Destination Jam: Top 5 underrated Whitney Houston songs to celebrate one of the greatest voices in history
It has been nearly a decade since the world lost one of it's most gifted singers -- Whitney Houston. The 'I Will Always Love You' hitmaker's first foray into music was as a singer in her church and a background vocalist at her school. At 19, she was signed to Arista Records and her first two self-titled studio albums in the '80s both peaked at number one on the Billboard 200, remaining on the list of best-selling albums of all time since then. Houston, for her part, sealed herself in music history from the moment her voice hit the airwaves, but the Guinness World Records that have her listed as the most awarded female artiste of all time, one of the best-selling recording artistes of all time, and the best-selling soundtrack album in history (for 1992's 'The Bodyguard') certainly help boost her legacy.
However, what was possibly the most remarkable aspect of Houston's career, however, was that she was one of the most successful crossover artistes of all time. She began in gospel and R&B, and made her way into pop, delivering some of the most iconic ballads ever along the way. And to top it all off, she accomplished her greatest feats while also being an African-American woman, thus paving the way for many more to follow in her footsteps. While the later years in her career were fraught with personal struggles, threatening to overshadow her illustrious career, Houston is still recognized for the talented artiste she was.
But while Houston's award-winning tracks are instantly recognizable and eternally beloved, her catalog boasts a massive range of songs that not everyone remembers. Here are five of the most underrated songs from Whitney Houston that truly capture both her musical gifts and her ability to emote like no other.
'I Didn't Know My Own Strength'
Houston was hardly coy when it came to discussing her own struggles, but more often than not, it involved her having to defend herself and her choices based on media reports. To that end, it was rare to get something quite as vulnerable as what her fans got on this 2009 track. There is something magical about hearing Houston recognize her own 'Strength', and it almost makes you forget all her struggles, particularly towards the end of her life. It almost makes you wish you could sing it back to her in the hopes that it'll make her story end differently.
'Lover for Life'
Houston was largely known for her powerhouse vocals that included the most effortless belting techniques heard from a contemporary vocalist. But on this track, a gorgeously romantic love song, she delivered something totally different in the form of a softer, gentler sound, proving she was so much more than a one-trick pony.
'Try it On My Own'
With a writing team that included Babyface, Jason Edmonds, Carole Bayer Sager, Aleese Simmons, and Nathan Walton, this song was bound to be an absolute gem. Combine that with a voice like Houston's and there's very little that can go wrong here. Unfortunately, the song didn't find it's way to the apex of every chart the way a lot of Houston's other tracks did, possibly owing to it featuring on her 2002 'Just Whitney', which was released amid legal issues and several scandals including ones relating to drugs. Sadly, this frequently overshadowed Houston's music, no matter how good it turned out to be. The song did, nonetheless, drop to positive reviews, and managed to top the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in addition to being featured on the television series 'Boston Public'. But what really made this song special was getting to hear Houston love herself, amid all the drama and rumors. Because despite everything she was going through, Houston still made sure to remind us all to forge our own paths and chase after our dreams.
'I Love the Lord'
Backed by the Georgia Mass Choir, Houston dug deep into her gospel roots for this contribution to the 'The Preacher's Wife' soundtrack, although she never shied away from gospel during live shows throughout her career.
Pop ballads aside, Houston's roots were always in gospel and thus the core of her music laid here as well. Backed by the Georgia Mass Choir, an ensemble with 150 members founded and led by Rev Milton Biggham, this track is pure joy and a gorgeous demonstration of Houston's unparalleled vocal skills. The track was included on the soundtrack for Houston's movie 'The Preacher's Wife', which also featured the Choir, and was also performed at the 1996 Olympic Games.
'Eternal Love'
Long before Houston debuted and smashed records, she recorded 'Eternal Love' as a guest soloist for an album titled 'Paul Jabara and Friends'. As the name suggests, the album was from actor, singer, and songwriter Paul Jabara, who had found fame from penning tracks like Donna Summer's 'Last Dance' and Summer's duet with Barbra Streisand, 'No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)'. The album also included the smash hit, 'It's Raining Men' by The Weather Girls. But arguably one of its best little secrets was the track featuring Houston who at that point was a 19-year-old relatively unknown R&B singer looking for her big shot. It's an emotional ride listening to the young singer on this track now, so full of life and dreams that she would make come true, even if they came at a painful cost.
Destination Jam is a daily list of songs that will keep you entertained and grooving up top in lieu of feeling drained and losing the plot. Look out for a fresh selection of great tunes from MEAWW to refresh your mood every day!