irritating vocal, devoid of the character necessary to sell those terrible lyrics

come on the "don't you wanna dance say you wanna dance don't you wanna dance" part is sung so exuberantly!

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

voted My Love Is Your Love

― Johnny Fever, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

the vacant miming of manic happiness

this is what frightened me about her for years and still does

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

i feel like "so emotional" was huge, too, like i remember her winning a bunch of awards for it when i was a kid. it was so confusing to me. even then i knew it sucked.

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

I mean "So Emotional" isn't emotional, like, at all.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

Every song from Whitney except "Love Will Save the Day" hit #1 on the pop chart.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

come on the "don't you wanna dance say you wanna dance don't you wanna dance" part is sung so exuberantly!

IMO it only reads as exuberant if you are looking at her glassy-eyed rictus grin in the video, and even then only if you're being charitable

otherwise it's just unsubtle honking on a bridge akin to the second chorus of "I Will Always Love You" where she brays really flatly

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

xpost -- Song or single? We're not talking Thriller here...

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

no i hate the video, but i found out about her death on Saturday night when i was out, and then when i was driving home they played "i wanna dance with somebody" and "million dollar bill" on the radio and i was struck anew by how infectiously happy "i wanna dance with somebody" sounds! i had been feeling that her death was kind of surreal. that was the moment i got sad.

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

single, mais oui

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

i am v biased in favor of upbeat songs about dancing, tbf. madonna's "into the groove" is the best song in history, maybe.

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

To me "Greatest Love of All" is more horrifying than "I Wanna Dance." Her self-regard is chilling.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

Her self-regard is what sells "GLOA"! That and the voice.

Horseshoe, I agree re: "Into the Groove"!

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

i wanna dance with somebody

― (_()_) (Lamp), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

Now that we're sharing Whitney experiences, let me mention that one particularly moronic teacher in sixth copied the lyrics in perfect Palmer handwriting, photocopied it, and distributed it as a graduation poem.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

Saving All My Love For You

― J0rdan S., Monday, 13 February 2012 19:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

more people should just post song titles that could double as declarative statements itt like lamp and j0rdan

― some dude, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (with Enrique Iglesias)

I have never heard this but I assume it is terrible

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

i only realized much later that "saving all my love for you" is sung from the pov of a woman having an affair with a married man. i don't know why it surprised me; it just seemed out of place with the smooth AC sound.

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

that makes the song that much more awesome IMO

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

more people should just post song titles that could double as declarative statements itt like lamp and j0rdan

― some dude

We Didn't Know

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah i think "saving all my love for you" is my favorite of the early ballads.

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

my actual shortlist:

Saving All My Love For You
How Will I Know
Greatest Love of All
I'm Your Baby Tonight
I Have Nothing
It's Not Right But It's Okay

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

no one's voting for "My Name is Not Susan"?

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

i like that song, but no

― horseshoe, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

My short list:

You Give Good Love
Saving All My Love For You
How Will I Know
Love Will Save The Day
I'm Every Woman
Exhale (Shoop Shoop)
It's Not Right But It's Okay

You guys are also sleeping on "Love Will Save The Day"

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

every time I think of "Love Will Save The Day" I start actually humming "Love Will Lead You Back" and I am much happier

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

You're disappointing me today.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:33 (1 year ago) Permalink

aww "So Emotional" is a good one: "ain't it shockin what..............love can do!" love that pause

voted "How Will I Know", cuz you know about these things.

― Euler, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

Saving All My Love
How Will I Know

so torn!!!

But I need to rep for "All At Once"... my grandma died right around that time & my little sister and I used to bawl over that damn song

I love that whole first album, tbh

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

her first album is really her best

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

I'd like to hear a band like the Jesus Lizard fronted by a singer like Whitney Houston.

― Euler, Sunday, May 20, 2007 3:59 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark

― Euler, Monday, 13 February 2012 19:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

imagine Whitney covering "This is Not a Love Song."

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 19:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

Oh god, back to the Bill Laswell thing again.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 13 February 2012 20:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

imagine Whitney singing in Last Exit.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 20:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

It's easy if I don't try.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 13 February 2012 20:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

so emotional and how will i know really
think i'm picking the latter.

