Whitney: Road to the Comeback (Part 1)

Just like I did to commemorate Mariah Carey's 18th US #1 single, I am doing special post to celebrate Whitney Houston's return to music, coming this fall. To do that, I have gone back in history and chosen her most memorable songs:

How Will I Know (1985) - It wasn't her first single, but it was the single that brought her to the masses. There was the colorful music video, the fun R&B/dance-pop arrangement, and then of course, "The Voice". Even without a ballad, Whitney's career-making vocals shone in this number-one hit, which would began a record-setting string of them. It may sound dated today, but don't lie; you like it, just a bit. Rating: 9/10

Greatest Love of All (1986) - OK, so what if Blender Magazine listed it as one of the Worst Songs Ever? If even if the lyrics toe the line between inspirational and schmaltzy, Whitney's voice truly shines through here. Her later live performances continually breathe life into this 80s classic. Rating: 8/10

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (1987) - How many American Idol contestants have covered this? Wanna know why? Because its the easiest Whitney song to sing (and that's not really saying much). Both the song and video are terribly dated, but its still a fun track if you ever want to go retro. Plus, Whitney's voice sounds amazing, as usual. Rating: 7.5/10

Didn't We Almost Have It All (1987) - This song is the third most played of my Whitney songs on iTunes. I LOVE this song, because, like most Whitney ballads, she sings with such passion and energy that somehow matches the tone of the song. In fact, whenever I leave home, I fight the urge to play this song and pretend that I'm leaving forever, with this song as my soundtrack, Corny, huh? Weird, huh? That's how much I love this song. Rating 9/10

So Emotional (1987) - I'm guessing this song (with the guitar riffs and everything) was supposed to show that Whitney had some edge. She even donned a leather jacket in the video. It's pretty hard to prove that point when she's singing about being "so emotional" whenever her lover is around. Again, its another nice upbeat Whitney record, but I definitely wouldn't call it a true standout. Rating: 6.5/10

Where Do Broken Hearts Go? (1988) - Sometimes, a stellar voice can't save a song. Whitney mania brought this song to #1, but it probably didn't deserve it. She sang beautifully, but the lyrics are boring and uninspiring. Where do broken hearts go? Either to a bar to get drunk or to their bedrooms with a pint of ice cream, a copy of Titanic, and some Kleenex. Too bad the answer wasn't included. Apparently, Whitney did not want to record this song (same reasons as me), but Clive Davis told her she would go to #1 with this. He was right, but he shoudn't have been. (NOTE: This was the song that got her infamously booed at the Soul Train Awards). Rating: 5/10