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.