― little clouds of citrus spritz as i peel (forksclovetofu), Monday, 13 February 2012 21:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

Never liked "I Will Always Love You." The bombastic treatment is so totally wrong for the simple eloquence of the song. Plus that fucking sax solo. And the modulation. "I Have Nothing" so much better as big-ballad numbers go, so basically Greg, Alex and Al OTM way upthread.

Am working on getting acquainted with the post-Bodyguard stuff, which I mostly didn't know except "Exhale" and "It's Not Right But It's Okay." For now, though, "How Will I Know" by a mile.

― wolf cola, everyone (thewufs), Monday, 13 February 2012 22:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

For someone who only released 7 studio albums, she sure had a lot of singles, tho, huh? 29 top 40 hits, all in a 16-year span.

― wolf cola, everyone (thewufs), Monday, 13 February 2012 22:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

How Will I Know / I Have Nothing
It's Not Right But It's Okay
I Want To Dance With Somebody
Saving All My Love For You
I'm Your Baby Tonight
Love Will Save The Day
Heartbreak Hotel (Remix)
I'm Every Woman
My Love Is Your Love

― Tim F, Monday, 13 February 2012 22:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

The key change in "I Have Nothing" is one of the most spinetingling things ever.

― Tim F, Monday, 13 February 2012 22:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

Enough! Y'all have swayed me. I'll listen to "I Have Nothing" again.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 February 2012 22:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

I think what distinguishes it from other divastraganzas (e.g. "Without You" or "All By Myself", say) is how dangerous it sounds, both in its obsessive intensity and also in its vertiginousness. Whitney sounds like she takes a run-up to the key change with a flying leap over a bottomless chasm.

― Tim F, Monday, 13 February 2012 22:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

Listening to the second album on Spotify and it sounds like an '87-era mastering job! Interesting that a record like that would languish so long without being remastered.

― timellison, Tuesday, 14 February 2012 04:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

the second Whitney album is a giant pile of festering penises

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 04:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

I asked about the third album on the other thread but got no responses. Hot or not?

― Tim F, Tuesday, 14 February 2012 04:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

"I'm Your Baby Tonight" is the only one of her songs I'll admit to liking IRL so that's my vote.

"How Will I Know" is ok. "All The Man I Need" is her best ballad IMO.

― billstevejim, Tuesday, 14 February 2012 07:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

"I Have Nothing" and "I'm Every Woman" sounded the best to me the last couple days.

― dead-trius (Eric H.), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 08:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

Well, and always.

― dead-trius (Eric H.), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 08:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

million dollar bill gonna top this

― Dick Townwolves (Captain Ahab), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 08:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

I'd totally forgotten about 'Queen Of The Night' until I happened upon an obligatory airing of The Bodyguard yesterday. A pretty fierce jam, a la En Vogue. Just wanna point out that it shouldn't be slept on.

Probably always gonna be 'Love Will Save The Day' for me, though.

― SNEEZED GOING DOWN STEPS, PAIN WHEN PUTTING SOCKS ON (Deric W. Haircare), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 10:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's not right but it's ok

― lag∞n affiliated (The Reverend), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 15:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

BTW I actually voted for "Saving All My Love For You", stone cold classic ballad, right up there with the greatest of all time.

― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 17:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

what is it about "Million Dollar Bill" that ppl find appealing

― I spend a lot of time thinking about apricots (DJP), Tuesday, 14 February 2012 17:12 (1 year ago) Permalink

xpost -- Confession -- I loathed that song when it first hit, to the point where I would turn off the radio when I heard it start. ("You Give Good Love" I happily adored.)

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 February 2012 17:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Friday, 17 February 2012 00:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

She had a great voice but all of her songs are borefests imho. Is there any single in here that isn't an over-emotional ballad?

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 06:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

yes

― ploppawheelie V (k3vin k.), Friday, 17 February 2012 06:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

You know, something in the 3 minute mark that doesn't feel like the aural equivalent of a diabetic coma?

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 06:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

I need examples, kevin! pretty please?

