What are your favorite Whitney Houston songs and performances? It’s hard to choose from a lifetime of incredible music, but here are ten we think are worth remembering.
1. “The Greatest Love of All” (1986)
The music video for Whitney’s hit single, a song first recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest, at the Apollo Theater in New York City’s Harlem. The video features a cameo by Whitney’s mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston.
2. “How Will I Know?” (1985)
The song, which appeared on Houston’s debut album, Whitney Houston, was originally written for Janet Jackson, who passed on it. It would be one of Whitney’s biggest hits, hitting number one on Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot R&B Singles and Adult Contemporary charts.
3. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (1987)
The song was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, the same songwriting team who wrote Houston’s 1985 hit, “How Will I Know.” The song, produced by Narada Michael Walden, appeared on Houston’s second album, Whitney, and produced one of the most popular music video’s on the fledgling MTV network.
4. “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” (1995)
The title song to the movie adaptation of the Terry McMillan novel, “Waiting to Exhale,” the song commonly known as “Shoop Shoop” was written and produced by Babyface. The music video was directed by actor Forrest Whitaker.
5. National Anthem (1991)
Whitney Houston’s rendition of the National Anthem before Super Bowl XXV is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest ever rendition of the song. The vocal had actually been pre-recorded, and Whitney lip synched her version in the Tampa stadium on January 27, 1991, but nobody really cared. Whitney’s version has been copied by singers of the anthem ever since.
6. “I Will Always Love You” (The Bodyguard Soundtrack, 1992)
The song, from the soundtrack to the 1992 movie “The Bodyguard,” was actually a remake of a country hit written and performed by Dolly Parton. Whitney’s version went number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and is still one of the biggest pop hits of all time, selling 12 million copies of the single worldwide.
7. “Saving All My Love For You” (1985)
Another hit song from Whitney’s debut album, “Saving All My Love For You” was a torch song for the ages. The song was first recorded in 1978 by the R&B duo Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., but Whitney made it a major hit. And the song won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal in 1986.
8. “I’m Every Woman (The Bodyguard Soundtrack, 1992)
The remake of the Chaka Khan hit was actually released while Whitney’s other big remake, “I Will Always Love You” was still sitting at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. “I’m Every Woman” soon charted in its own right, becoming a Billboard Hot Dance Club and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart topper. Chaka appeared in the music video as a cameo, along with the members of the R&B group TLC.
9. “I Have Nothing” (The Bodyguard Soundtrack, 1992)
The third single from The Bodyguard soundtrack was released in 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by the legendary songwriting team of David Foster and Linda Thompson.
10. “Jesus Loves Me” (The Bodyguard Soundtrack, 1992)
It’s a staple song at bedtime for children everywhere, but Whitney Houston’s version of “Yes, Jesus Loves Me” stands apart. The song was recorded for the year film, , and quickly became yet another Houston hit. It is also said to be the last song performed live by the singer, as part of the “Kelly Price & Friends Uplugged: For the Love of R&B” Grammy party at True Hollywood, ahead of Sunday’s Grammy’s telecast.
