EP 1 - Debut - Whitney Houston (1985)

[00:00:24] Speaker A: Hello. [00:00:25] Speaker B: Hello. Hello. [00:00:25] Speaker A: Hello. My name is Cam. [00:00:28] Speaker B: And I'm Nelly. [00:00:29] Speaker A: And you're listening to Diva Decoded. I am a Canadian editor. Filmmaker. [00:00:36] Speaker B: I am a writer and filmmaker, and. [00:00:39] Speaker A: Thanks for joining us. For our first real episode, we did, like, our little intro one, but, like, we're gonna get into the meat, which I'm very excited for. So, Nelly, what album are we covering today? [00:00:50] Speaker B: We are covering. Insert drum roll here. Whitney Houston, her first album. Her debut album. Wow. I am so, so excited for this one. You know, as I mentioned in my intro, I am a Whitney standout. [00:01:04] Speaker A: So why did we want to do this album, Nelly? [00:01:06] Speaker B: Well, we knew that, like, to start off, we needed a trailblazer. We absolutely did. Like, this was, like, going to be a very positive start to the. To the season. But the thing is, also, though, like, knowing that I'm such a Whitney fan, I'm like, it's. I think it's fitting to have her start, too, knowing that she's shaped so many other vocalists that we're going to cover, too. We've seen her style be replicated in many ways, even if it's just an attempt. And so, like, I think it's really fitting to get into her style, her. Her coverage first to pave the ways for everybody else as well. [00:01:41] Speaker A: Yes. And I love this album. I was thinking about it on the way here. I have this album on my wall. This is my favorite Whitney Houston album, just because I think it's so purely her. And I just think it's, like, it's funny that it was her first album because it's kind of like the epitome of who she was at her best as a singer. You know what I mean? Like, I think the Bodyguard was also kind of like, of her best, but, like, it wasn't really a full album. You know what I mean? I think she did six tracks for that. [00:02:05] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:06] Speaker A: And the rest was, like, you know, it was a soundtrack. So. Yeah, I don't know. I. I just. I really love this album, and every female singer in the industry, like, that was a singer. Singer after this, was measured up to Whitney Houston, you know? [00:02:18] Speaker B: So I also just think that there's such a general sense of innocence in this album that's like, you watch it and you're like, this is somebody that was just really excited to be part of the industry. I mean, I was like, I. I was looking into her history, diving into that a little bit earlier, and I. Oh, my God. Yeah. She would be considered a nepo baby, I guess, because of her mother. Because she had such raw talent, like, genuine talent, as, you know, not many Nepo babies have. Not marrying what not many Nepo babies have. [00:02:43] Speaker A: What does that mean? [00:02:45] Speaker B: Nepotism babies. [00:02:46] Speaker A: Nepotism. [00:02:47] Speaker B: Nepo babies. Am I gonna teach you what Nepo babies mean? Oh, my gosh, I'm excited. Nepo baby means somebody who is a descendant of a star. [00:02:56] Speaker A: Oh, she's Sissy Houston's daughter. Yeah. [00:02:59] Speaker B: So, like, oftentimes, as we know, in fields like in artistry, Nepo babies often can get away with having no talent and be able to get where they are. But she came out and showed out. She's like, you know what? Yes, I am the daughter of Sissy Houston, but I'm also Whitney Houston. Right. And we know her for as being Whitney and not the daughter of Sissy. It gets a little, like, disheartening, knowing, like, everything that was going on in her life and, like, other people, that became an influence, like, a negative influence to her. But this is her at her prime and her being like, look at me, you know, I am Whitney. Remember me? [00:03:37] Speaker A: Yeah. I feel like this is, like, this album is just her and the bubble of her, you know, purity and greatness and before all the other stuff that comes along with fame, kind of affected her life because she is a very sad story. But this is kind of like the sunshine time of her life, if that makes sense. That's just the only way I could. I could put it, you know? [00:03:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:03:57] Speaker A: This is. This