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 06:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

if you don't like "how will I know" you should prob give up, yeah

― ploppawheelie V (k3vin k.), Friday, 17 February 2012 06:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

:(

― ploppawheelie V (k3vin k.), Friday, 17 February 2012 06:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

I've just listened to it and I didn't like it :/. It still has all the problems I find in her music; corny synth strings, unnecesary bombast like the sax solo and the filler guitar riffs and the chorus is drilled into your brain 64 times before the song ends.

She had a great, powerful voice... pairing it with excessive gimmicks and maximalist choruses that keep on adding muso rubbish each new bar is overload for me.

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 06:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

Sorry, I tried :(

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 06:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

You are the devil.

― Tim F, Friday, 17 February 2012 06:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

^ p much :(

― ploppawheelie V (k3vin k.), Friday, 17 February 2012 07:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

Her first two albums were produced by the same person that brought us Kenny G so I'm not surprised I find no love in my heart for her music. She was typecasted into milquetoast territory since her early days.

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 07:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

Now you are a dog latin devil.

― Tim F, Friday, 17 February 2012 07:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

i prefer my Whitney as A+ effervescent dance-pop: How Will I Know vs. I Wanna Dance w/ Somebody vs. So Emotional

― Jurgis Rudkus // Dick Butkus (Pillbox), Friday, 17 February 2012 07:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

Ok, I'm sorry... I'll find my way out of this thread. I just wanted to check if there was something in her entire discography that was different from what I've heard from her and which I might have overlooked.

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 07:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

voted how will i know. nothing else even comes close, such a jam.

― psychgawsple, Friday, 17 February 2012 07:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

I almost forgot to vote! *forehead slap*

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 17 February 2012 07:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

"It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" holds up really well. the vid is shameful tho

i also dig her sprechgesang in "I'm Your Baby Tonight" right after the chorus. she had a thing for fast vocal delivery, too bad she became a melismatic nutso instead

― cock chirea, Friday, 17 February 2012 08:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

How Will I Know vs. I Wanna Dance w/ Somebody vs. So Emotional

OK, scratch So Emotional. It has some fine payoff moments, but the production is cluttery & i could really do without the constant shredding. the chorus is great, though! (which, I guess, must be why I remember it being a favorite, when in fact it is not)

the other two, though.. The vox on HWIK are untouchable, and IWDWS is just pure aces all around. hmmm

― Jurgis Rudkus // Dick Butkus (Pillbox), Friday, 17 February 2012 08:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

voted "i have nothing"

― first period don't give a fuck, second period gon get cut (lex pretend), Friday, 17 February 2012 08:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

Good choice.

I keep wavering b/w that and "How Will I Know".

DO-ONT. MAAKE. MEEEE. CLO-OSE!!! ONE MORE DOOOOOOOR.

― Tim F, Friday, 17 February 2012 10:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

Moka, try I'm Your Baby Tonight. new jack excellence

― gospodin simmel, Friday, 17 February 2012 10:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

surprised no one told moka to try "it's not right but it's okay" or "my love is your love" which are the classic whitney songs for the "finally she's not doing power ballads and is singing over ~kool beatz~" crew

― if u leave imma crank wu-tang in my black matte truck (lex pretend), Friday, 17 February 2012 10:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

(but for all that they are still amazing)

― if u leave imma crank wu-tang in my black matte truck (lex pretend), Friday, 17 February 2012 10:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

Listening to "Didn't We Almost Have It All". This song makes me think of my dad so much. His favourite pop song is probably "That's What Friends Are For". I don't really understand this approach to pop (for him I think it's the broadway resemblance), but it makes me think of my family home too much for me to hate it.

― Tim F, Friday, 17 February 2012 12:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

had to go w/ How Will I Know. anything else would have been a lie.

― Jurgis Rudkus // Dick Butkus (Pillbox), Friday, 17 February 2012 12:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

My Love Is Your Love

― The Invisible Superstars (dog latin), Friday, 17 February 2012 13:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

As Lex/Tim foresaw upthread, I'm not a big fan of the power ballads (although I appreciate her voice is incredible on these). My Love Is Your Love has such an incredible groove though...

