Today the world stopped to say goodbye to Grammy-winning pop icon Whitney Houston. Laid to rest at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church, the very church where she got her start, tearful mourners watched the emotional service with hopes of saying farewell to the fallen icon. With an unparalleled career that moved over 170 million albums and landed 11 number 1 singles (7 of them consecutively) with just 6 LPs and 2 soundtracks, Miss Houston has left behind a legacy that will know no rival.
Even with such a well loved catalogue, there are a number of tunes oft-overlooked of the ‘So Emotional’ singer’s discography. In such, That Grape Juice looks to honor ‘The Voice’ by sharing our favorites from her illustrious collection. Get into them below:
‘Where You Are’ – Whitney (1987)
Lifted from Whitney’s self-titled sophomore album ‘Whitney’, ‘Where You Are’ is one of many gems on this album that helped Houston earn the title of first female artist to debut at #1 on Billboard’s album charts. Telling a story similar to that of Houston’s later hit ‘Run To You’, ‘Where’ works to narrate missing. Unlike many of her signature tunes, Nippy pauses her unparalleled belting to let her oft-praise falsetto take center stage throughout most of the song. It’s a must listen:
After We Make Love – I’m Your Baby Tonight (1990)
An almost haunting vocal performance, ‘After We Make Love’ was lifted from 1990’s ‘I’m Your Baby Tonight’. An album filled with Houston’s ventures into new jack swing and more urban/upbeat numbers, ‘After’ – like #1 hit ‘All The Man That I Need’ – was a welcomed departure back to display what made Houston a household name – the voice. Get into this criminally underrated ballad below:
‘Until You Come Back’ – My Love Is Your Love (1998)
As Houston introduced her hotly-selling 1998 album ‘My Love Is Your Love’, her foray into hip-hop/urban offerings was becoming more pronounced. Boasting grooves like ‘It’s Not Right, But It’s Ok’ and ‘HeartBreak Hotel’, Whitney aimed to please the contemporary audiences and introduce the late 90s generation to a new – and in ways – improved Whitney. However, never abandoning her longstanding fanbase, a cue to throwback Whitney certainly came in tunes like the Diane Warren written ‘You’ll Never Stand Alone’ and ‘Until You Come Back’. No background vocals – just instruments and that voice!
Lending some of her most impressive vocals from later in life, get into the soulful showing:
‘Call You Tonight’ – I Look To You (2009)
‘Call You Tonight’, lifted from 2009’s ‘I Look to You’, calls attentions to Whitney’s ‘new voice’. Deeper and sultry in tone, Houston learned a new way to soar as evidenced by the offerings of her last studio LP. Delving deeper into R&B contemporaneousness than its ‘Just Whitney’ and ‘My Love Is Your Love’ predecessors, ‘Look’ got into a new groove and showed fans a new Whitney for the 2000s. Lending her vocals to the Johnta Austin-penned/Stargate produced tune, she told a story of love at first sight. And we bet after one earful, and you’ll be in love at first listen:
*Honorable Mention*
‘Just The Lonely Talking Again’ – Whitney (1987)
‘Love Is A Contact Sport’, Taking a Chance’, ‘Unashamed’, ‘Love That Man’, ‘For the Love Of You’ (remake), and ‘Worth It’ are just few more of the countless numbers worth mentioning that we could’ve highlighted in Houston’s honor. As we remember this legend for the gift that she was, tell us some of your favorite underrated Whitney tracks!
#We love you Whitney!