is what Whitney Houston magic is. I think that's why we thought it would be a good album to cover. [00:04:02] Speaker B: For the first episode, for sure. And I think that also just, like, leads into us speaking. Speaking. You've already spoken about how much you love this album. I adore this album, too, genuinely. I think my favorite album still is the Breacher's Wife, but this one is amazing in itself. Obviously, it's her debut, and you get to see such amazing tracks as we'll cover, But I think this album is still one of my favorites of hers, but not my total favorite, but I'm excited to dive into it nonetheless. [00:04:32] Speaker A: So we listened to the whole album, I think, a couple times through. I listened to it a couple times through. [00:04:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:04:38] Speaker A: I already knew the singles very well, but not as much like the album tracks. So how do you. How do you feel about this album as a whole? [00:04:45] Speaker B: As a whole? I don't know. Like, I think, yeah, the singles are untouchable, but I'm just like. I think there are, like, a couple of songs in this album where I was like, interesting. I wonder why this was added. [00:04:57] Speaker A: Yeah, that's. That's fair. I feel like for the singles, they made such great choices that were kind of the blueprint. Because when I think of How Will I Know? I think of it as kind of like the predecessor to I Want to Dance With Somebody. And everybody. Everybody sings, I want to dance with somebody. [00:05:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:13] Speaker A: So. Yeah. And when I think of, like, Saving All My Love for you or Greatest Love of All, you know, I think of, you know, where do Broken Hearts Go? That's kind of like, what set the style of the ballads. Even I Will Always Love you or I have Nothing. Those power ballads, I feel like they kind of, like, got their start here. Like, that's where you kind of first hear that sound, I don't know, from her. So it's really interesting. So I think it was a really good introduction album. Okay, so do we want to get into what the music market was like at this time? [00:05:44] Speaker B: Yes. Let's get into the history of it. [00:05:46] Speaker A: I mean, in the 80s, it was very, like, white music, I think, especially in pop radio. I think there's, like, a famous interview of, like, David Bowie saying, like, asking an MTV person why they're only playing white music videos at the time of release. Like, there was Michael Jackson, but in terms of, like, female. [00:06:06] Speaker B: It was a Sydney black singers era. [00:06:08] Speaker A: Yeah. Madonna. Because Madonna came out. Madonna's debut came out in, I think, 83. And Cindy Laupers as well. 83. Yeah. I don't know. I don't. I can't really think of any huge, like, number one. [00:06:21] Speaker B: There was. There was Tina Turner. [00:06:23] Speaker A: There was. Yeah, there was Tina Turner and Patti. [00:06:25] Speaker B: LaBelle at that time, too. Patti LaBelle was still, like. Patti LaBelle was heavy in, like, the gospel arena. Right. [00:06:31] Speaker A: Yeah, but we're talking, like, pop. Pop. [00:06:34] Speaker B: Also acknowledging the fact that, like, Whitney was really young at the time. Tina Turner was still, like. Like, not old, but she was, like, older than Whitney. Right. So, like, I think it was to see, like, a fresh, new voice, fresh new black female voice was something that was just like, very, very interesting to see. Yeah. It was released in 1985. [00:06:56] Speaker A: I think Janet Jackson had a couple albums, too, around this time, but she wasn't really big. Like, I think we're not. This. We're not talking about Janet Jackson, at least not yet. Wink, wink. [00:07:06] Speaker B: Not yet. Dun, dun, dun. [00:07:08] Speaker A: But, yeah, I think. I think she had a couple albums up by this point, and she wasn't getting big either until control in 86. But, yeah, so I. I Mean, off the top of my head, I can't really think of many hugely famous black women, like, number one in America on the Hot 100. [00:07:27] Speaker B: So apparently, I'm looking here. Apparently cells were low initially sale this album. [00:07:33] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, bitch. We're gonna get into that. We're gonna get into that. [00:07:36] Speaker