Strong Feelings About Whitney Houston

[JTE]

When she first came out she was a remarkable bright spot. Phenomenal chops and expression always in service to the SONG. I saw her on Johnny Carson singing "Saving All My Love" and was mesmerized. Got that first album (with Nathan East all over it being the great bassist he is).

But her wretched excess on Folly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" was the very antithesis of what attracted me to her singing at first.

The poll is an awful and useless measurement tool for something as complex and nuanced as opinion of a musical artist. Certainly don't hate her, definitely not indifferent, but don't love her. Therefore no reason to take the poll.

 

[Ewo]

The second verse is supposed to be racist. Well one of the verses is supposed to be racist. There's an article out.

Well, then...that settles it.

Uh-huh. Yeah, sure.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

I know a lot of people think she has a great voice , but she didn’t light me up like Dionne Warwick, Aretha or Dusty Springfield or any of those women (there is a list) with that unique character in their vocals.

With those comparisons, that's a faint critique - many singers would be honored to be mentioned in the same sentence. Can add Maria Callas & Jesse Norman. Marian Anderson had a distinctive voice, too.

I bought Whitney's 1st album soon after it dropped, & I was glad for her that it sold well & her career took off. Didn't buy any others, nor did I tape any of my Mom's albums when I visited (she had some, not many). I will get her Star-Spangled Banner, tho.

 

[two fingers]

The second verse is supposed to be racist. Well one of the verses is supposed to be racist. There's an article out.

I just wrote an article saying that cheeseburgers are racist. So.....choose lunch wisely tomorrow.

I like playing I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Where does that put me?

Somewhere in New England?

I have played that one backing a few ladies. Even sang backups on it a few times. It was fun.

 

[Dean N]

She hasn't put anything out in years

Tough crowd!

 

[tlc1976]

If folks are going to condemn her entire catalog of music, because of her drug abuse, they might as well destroy a lot of the music they already own. It is a very common thing in the music industry, is it not?

Yes lots of artists who have made poor choices and I don't/didn't like them as a person. But I can like their music regardless. Belinda Carlisle will always be one of my favorites, though a recent story exposed that all those albums were essentially fueled by cocaine. I always heard she made them after she got clean, kinda gives me a different view. But at least she did get clean later on. BTW I have Whitney's first 3 albums and they're not going anywhere.

 

[charlie monroe]

I refuse to be reduced to a mere data point in some nefarious internet scheme of @mellowinman

I wish I had thought of that before I voted.

Bloody nefarious internet schemes !!

 

[mikewalker]

I liked three or four of her vocal performances that I heard on the radio. Great singer, but not the kind of music that I would spend my very limited hard-earned record-buying budget on, back in the day. Indifferent and a half on your scale, maybe. Don't know anything about her personal life...

 

[DrummerwStrings]

The second verse is supposed to be racist. Well one of the verses is supposed to be racist. There's an article out.

Well, then...that settles it.

Uh-huh. Yeah, sure.

I think he meant the 3rd verse. And Yes, I'm being pedantic: such a left-field Cliff Clavin comment deserves it.

Good Night!

OP, let us know what's it all about as you promised.

 

[Mike Sorr]

Great voice. Her music does nothing for me. That's true with so much of today's pop music or what passes for it. Some talented singers and truly terrible, unlistenable crap.

Or as Geddy Lee once put it, “There are a lot of empty calories on the radio these days.”

 

[leegreenman]

I voted "love", because she sings several of my favorite 80s hits. If "like" was an option, I would have chosen it.

 

[wmhill]

 

[packhowitzer]

I really liked this Whitney Houston. She had such a clear voice and sweet face:

This one? definitely not:

 

[Pirate Captain]

Whitney Houston was an insanely talented vocalist...period...that's it.

all the drug abuse jokes are in poor taste...and, quite frankly, a bit sexist. Nobody would make the same jokes about Jimi Hendrix or Bon Scott...both of whom only lived half as long as she did.

Shame on you TB...seriously

 

[CapnSev]

It looks like there are some strong feelings of “meh”.

 

[Topkat13]

Never heard her play bass so I don't feel qualified to answer.

 

[Two-Spirit]

We should be talking about Barry White.

 

[57pbass]

Great vocalist ..so sad that she connected with her husband ..

 

[Pauly 4001]

I have an interest in the early Narada Michael Walden produced stuff as it was recorded at The Automatt Studio and used a Linn LM-1 drum machine which I might own.
I'm afraid I used to refer to her as Whitey back when she was in her heavily overexposed early/mid career and at the time I found her voice annoying. I like I Wanna Dance With Somebody now as I like tight elaborate synth productions of a certain ilk and I think her voice and taste at the time were spot on but that's all in retrospect. I hated it when it came out and I'll listen to anything that was recorded at the Automatt and used an Linn LM-1. I think I've heard I Will Always Love You enough for the next few decades and maybe I'll realize I was being biased and missing out. I've just discovered Sign O the Times in the last couple months so what the heck do I know?
All that said I couldn't bring myself to vote, I guess I am sort of indifferent but sad about the awful waste of her life and her daughter's life.

 

[mellowinman]

OK, so I have been dating a lot of black women over the past two years, and my white friends have said, "what's it like to date black women?" My simple answer is that black women are all different. Every woman I have dated has been an individual; a person; a human being, with no unifying connection. And then I thought of one possible exception: every single one of them I have dated, met, befriended, or interacted with in any way has absolutely LOVED Whitney Houston. And in my opinion, with good reason. MY opinion about Whitney Houston is, she is the greatest R&B vocalist of all time, because she nails every category. She has the technical chops. She has the range. She has the tone. She is an amazing, skilled vocalist, but she is so much more than that. She hits the nuances. She reads the material. She has the TASTE to reign it in when she should, and she has he soul to interpret the material. She was an amazing performer, a beautiful woman, and a decent, if flawed person. She was an angel, and we lost something big when we lost her.
I wondered if every black woman I know loved her because maybe universally, EVERYBODY loves her, and so I polled a bunch of bass players.
It certainly is a STRONG statement to say you are indifferent to someone as talented as Whitney Houston. How could anyone possibly be indifferent to a singer of that caliber? It's a rhetorical question.
I'm surprise that I DESPISE Whitney Houston got even one vote, and I fully expected he poll to be lopsided in favor of I LOVE Whitney Houston, but musical taste is subjective.
I have no doubt there are black women who don't LOVE Whitney Houston. I haven't met one, but I'm pretty sure I haven't met all of them yet.
Thanks to those who participated.
Everyone has the right to their opinion, of course.