Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, as our retrospective segments, ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay,’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our latest feature – Chart Rewind – serves as a variation of our Retro Rewind assay to salute an entire era of music history.
This week, we’d love to reminisce on ‘Saving All My Love For You’ – the inaugural #1 hit of Pop icon Whitney Houston.
Join us inside:
Whitney Houston may have kicked off 1985 by being inaugurated to R&B audiences via her introductory tune, ‘Thinking About You,’ but her welcome to top 40 radio didn’t occur until the release of the Kashif Saleem-produced ‘You Give Good Love’ at the end of February that year.
If the Platinum-selling ‘Good Love’ – which peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 – was christened a launching pad for the then-burgeoning diva, its follow-up, ‘Saving All My Love For You,’ would prove itself the rocket that made her a household name. Originally performed by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. for their 1978 album, ‘Marilyn & Billy,‘ ‘Saving’ was revamped by Houston for her self-titled debut album and selected to serve as the project’s second single in the United States.
While Whitney’s pristine vocal performance on ‘Saving’ was lauded, many critics – including her own mother – shunned its lyrical content and branded the emotionally vulnerable tune as a ‘promotion of adultery’ because its protagonist is pining for a married man. Its Stuart Orme-directed music video only worsened that discussion as it further ignited rumors of the young singer’s then-relationship with the very married Jermaine Jackson (who produced and was featured on multiple tracks on Houston’s debut).
Controversy didn’t stand in the way of success, however. By this week in 1985, ‘Saving’ had soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It not only became her first chart-topper, but was later certified Platinum and earned the diva her first GRAMMY at the next year’s ceremony.
When it was all said and done, ‘Saving’ kickstarted a string of seven consecutive #1 hits on the Hot 100 (a record that stands to this day).
Further, it assisted its parent album – her self-titled inaugural LP – to a similar climb on the Billboard 200. With sales of over 22 million worldwide, it stands as one of the best-selling debut albums of all time.
Hot 100 This Week in 1985
Hot 100 This Week
Click here to see this week’s full ‘TGJ Chart Check: Hot 100.
![Whitney Houston's 'The Concert for a New South Africa' Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Live Album Release & New Song 'Love Is' [Stream]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/whitney-concert-live-south-africa-album-2024-stream-thatgrapejuice-houston-464x260.jpg "Whitney Houston's 'The Concert for a New South Africa' Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Live Album Release & New Song 'Love Is' [Stream].")
Classic! 👠👠That’s da real DIVA. Absolutely perfectly splendid💫 my grandma left some of her old Whitney records for me. I’m Totally blessed! 🙏 damn! I miss her and I’m not crying tho
Finally, I agree with you on something! Whitney Houston is the REAL DIVA 💁🏼♂️
LEGEND
GREATEST FEMALE VOCALIST OF ALL TIME
Back when singers used to show their skills on the actual record and enunciate lol…don’t tell me you can sing then give me nothing or that you’re a boss but hand out zero checks 😂 👀 This needs to be re-released on vinyl…Whitney, I’m saving all my COINS for youuuuuuuuuu 🤣🤳🏽 💯
IKR! Matter of fact. They did release Whitney first album vinyl 35th anniversary edition this year but it is out of stock unfortunately. I still have those first pressIng records tho 💅🏿💅🏿💅🏿💅🏿 All I need is Just Whitney vinyl. That album is sooooooo underrated 💁🏿♀️💁🏿♀️💁🏿♀️💁🏿♀️
This is how I remember Whitney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQL6eV77tjI
Crackney was amazing
muther f**** its WHITNEY THE VOICE HOUSTON … she didnt invent s/ex drugs n rock roll ,,,Mariah Cocainecarey did
Gurl stop 😂🤣😂🤣 it’s funny tho
Mariah & Crackney best performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2BdRkuj2i0
🤣😂😂u made my day 😂🤣😂 thanks trashy ashy saggy bish
The GREAT CLIVE DAVIS met Whitney in Church
where did Tommy meet Mariah COCAINE.CAREY?????
\ at a W**** House,,..
Whitney Houston did not die from a drug overdose she died from an accidental drowning
She was that b****… so sad that boy killed her and her daughter then killed himself.. sad sad interesting life story.
What a voice! One of the greatest voices of the 20th century and such a tragedy to lose her and her voice to drugs. We’ve got to take better care of our artists – they give us so much. She crafted her voice too. She spent time on learning her instrument and how to use it, she didn’t operate on guesswork, she knew exactly what she was doing.
b**** she did not lose her voice ..she had a sore throat….she is human and whitney houston…..