As I’ve mentioned before there are only two singers in the GOAT conversation for me– Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. They are two different types of singers (you can read our recap of Aretha’s 1972 album Young, Gifted and Black to understand why her soulful delivery is so damn special) but from a technical perspective Whitney is on a different planet than literally anyone else who has ever sung into a microphone for a living. The clarity in her voice at every register is immaculate. The way she effortlessly transitions into falsetto and teases out vocal runs is stunningly sublime. There simply isn’t another singer in history that has every tool in the toolbox.
Everyone knows Whitney’s iconic performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl, but if you haven’t re-watched it in at least a month, you need to watch it again before you read another sentence. I promise it will give you chills.
Whitney’s self-titled 1985 debut Whitney Houston was an instant success, becoming the first debut album AND the first album by a solo female artist to produce three number-one singles on the charts. All of her vocal talent was already in high gear– the dramatic flourishes, the heavenly soprano, the powerful ability to hold a note for an extended period of time and make it sound as simple as breathing.
All of these vintage Whitney moments mask what at times is a collection of pretty middling musical arrangements. Put any other singer on a lot of these songs and the album is probably a flop. It’s actually what makes this record even more special. You have some of the most gratuitous examples of cheesy 80’s music juxtaposed with the amazing power of Whitney’s voice, which ironically makes it a more memorable record than if the arrangements were more refined. Another interesting note is the ballad-heavy approach. Six of the ten tracks are ballads, which is quite a high percentage for any genre of music or era. And they all work, cause it’s Whitney.
She’s a legend, plain and simple, and her 1985 debut is a sterling example of what a once-in-a-lifetime vocal talent can do.
Standout Songs: “How Will I Know”, “Saving All My Love For You”, “Take Good Care of My Heart”, “Greatest Love of All”