B: Damn. [00:07:36] Speaker A: Because the single choice, they were very conscious about the single choice, and they were trying to kind of get the R and B audience before the pop audience. So that's why they released you give good Love. I think that was one of the first singles from the album. [00:07:53] Speaker B: Yes. However, with the success of the first single, you, give good love, the album began climbing the charts and finally reached the number one on the Billboard top Black alb. [00:08:05] Speaker A: I think it got to number three. Like, I. I know it was a bigger hit on R and B radio than it was on the Hot 100. Oh, it actually got to number three on the Hot 100. So I think it was a slow kind of, like, build, but it definitely wasn't as big as the next single it leads to. [00:08:22] Speaker B: This sentence says it was the slowest climb to the top of the chart since Fleetwood Mac took 58 weeks to reach the top. [00:08:29] Speaker A: Oh. So it was kind of like a slow build for Whitney. [00:08:32] Speaker B: Slow burn. Yeah. And. Which is wild knowing, like, how much. How high of a regard we hold for her now. But seeing how, like, it was a slow start for her at the start, too. [00:08:43] Speaker A: I remember it being somewhat purposeful, though. Like, I remember them kind of, like, trying to hook her into the RB audience, you know? First you give good love was released as the first single. And, I mean, unless you can't hold me, But I don't really count that. That was because hold me apparently was released the year before in 84, and the album didn't even come out yet, so. And then there was all at once released in Europe, but all at once was next. And then it was saving all my love for you. And I think that was the first number one of the album because that was released in the States. Bitch. That was Whitney's first number one single. I love that song. Such an amazing song. Then it was thinking about you, girl. Why? Who chose that as a single? [00:09:25] Speaker B: Okay, whatever. Well, we'll talk about. We'll talk about it in a second. [00:09:28] Speaker A: There's beef. And then it was how will I know? And then greatest love of all. And that was kind of the order of release. I believe the children are a future. So now I think we should go through track by track. [00:09:43] Speaker B: Nelly, and let's do it. [00:09:45] Speaker A: Talk about the album. [00:09:46] Speaker B: Hold on, let me pull this up. [00:09:47] Speaker A: I have it right here. [00:09:48] Speaker B: Okay. Amazing. Thank you. [00:09:49] Speaker A: Okay, so track one on the album. You Give good love. [00:09:55] Speaker B: You give good love. Genuinely like it. It is so telling of that youthful innocence. Like, yeah, just like when I listen to it, I'm like. I picture just like a girl even. Just like, has just finished like her first year of university even, and is just strolling through the streets in summertime and has just come back from her boyfriend's house who they. They just became girlfriend boyfriend. It's like, it's just so. It encapsulates that youthful glow of the album so well. And I think, honestly, it was an incredible start to the album. [00:10:30] Speaker A: Yeah. And when I think of this album, I think of you Give Good Love. Like, just. Because when I was first listening to the album, I didn't realize this was a long time ago. I didn't realize it was a single because it's not one of the well known Whitney Houston songs, at least, like by the general public. So. I love this song. It was very young, very fun. It was like you could tell her voice is lighter here than it was would be in the. In the future albums. So, I mean, I. I really enjoyed that about the song. And the vocals. Honey, the vocals. She's really giving us everything, especially in that second verse. Now you're here like you've been before. [00:11:09] Speaker B: How old was she during this? So this was 1985. I think she was born in 63. She was 22. [00:11:15] Speaker A: Girl was young. [00:11:16] Speaker B: She was young as hell. [00:11:17] Speaker A: You could hear it in her voice too. But I think it's just like, I feel like that song is like her raw talent. I think it should have been a single. I think it was a great song. [00:11:27] Speaker B: Wait, they did release it as a single? [00:11:28] Speaker