Release Date: Aug 27, 1988
Peak Chart Position: #5
Though I don't care to spend a lot of time on this blog talking about current events or the personal lives of the artists behind these songs, I felt that I couldn't let Whitney Houston's passing go by without comment. Rather than moving one of her songs up in the cycle and reviewing it, I thought it might be better to share one of her best non-number-one songs, and I picked "One Moment In Time," a song that was written for the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Whitney Houston was truly talented, and her songs are always better when she gets to show off her talent. I don't know that this is one of her better songs (most of her better songs reached No. 1, and we'll get to them later), but it is kind of a grand song. It's positive, happy, and important.
There may be songs that do more to display her talent, but this song may more accurately capture her importance to popular culture.
Showing posts with label Whitney Houston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Whitney Houston. Show all posts
Monday, February 13, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Song #774: "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
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.
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.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Song #657: "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" by Whitney Houston
Date: Apr 23, 1988
Weeks: 2
Now this is a song that doesn't waste Whitney Houston.
I know I talk about singers "oversinging" a lot, but here's a great counterexample. Whitney Houston demonstrates how to sing fancily and elaborately without overdoing it and ruining the enjoyability of the song overall. She sings the song elaborately and fancily, but never strays so far from a basic vocal performance to detract from the basic song. I suppose there are a handful of occasions where she gets fancy, especially near the end, but that's when background singers are well-employed to keep the song balanced.
The music is deep into cheap 80s synthesizer territory, with its synthesized strings, sparkly chords, and fake bongo drums. The fakeness of it is really pretty awful. It feels like I'm listening to the karaoke version of this song. I'd like to label it the most excessive use of cheap, fake 80s synthesizers I've encountered yet, but I feel like I've said that before and might wind up saying it again. However, the result of that synthesized performance is that the music is fairly slight. It successfully places itself in the background, and lets Houston's vocals do all the work. This song is all about her voice, and the music does a good job of letting her voice be the main feature of the song. Yes, I just said the best thing about the music was that it didn't get in the way of the vocal performance, and I meant it as a compliment.
The lyrics are about the singer regretting a breakup, and this is her request to get back together. They're pretty simple, and I don't think there are any particularly clever turns of phrase here, but there are also no contradictory or regrettable parts, either. The main chorus is pretty memorable, and the song's intent is clear, even if you only catch the chorus and title.
My verdict: Like it. This song may be the peak of the talent and popularity of a great singer, and the lackluster backing music is mitigated by the fact that it doesn't interfere with the vocals.
Weeks: 2
Now this is a song that doesn't waste Whitney Houston.
I know I talk about singers "oversinging" a lot, but here's a great counterexample. Whitney Houston demonstrates how to sing fancily and elaborately without overdoing it and ruining the enjoyability of the song overall. She sings the song elaborately and fancily, but never strays so far from a basic vocal performance to detract from the basic song. I suppose there are a handful of occasions where she gets fancy, especially near the end, but that's when background singers are well-employed to keep the song balanced.
The music is deep into cheap 80s synthesizer territory, with its synthesized strings, sparkly chords, and fake bongo drums. The fakeness of it is really pretty awful. It feels like I'm listening to the karaoke version of this song. I'd like to label it the most excessive use of cheap, fake 80s synthesizers I've encountered yet, but I feel like I've said that before and might wind up saying it again. However, the result of that synthesized performance is that the music is fairly slight. It successfully places itself in the background, and lets Houston's vocals do all the work. This song is all about her voice, and the music does a good job of letting her voice be the main feature of the song. Yes, I just said the best thing about the music was that it didn't get in the way of the vocal performance, and I meant it as a compliment.
The lyrics are about the singer regretting a breakup, and this is her request to get back together. They're pretty simple, and I don't think there are any particularly clever turns of phrase here, but there are also no contradictory or regrettable parts, either. The main chorus is pretty memorable, and the song's intent is clear, even if you only catch the chorus and title.
My verdict: Like it. This song may be the peak of the talent and popularity of a great singer, and the lackluster backing music is mitigated by the fact that it doesn't interfere with the vocals.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Song #803: "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston
Date: Nov 25, 1995
Weeks: 1
My list randomizer apparently started off in a mood for movies. This is the 5th post I've written, and it's already the 3rd song from a movie. And not just "this song was also in a movie once," but songs that have been branded with the "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" iron. Oh, and of course all 3 are movies that I haven't seen. (Well, actually, I did just watch White Nights, but that's another story). At least this one isn't another Oscar-winner.