― The Invisible Superstars (dog latin), Friday, 17 February 2012 13:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

share my life, take me for what i am
cuz i'll never change all my colours for you
take my life, i'll never ask for too much
just all that you are and everything that you do

^^all-time POW opening lines imo

― if u leave imma crank wu-tang in my black matte truck (lex pretend), Friday, 17 February 2012 13:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

stay in my arms if you dare
or must i imagine you there?

"i have nothing" might actually be an even better example of the "loneliness of queens" as per mark s's essay on "i will always love you"

― if u leave imma crank wu-tang in my black matte truck (lex pretend), Friday, 17 February 2012 13:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

or must I emerge in you there

― Tim F, Friday, 17 February 2012 13:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

Moka, try I'm Your Baby Tonight. new jack excellence

― gospodin simmel, viernes 17 de febrero de 2012 10:20 AM (11 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

surprised no one told moka to try "it's not right but it's okay" or "my love is your love" which are the classic whitney songs for the "finally she's not doing power ballads and is singing over ~kool beatz~" crew

― if u leave imma crank wu-tang in my black matte truck (lex pretend)

Ok, this is more like it. I always thought 'it's not right' was a Tony Braxton song, dunno why. I actually like these ones much better.

― Moka, Friday, 17 February 2012 22:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Saving All My Love For You" is the only one, for me, where the production doesn't spoil and date the song, the 1980s/90s equivalent of "with strings."

― ‘Neuroscience’ and ‘near death’ pepper (Eazy), Friday, 17 February 2012 22:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

I was warbling "The Greatest Love of All" while getting my two-year-old dressed this morning and my four-year-old daughter told me to quit singing Christmas songs.

― pplains, Friday, 17 February 2012 22:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

"I Wanna Dance With Somebody", duh.

― Turrican, Friday, 17 February 2012 22:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol PP

― plee help i am lookin for (crüt), Friday, 17 February 2012 22:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

I was warbling "The Greatest Love of All" while getting my two-year-old dressed this morning and my four-year-old daughter told me to quit singing Christmas songs.

I blame it on my cat like screetching. :-( They ALWAYS tell me to stop. :-(

I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Never ever would pick that one. That video was so awful. But difficult to choose a fave.

― Nathalie (stevienixed), Friday, 17 February 2012 23:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

the I wanna Dance w Somebody hair is problematic for me

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 17 February 2012 23:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

"So Emotional" with its synthetic production reminds me of Wilson Phillips deliberately singing "I wanna be impulsive!"

― ‘Neuroscience’ and ‘near death’ pepper (Eazy), Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

Greatest Love of All 0

!!

― ‘Neuroscience’ and ‘near death’ pepper (Eazy), Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

You Give Good Love 0

o_O O_o

― Peace (peaceful) (The Brainwasher), Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

Guess I should've voted my heart and "I Have Nothing."

My Love Is Your Love 7
Heartbreak Hotel (with Faith Evans and Kelly Price) 0

Not sure I really get this preference.

― dead-trius (Eric H.), Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

am I wrong for loving the "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" hair?

― The Reverend, Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

yes, yes you are

― (thinks and smiles) (DJP), Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's just...so...EPIC tho

― The Reverend, Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's terrible

― Janet Snakehole (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

it's amazing

― The Reverend, Saturday, 18 February 2012 00:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

i have to say, i wasn't gonna like actively hate on on campaign against IWALY getting votes itt, but i really feel it is an appropriate tribute to her body of work to see it tied for 10th place here

― some dude, Saturday, 18 February 2012 01:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Impulsive" is my favorite Wilson Phillips single.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 18 February 2012 01:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

My Love Is Your Love 7
I'm Your Baby Tonight 4
Love Will Save The Day 3

^^^ this is amazing. I'm genuinely shocked at these results -- in a good way.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 18 February 2012 01:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

i like "my love is your love" but it seems like a really odd song to hold up as whitney's best

― The Reverend, Saturday, 18 February 2012 01:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

I suppose it's one of her most understated vocal performances, so if you don't like vocal overstatement it might be a default choice.

― Tim F, Saturday, 18 February 2012 04:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wasn't "The Star Spangled Banner" from 1991 Super Bowl intro released as a single (and a minor hit)? May be her best vocal performance; certainly it's the best I've ever heard it sung.