A: No, it was a single. [00:11:29] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:11:30] Speaker A: Wait, no, I was saying. I was affirming their choice. Oh, I was saying, good job, Arista. [00:11:35] Speaker B: High five. High five. [00:11:37] Speaker A: Good job, Clive Davis. No, but yeah, so I think that's a beautiful song. [00:11:42] Speaker B: Top tier. I love it. And I do think it was an incredible intro into the album too. Especially with the modulations too. Like halfway through the verse when she decides to just change keys and then. [00:11:53] Speaker A: She comes back down with the now. [00:11:54] Speaker B: Yeah, like, amazing. Like, actually like, when you think about it, I don't know. I'm all for modul. I'm like. I'm a modulation girly. I'm just like, yes. Change the key halfway through. [00:12:05] Speaker A: Key changes, key change. [00:12:06] Speaker B: Except I actually love when they change the key down instead of up. [00:12:10] Speaker A: Oftentimes, like in How Will I Know. Yes, we'll get to that. I was always confused by that. I was like, why did they change it down? Because then I want to dance with somebody. They change it up. [00:12:19] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:20] Speaker A: At the end. And I was like, I don't know. [00:12:22] Speaker B: Something about changing, changing it down. Which we'll get to is just like, something. I don't know. We'll talk about it in a second. [00:12:28] Speaker A: I always thought that was an interesting choice, but. And in terms of you give good love, I feel like you could really hear the clarity of her voice. Whitney Houston is known for her voice being so clear. [00:12:37] Speaker B: Yes. [00:12:38] Speaker A: And that being part of what makes her such a great singer. And I feel like you could really hear it on this track. And I don't know. I feel like this song. This also goes for Mariah Carey's debut. When I think of songs like Love Takes Time, that was her second single. This song is. It's an amazing song, but I feel like it's more there to show off her voice. You know what I mean? Like, not show off in a negative way, but just like, hey, this is. This is her singing. [00:13:06] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:13:06] Speaker A: You know what I mean? So I feel like it's kind of the similar thing with this song where it's just kind of, like, showing what she can do and it's just an excuse to hear that voice, you know what I mean? [00:13:16] Speaker B: Like, no, the thing is with Whitney, though, is that, like, the reason why, like, her voice is so distinctive, too, is that, like, you watch her perform, you see every single one of her teeth. She's like, I will enunciate to the gods. Like, it's like, she's amazing at that. Right? [00:13:29] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:13:31] Speaker B: And so, like, watching that, too. And I think that's where, like, we lose some of the. Some of that in, like, a lot of newer artists is that they're afraid to, like, sing with their face rather than with just, like, their vocal cords and so waiting. She's like, no, you're gonna see my cheeks, you're gonna see my eyes squint. You're gonna see, like, every, like, muscle of my face move. [00:13:55] Speaker A: You could see it in her neck, too. Her neck veins. Yeah. [00:13:57] Speaker B: And, like, you see her tongue. Oftentimes, her tongue was a different color, but, like, it's like. It's. She's. Yeah, she. She definitely is somebody that, like, she sings with her, like, everything that she is. And so that's why I'm like. When you're hearing. When you're listening to her. I'm just like, I don't have to go to A to Z lyrics. I don't have to go to genius.com. [00:14:14] Speaker A: That'S true. [00:14:15] Speaker B: I'm just like. I can hear them. [00:14:18] Speaker A: Because even with Mariah, I feel like some of her more whispery tracks because she, like, not to be confused with whistley, but whispery. It's kind of like the style of singing she used. I don't know what the hell she's saying, you know? And I love Mariah, but with Whitney, I never have that problem. So. That's cute. That's cute. [00:14:34] Speaker B: It's cute. [00:14:35] Speaker A: But anyway, I love this song. This is one of my favorites from the album, for sure. [00:14:39] Speaker B: It's