#249 Whitney Houston, 'Whitney Houston' (1985)

Previously #257

The debut album by the 21-year-old Whitney Houston set the course for one of the greatest and most powerful vocalists of our time. The album would smash multiple records and shatter glass ceilings for both women and people of colour. The album was the first album by a black female artist to top the Billboard charts. It was also the first debut album and the first album by a solo female artist to produce three #1 singles. The album would go on to sell a staggering 22 million copies worldwide. 

Singles from the album included ‘Saving All My Love For You,’ ‘How Will I Know’ and ‘Greatest Love Of All,’ a cover of George Benson’s 1977 single. Two songs in particular stood out for me, but not for the reasons you might think. ‘Nobody Loves Me Like You Do’ and ‘Take Good Care Of MY Heart,’ two songs which featured a male vocal in duet with Houston. My initial thought was that, while the male vocalist was proficient, he paled in comparison to Houston. It reminded me of how when you’d hear the Jackson Brothers singing in comparison to Michael and how MJ just made them sound mediocre. It’s funny that I made that comparison, because the vocalist in question turned out to be Jermaine Jackson. You’d think by that stage he’d know not to go up against such a powerhouse vocalist. After Clive Davis signed Houston in 1983, he struggled to find songs for her or producers that would agree to work with her. Arista label mate, Jermaine Jackson, got on board alongside Michael Masser (Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Peabo Bryson, George Benson, Natalie Cole) and Kashif (Kenny G, Al Jarreau, George Benson, Dionne Warwick). It’s incredible to hear how effortlessly Houston’s vocals were. A really tortured artist who led an incredibly sad life. If you haven’t already, I’d recommend the documentary ‘Whitney: Can I Be Me.’

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