Two degrees of separation: my college roommate's girlfriend's brother was the guitarist in Whitney's touring band at the time (roomie's gf also a friend of mine) so got lots of insider scoops and stories. She was also a musician, and I remember going to some music-industry convention with her, and considered taking advantage of that connection to have her pass on some of my songs to Whitney in hopes she would cover one of them for an album track, but I wasn't particularly into WH and our styles don't exactly mesh, so I didn't bother.

― Lee626, Saturday, 18 February 2012 04:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

xp that's exactly it, it's a good song, but it misses her whole essence.

― The Reverend, Saturday, 18 February 2012 06:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

I suppose it's one of her most understated vocal performances, so if you don't like vocal overstatement it might be a default choice.

yeah "my love is your love" has long been the whitney song of choice for people who don't actually like what whitney houston was all about.

i mean, it's still a great song, but still.

― if u leave imma crank wu-tang in my black matte truck (lex pretend), Saturday, 18 February 2012 11:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wasn't "The Star Spangled Banner" from 1991 Super Bowl intro released as a single (and a minor hit)? May be her best vocal performance; certainly it's the best I've ever heard it sung.

it was, and it charted again after 9/11. but she had 51 singles and it seemed like the odd one out that would make sense to cut from the poll options.

― some dude, Saturday, 18 February 2012 13:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

Fuse is running Whitney videos all day today, just heard "If I Told You That" for the first time and it was pretty good!

― some dude, Saturday, 18 February 2012 13:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wasn't "The Star Spangled Banner" from 1991 Super Bowl intro released as a single (and a minor hit)? May be her best vocal performance; certainly it's the best I've ever heard it sung.

I kind of hate this actually! The national anthem is the national anthem and is kind of destroyed by soft-rock backing.

Missed this but would have voted "How Will I Know" like everybody else.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 18 February 2012 14:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

what about a dubstep backing

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 18 February 2012 14:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

I actually thought the instrumental arrangement was impressive - lots of interesting and unusual chord changes and such to go with the vocal flourishes.

― Lee626, Saturday, 18 February 2012 14:52 (1 year ago) Permalink

Rob Sheffield's twelve favorite Whitney songs.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 18 February 2012 17:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Million Dollar Bill" (2009)

Whitney’s last shot was a return to the original Eighties game plan, except at this point, her vocals were too ravaged for either pop or soul.

― Lee626, Saturday, 18 February 2012 18:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

For anyone not aware of this, her funeral service is all over the television right now.

― clemenza, Saturday, 18 February 2012 18:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

When I was in...probably sixth grade and listening to pop radio incessantly, I awoke to "Love Will Save The Day". The sun was just coming up and the light was slightly violet through the window and everything felt very calm and peaceful as the vibraphone came in and it really did feel like love might save the day. It's still one of my more idyllic childhood memories.

― SNEEZED GOING DOWN STEPS, PAIN WHEN PUTTING SOCKS ON (Deric W. Haircare), Saturday, 18 February 2012 19:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

I wish my radio station had played "Love Will Save the Day."

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 18 February 2012 20:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah "my love is your love" has long been the whitney song of choice for people who don't actually like what whitney houston was all about.

I actually do like what Whitney was all about, and it's still my favorite of her singles. That song just puts me in a good place.

― Johnny Fever, Saturday, 18 February 2012 20:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

whitney....
this was incredible... much (very very much) as i have always loved Whitney, 'I will always love you' is the one song of hers that I never really loved, certainly never felt, didn't appreciate - and also about the very single song i haven't listened to after she died.
to suddenly hearing it now, after all those thousands? of times i heard it, and now feeling every little part of it. it was me, not Whitney, that hadn't gotten it. the most beautiful thing she's ever sung. beautiful.

― breastcrawl, Saturday, 18 February 2012 21:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

guess this belongs in the Whitney Houston R.I.P. thread

― breastcrawl, Saturday, 18 February 2012 21:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

I just heard My Love Is Your Love again for the first time in I don't know how long. Catchy as hell, that one!

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 17 September 2012 22:05 (8 months ago) Permalink