Date: Nov 28, 1992
Weeks: 14
Here's a song that is hard to listen to on its own terms. It's mostly known as the song that plays when spoofing The Bodyguard. It's probably second-best known for being one of those songs sung by people who overestimate their talent, to painful effect. On the other hand, the song is better-remembered than the movie it's from, and it's an excellent showcase of Whitney Houston's talent.
Unlike the last Whitney Houston song I reviewed, Houston's talent is put to good use here. She makes the song seem easy, but the cadre of terrible imitators shows us that it isn't easy. The song requires incredible range and control, and she has it. Her vocals build expertly from seemingly simple and understated to elaborate and powerful. Every time she sings the title, she sings it with more power and emotional intensity than before. She adds fancy vocal flourishes, but it never feels like she's oversinging. This is probably the best showcase of her voice, and I can't find any fault with it.
Unfortunately, the backing music is substantially weaker. The synthesizer, drum machine, and wind chimes are just what was done for soft movie tie-in ballads at the time. This may actually be the same backing music as "A Whole New World" (#775) (which, by the way, was the very next No. 1 song after this), just with the guitar solo replaced with a sax solo. It's cheap and uninteresting and a serious detriment to the song. However, at least with music this small and inconsequential, Houston's voice is allowed to stand out, which is to the song's overall benefit. And for some reason, I don't think going simpler and smaller would be the right choice here. The music gives the song an appropriate amount of oomph when it needs it.
Lyrically, this song accepts the breakup as the right choice, but the singer reserves the right to be sad about it. It works a little too hard to make the singer a martyr. "Bittersweet memories, that is all I'm taking with me. So goodbye, please don't cry. We both know I'm not what you, you need." She sounds like she's giving up on the relationship for the other person's own good, but won't take any benefit from the breakup herself. She's acting like she's giving up what she wants just for the other person's benefit.
It's worth noting that this song was originally written by Dolly Parton, and according to Wikipedia she wrote it for a breakup she had. Parton does a nice version of the song as well. She's not the vocalist that Whitney Houston is, but she imbues it with heartfelt emotion. I like Parton's backing music better, just some simple country guitar. It's really too bad the early 90s had to cranky every movie ballad through that terrible backing music machine.
My verdict: Like it. I don't care for the backing music, but Houston's voice blows it away and makes it less of a problem.
I'm glad you put this song in the Like category. I've always liked it, though it is hard to separate it from the cheesy and overly dramatic spoofs or just generally bad renditions that you mentioned. When I hear this song, I do have put some conscious thought into not thinking about all of that and just enjoy the song itself.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that Houston has complete control over her voice in this song, and it's needed. I think the "you" in the title line shows this to best effect. And it's often what is not controlled in other renditions. It's kind of like the "free" at the end of the national anthem. So many people get excessive and uncontrolled on that word and don't sing it well.
In general, I think that this is a very mature break-up song. (Sure, there is the bit of the martyr in there. But I would think someone who didn't show just a little bit of self-indulgence when they're hurt over a breakup was a saint.) Mostly, though, this song is about a relationship being over, and definitely over -- no lingering hope of getting back together -- but still wishing the other person well in their life, in what seems like a very honest, non-sarcastic way. It's actually one of my favorite break-up songs because of the maturity. No recriminations, no anger. A mature decision about ending the relationship and a mature feeling about it once it's over.