amazing. [00:14:40] Speaker A: Do we want to move on to the next track? [00:14:42] Speaker B: On to the next one. [00:14:43] Speaker A: Thinking about you. [00:14:44] Speaker B: Okay, here's the thing. Okay, here's the thing. Here's the thing. I know. This is where me and Cam are gonna start to bicker. I see what you mean. And just, like, being like. Like, this is. This is probably one of the ones for me where I'm just like, it could have actually done without it. Like, it could have actually done without the song. But I do like how when I listen to the song, it's undeniably the 80s. Like, I love how undeniable about it is. And just, like, it speaks to the time. Like, hearing that. Hearing the. The synth as well as the. The little pop pops in the, like, whatever the music. I don't know. I don't know music terminology like that. Okay. But, like, hearing those, I'm just like, yes. I would watch this in, like, a heist. Like an 80s heist movie. You know what I mean? [00:15:29] Speaker A: That's so specific. [00:15:30] Speaker B: Like, I just. [00:15:31] Speaker A: I. [00:15:31] Speaker B: That's what I like about it is that, like, I'm like, I'm listening to it. I'm just like, this is like, if we were to grade each song specifically, I would give this momentary magic. [00:15:41] Speaker A: That's fair. I mean, for me, this song just didn't connect with me. I don't think that the lyrics were particularly powerful. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, like, I just don't think there's anything really that memorable about the song. I mean, it doesn't show off her voice that well. I. I was like, this is a single. Like, I don't know who chose that to be a single. I think there are better options on the album that could have been a single over this one. This is probably the only single that I'm like, you know what I mean? But I don't know. I just don't think it's a particularly strong song, in my opinion. Like, it's. It's. It's meh. Like, I would never put it on. [00:16:24] Speaker B: That's okay. I can. I can get behind that, to be honest. So I'm like, this is. This is one of those where I'm just like. I had to, like, listen again to refresh my memory, which is why I'm like. Which is why I would give it the grade that it is. Just being like, this was good for the time. I feel like if I was. If I was living in the 80s right now, I feel like I would have loved to listen to this on the radio. [00:16:42] Speaker A: But I don't know. [00:16:43] Speaker B: I still bop to it. I'm like, I'd probably. Like, I would play this in a car, I think. [00:16:47] Speaker A: I think it gets nostalgia points. I'll give it that. [00:16:50] Speaker B: Yes. And I'm a fiend for nostalgia. [00:16:52] Speaker A: I love nostalgia too. I love nostalgia too. Wow. It gives me 80s Miami. You know what I mean? Like, sun shining. [00:16:58] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. Yeah, it, like, because. Fun fact about myself, I'm from Florida. [00:17:03] Speaker A: But really, you didn't know that? That's news to me. [00:17:06] Speaker B: Really? I'm from Florida. [00:17:08] Speaker A: Wait, that's why you didn't say you were Canadian, bitch. Are you. Are you American? [00:17:13] Speaker B: I did say I'm Canadian. Oh, in the intro. Oh, I'm just like. I'm in videos. I'm Worldwide. I'm Mrs. Worldwide. [00:17:20] Speaker A: Ms. Worldwide. [00:17:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:17:22] Speaker A: Christina Aguilera. [00:17:24] Speaker B: No, I actually. I'm both Canadian. [00:17:26] Speaker A: American again. [00:17:26] Speaker B: I have a D. Dual citizenship. So, like, when I was listening to this song, I'm just like. It reminds me of, like, driving through Naples. [00:17:31] Speaker A: Cute. Okay, do we want to move to the next one? [00:17:36] Speaker B: Yeah, let's do the next one. [00:17:37] Speaker A: Okay. Someone for me. I don't even remember how this goes. [00:17:40] Speaker B: I don't remember this. [00:17:40] Speaker A: I'm going to hit play. Give me a second. [00:17:42] Speaker B: This one's tough for me because, like, I love that line, but otherwise, I'm like everything else. I'm like. This reminds me of Value Village. Not gonna lie. I used to work at Body Village. You guys are learning a lot about me. I used to work at Body Village. And, like, it