come back 80s whitney!

once upon a time, there was a young girl with a big voice. she had the connections, the looks and the talent to have the world at her feet.

by the time whitney houston had completed her third album in 1990, many began to criticise her slickly produced, commercial sound and she was infamously booed at the 1989 soul train awards.

whitney is, and always has been managed by clive davis of arista. this was her choice - since singing on a track 'life's a party' for disco outfit the michael zager band at the age of 14 in 1977, she had been offered countless deals. she turned them down, they're weren't big enough. it wasn't until she caught the eye of clive davis in 1983 that she finally accepted.

whilst her voice naturally gravitated towards soul and r&b, she always intended to reach the mass, not niche market. but, prior to the completion of her first eponymous album, she duetted with r&b singers teddy pendergrass and kashif.

in 1985, the album was finally ready and initially, one of the album's more soulful cuts, 'someone for me' was released in the UK. something wasn't clicking. arista then released 'you give good love' and whilst it flopped in the UK, in the US it was the record that broke whitney.

it was swiftly followed up by 'saving all my love for you' her first international hit, and number one on both sides of the atlantic. uptempo number 'how will i know' and george benson cover 'the greatest love of all' cemented her mainstream popularity, to some extent alienating the soul and r&b contingent. her hugely successful second album 'whitney', didn't pacify those who thought she had sold out.

hooking up with renowned bad boy bobby brown and the associated kudos for snaring a hot younger man - she had to be doing something right - helped whitney shed her wholesome image. still, right up to their duet 'something in common' in which for the video, bobby and a heavily pregnant whitney cavorted poolside, it also appeared that bobby was a reformed man.

after the resounding success of whitney's film and soundtrack 'the bodyguard', and bobby's second album, the pair took a break. although they surfaced frequently over the next 5 or 6 years, for remixes (bobby) and more films (whitney), something was awry. rumours began to circulate that both were addicted to various drugs and bobby faced a series of charges that culminated in a spaced out whitney clinging to her husband as he was released from jail in 1998. recently it was alleged that she was living in a rented hovel with 80s singer cherrelle, having blown her fortune on drugs.

but with their divorce now final, and feisty daughter bobbi kristina more settled, whitney has a new album due and her life seems back on track. no doubt she is older and wiser but I can't help but wish for the sparkling, curly hair and legwarmers whitney of the 80s, which she'll now never be again. even if you thought the music was too polished, it was better than yelling-obscenities-in-a-dirty-velour-tracksuit whitney, wasn't it?

ten reasons whitney should lay off the drugs - download here

someone for me

80s synth pop/soul, you need to actually listen to it properly or it tends to wash over you.

thinking about you

intended to be the third single, but only released to radio. whitney roped in kashif, whom she had already duetted with for this nice, uptempo grower.

you give good love

a top 5 hit in the US and one of her best songs. the video, showing her singing in an underground club, is said to be one of whitney's favourites, due to its simplicity.

how will i know

the song that all little girls who grew up in 80s will remember. this bouncy tune is pastel-wearing fun whitney at her best.

all at once

this ballad is a fan favourite from the debut album.

shock me

duet with jermaine jackson, from 1985's 'perfect' soundtrack. a jumpy uptempo number in the tradition of footloose, flashdance and fame.

moment of truth

1987 b-side of 'i wanna dance with somebody'. a sweet midtempo number that could have slotted into the 'whitney album' perfectly.

love is a contact sport

probably intended to be 'how will i know' part 2. most people probably don't remember this from the 'whitney album' due to the proliferation of ballads.

feel so good

1990 b-side of i'm your baby tonight'. nothing groundbreaking but nice to have.

dancin' on the smooth edge

whitney does 90s slow jam on this 1990 b-side to 'all the man i need'.