The "(Shoop Shoop)" in the title mystifies me. Was that really needed to make the song's identity or artistry clear? It brings unwanted attention to the substantial use of "Shoop" as a lyric in the chorus, which might have passed unnoticed if the title weren't pointing it out to me.
"For every win, someone must fail". Sounds like a slogan for FailBlog. And anyway, I'm pretty sure life doesn't actually work that way. Sometimes a person can win in life without anyone else having to lose.
But the song's lyrics keep returning to the theme of "You'll find your point when you will exhale." Okay, so that has to be a metaphor, obviously, because otherwise that point is every 3 seconds. But what does it mean? What is the point when you exhale? Is it about relaxing? Is it about letting go of frustration I don't need? The song doesn't explain it. Maybe the movie does. Should a movie be required viewing before I can understand a song that was presumably recorded to promote the movie?
Thanks to Urban Dictionary, I got a definition:
I've spent a lot of time on the lyrics because that was bugging me. I feel better now. Let's move on.
The music isn't anything special. Whitney Houston is coasting here. She can do so much more than what this song is asking of her, and she has 10 other number one songs on this list to prove it.
The backing percussion line is an unvarying "Bass drum. Snare. Sleigh bell. Snare. Bass drum. Snare. Sleigh bell. Snare." It starts to grate. Some more varied percussion could have helped.
The bridge does pick up a little bit. It doesn't quite achieve that phenomenon of being a totally different more awesome song, but both the backing string section and Houston seem to be trying a little harder while it lasts. Then I think the song shoots a photon torpedo? Or something? That's an odd way to end a bridge. Then the song "shoops" some more and comes to a close.
My verdict: Don't like it. Whitney Houston is wasted on this.
Weeks: 1
My list randomizer apparently started off in a mood for movies. This is the 5th post I've written, and it's already the 3rd song from a movie. And not just "this song was also in a movie once," but songs that have been branded with the "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" iron. Oh, and of course all 3 are movies that I haven't seen. (Well, actually, I did just watch White Nights, but that's another story). At least this one isn't another Oscar-winner.
The "(Shoop Shoop)" in the title mystifies me. Was that really needed to make the song's identity or artistry clear? It brings unwanted attention to the substantial use of "Shoop" as a lyric in the chorus, which might have passed unnoticed if the title weren't pointing it out to me.
"For every win, someone must fail". Sounds like a slogan for FailBlog. And anyway, I'm pretty sure life doesn't actually work that way. Sometimes a person can win in life without anyone else having to lose.
But the song's lyrics keep returning to the theme of "You'll find your point when you will exhale." Okay, so that has to be a metaphor, obviously, because otherwise that point is every 3 seconds. But what does it mean? What is the point when you exhale? Is it about relaxing? Is it about letting go of frustration I don't need? The song doesn't explain it. Maybe the movie does. Should a movie be required viewing before I can understand a song that was presumably recorded to promote the movie?
Thanks to Urban Dictionary, I got a definition:
- the point before a woman finds a GOOD prospect of a man...once she has exhaled...he could be a keeper
- "I'm not sure if he's the one, so i'm still waiting to exhale. "
I've spent a lot of time on the lyrics because that was bugging me. I feel better now. Let's move on.
The music isn't anything special. Whitney Houston is coasting here. She can do so much more than what this song is asking of her, and she has 10 other number one songs on this list to prove it.
The backing percussion line is an unvarying "Bass drum. Snare. Sleigh bell. Snare. Bass drum. Snare. Sleigh bell. Snare." It starts to grate. Some more varied percussion could have helped.
The bridge does pick up a little bit. It doesn't quite achieve that phenomenon of being a totally different more awesome song, but both the backing string section and Houston seem to be trying a little harder while it lasts. Then I think the song shoots a photon torpedo? Or something? That's an odd way to end a bridge. Then the song "shoops" some more and comes to a close.
My verdict: Don't like it. Whitney Houston is wasted on this.
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