reminds me of, like, given the closing announcement and nobody's leaving. [00:18:01] Speaker A: The store for me, just another forgettable track. Do I think thinking about you is better? Probably, yeah. But, like, I don't know. Eh. It's giving filler. [00:18:10] Speaker B: It's Hard because I'm just like, same thing. Similarly to thinking about you, I'm just like, it's undeniably the 80s, which I love. It just. It feels nostalgic in that way. But, like, I just, like, honestly, I'm like, this is. I think they were trying to have a. Just add another track to this album is what it feels like. [00:18:26] Speaker A: I feel like so far, except for you give good Love, we haven't really gotten to the meat of the album. So I'm also kind of surprised that they put these two songs back to back like that. And first, like, I don't know, it goes. You give good love Thinking about you, Someone for me. I'm kind of like, ooh. Like, the meat is definitely in the middle of the album. [00:18:45] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:18:46] Speaker A: Definitely in the middle of the checklist. That's pretty much all I have to say about Someone for Me. Again, wouldn't put it on, but is it cute? Yeah. I mean, any excuse to hear Whitney's voice, especially at that time, you know what I mean is I will, like, I. I still like the song. You know what I mean? I just think that there's better on the album. [00:19:03] Speaker B: Yeah, no, definitely. I think that, like, this one is one of those where I'm like, I would. You know what I mean? Put it on while I'm getting ready. Right. Being like, yeah, like, I'm putting on some makeup, you know, whatever. But, like, if I were to, like, actually listen to it, being like, let me study the song, I'd probably turn it off. [00:19:20] Speaker A: There's not much to it. Yeah. Next we have Saving all my love for you, Stolen moments. [00:19:31] Speaker B: Stolen moments. [00:19:32] Speaker A: That's right, bitch. The rye stand knows better than you. That's what I thought. [00:19:39] Speaker B: One thing to know about me is I still need my A to Z genius lyrics sometimes. Oh, my God, this was genius move to have this as a single. Like, it, like, with the saxophone. [00:19:50] Speaker A: Oh. [00:19:50] Speaker B: Which was like, such a. It's such an intimate instrument. Like, it's like, literally the like. Like, pinnacle instrument of intimacy. [00:19:59] Speaker A: Like, I think sexy. [00:20:00] Speaker B: It's so sexy. And I'm like. I think this is, like. This is one of those where I'm just like, yes. It definitely. It feels entrancing for me. [00:20:08] Speaker A: This is my favorite song on the album. [00:20:10] Speaker B: Really? [00:20:10] Speaker A: Yeah. Because for me, it's more R and B. It's less adult contemporary than the two. Okay. This song went number one, by the way. Then the two other number ones, how will I know? And Greatest love of All. Like, greatest love of all is giving More adult contemporary and how I know is giving more like, pop. Pop bop. This is just kind of like Whitney doing her thing in the R and B area. And it's my favorite just because that voice for you, like, the. [00:20:39] Speaker B: Those notes, it highlights her vocals the best, I think. [00:20:43] Speaker A: Like, it shows her strengths. [00:20:45] Speaker B: So good. So, so, so good. [00:20:47] Speaker A: And it tells a story. And the story is about being the other woman. I thought that was so interesting. You know what I mean? Like, a few stolen moments is all that we share. You have your family and they need you there. So I try to resist being last on your list. No other man's going to Whitney. On her first album, what a Bold bitch was. Was Sissy Houston breathing out of her neck. Sang about being the side chick and it went number one. [00:21:10] Speaker B: Like. No, that's real, though. That's actually so real. It captures romance in ways that, like, a lot of other songs fail to do. [00:21:18] Speaker A: Yeah. And. [00:21:19] Speaker B: But like, with her, it's like I literally picture going to. Even despite. Despite being the side chick, I'm just like. I can still picture myself going to, like, a dinner and a dance and just like dancing with what we're missing with. [00:21:32] Speaker A: Yeah. And it provide. It gives me such an image in my head of her, like, struggling with being alone and not being with him and knowing that, you know, he has obligations, but she can't help being in love with him. I just think it's such a. I just think it's such a strong song lyrically and musically, because I think for me, I listen to songs for their. How they sound, for what they say. But I mean, both hit for me here. Like, I just. It's. This is another one of those songs. When I think of this album, this is what I think of. Yeah. [00:22:05] Speaker B: So just saying for me, it's another one that we'll discuss later. Can we also just talk? Let's. Brief intermission. The COVID art, genuinely. [00:22:14] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:22:15] Speaker B: Beautiful. [00:22:16] Speaker A: I see. [00:22:16] Speaker B: Oh, my God. Beautiful. [00:22:18] Speaker A: I see this cover all the time. And her. [00:22:20] Speaker B: Her. [00:22:20] Speaker A: Her hair being so short is so, like, classy. What One thing I love about Whitney is her. Like, she's just classy. Like, just the way she talks. She articulates it very much like registers on this cover. And the. The colors matching with the border and what she's wearing, I think is so gorgeous. [00:22:40] Speaker B: Whenever I look at this, it genuinely does remind me of, like, my mom. [00:22:44] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:22:44] Speaker B: Like, they're like. That style of photos is like, very much. A lot of pictures taken from the 80s are similar to that. Like my Haitian mother. Like, she has photos with that similar backdrop of, like, greenery behind her. And this is, like, kind of like her announcing her presence in her photo, which is like. And also just, like, the idea of this being her debut album. And I'm like, that what she's wearing in there looks like a toga. Like, it looks like she's wearing a toga, which is like, royalty. Like, she's like, here comes the queen. I'm announcing my presence, right? So I'm just like, these are things. I'm just like, yeah, this was smart. In the ways that they placed this and the ways in which, like, oh, even her head just, like, turned to the side just ever so slightly. Just so beautiful. And, like, you can see, like, it's. It's like watching the Mona Lisa, and you're like. The eyes are traveling as you walk, and it's. I think it's just beautiful that way. [00:23:34] Speaker A: Whitney Houston was a gorgeous woman. [00:23:37] Speaker B: Oh, my. Stunning. Oh, my God. Fun fact, my friends. Okay. Not to boost myself up. My friends always say that I kind of look like her. Like, younger Whitney Houston. Don't confirm or deny. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it. [00:23:53] Speaker A: People say I look like Whitney Houston, too. [00:23:55] Speaker B: Shut up. I hate you. [00:24:00] Speaker A: Next. Next track. Nobody loves me like you do with Jermaine Jackson. Can we talk about Jermaine Jackson for a sec? [00:24:10] Speaker B: Yes. [00:24:11] Speaker A: Okay. Jermaine Jackson isn't just on one song on this album. He's on two. And there's only 10 tracks. You know, Whitney was getting that Jermaine dick. I. No way. She wasn't. [00:24:23] Speaker B: Let me see, Let me see. Let me see how old he was. How was he? How old was he during this time? I know, like, that often, to them, that never matters, which is a shame. Oh, he would have been five years older, but he would have been 27. Okay. Like, sure. I don't know. She just, like. Even hearing that she was 22 at the time is shocking to me. I thought she was, like, 19. [00:24:41] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah. [00:24:42] Speaker B: She feels so much younger. [00:24:43] Speaker A: I think throughout the process of the album, she might have been younger, but she was definitely, like, I don't know. Just for him being featured on two songs, I'm like. But I think this was Jermaine Jackson's, like, heyday. I think, like, 84 or something. He had a big album. I'm not too sure about him. I don't really listen to him. [00:24:59] Speaker B: I don't listen to him either. But, like, okay, listen to him on the song. Not gonna Lie. It sounds a little creepy. [00:25:06] Speaker A: Really? Yeah. [00:25:06] Speaker B: His voice, like, it just. It just. I don't know. Something about his voice, it's just like. [00:25:14] Speaker A: That's true. I do think he was better on the other feature of the song. [00:25:18] Speaker B: Yeah. I'm like, it just rubs me the wrong way a little bit when he comes in. But I do like this song. [00:25:25] Speaker A: It's like Walmart quality. Like Michael Jackson. You know what I mean? He's not giving what Michael gives and just the tonal quality of his voice, I don't know. I just find he's not, like, he's not as good of a singer. [00:25:39] Speaker B: Yeah. It's just his feature on this song isn't really giving for me. Like, I'm like, I'm wondering if even if Teddy were to do that, because Teddy is in another song on this album, but if Teddy were to be on it, I think it may have been different too, you know, that's fair. [00:25:55] Speaker A: I thought the song was, like, kind of cute. Like, it was definitely better than. For me. It was better than thinking about you or someone for me. [00:26:01] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah, it definitely was. I do enjoy this song a lot. I just like. And I think it's also just like. Because I'm like, this would have been. If we're going in order of track list, because, like, obviously it probably was ordered, recorded differently, like, out of order, whatever. But I'm like, this is the first one that we hear, like, as a duet, right. I'm like, we've only ever heard her in her solo realm, so hearing her, I. I kind of wish that maybe one of the other duets was pulled first ahead of this one. [00:26:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:26:33] Speaker B: Having this be the first duet, I'm just like. Like, oh, it's. And it just. It just. It was jarring to me to hear his voice. I was like, oh, okay. [00:26:41] Speaker A: I think it's better than Hold Me, though. But in terms of the song, I thought it was like a decent song. I mean, it's. It's pretty like standard lovey dovey lyrics. Like, it's not really telling me too intricate of a story. It's. It's very adult contemporary. Like, do you think we should move on? [00:27:00] Speaker B: Let's do. Oh, my God. Are we moving on to the this song? How Will I Know? Funny enough for you At Saving All My Love for your that makes you think of this album? It's. How Will I Know immediately? [00:27:12] Speaker A: Well, when I think of the bop of this album, I think of How Will I Know? But like, bitch, How Will I Know? Was that song like and the video, too. Have you seen the video? [00:27:23] Speaker B: I love watching Whitney music videos. She is such a presence. [00:27:27] Speaker A: Yeah. Like, that smile, like, so fun to watch, like, and so 80s with the dancers. [00:27:35] Speaker B: Oh, my God, no. All I know is just, like, again, it calls back to just, like, that youthful innocence to it. Because I'm just like. When I hear the song, I think of just, like. I actually think of, like, much younger. Like, she's 16 and she's in her room, and she has. She's waiting for him to call. [00:27:51] Speaker A: It is very, like, probably more innocent than she was. Like, the song. The song is giving definitely, like, younger than 21 or 22. [00:28:00] Speaker B: Like, I'm just like. I think of, like, she's waiting for him to ask her to prom, and she's like, how will I know if he really loves me? I say it for every heart. [00:28:09] Speaker A: I don't know. [00:28:10] Speaker B: It makes me feel, like, so giddy inside whenever I listen to the song. I don't know about you, but I did not have a great high school experience. [00:28:18] Speaker A: Oh, mine was. Eh. [00:28:19] Speaker B: It was not great, but it makes me romanticize high school. [00:28:23] Speaker A: Oh, my God, it's such a bop. It's so fun to listen to. I love that intro. And then breaking into that. Well, I mean, it has the cowbells in the beginning, like, once again, very similar to I want to dance with somebody. And then when she breaks in with her first line, There's a boy so powerful. Just the. Like these. This is one of the only songs I've listened to, like, by anyone, not just Whitney, where the power just, like, exudes from her voice. Like, it just flows out of her. I just think it works so well with the song. [00:29:00] Speaker B: You know what? I used electric for Saving all my love for you. I'm actually gonna use electric for this one. Cute as my adjective. I just think. I actually just feel so nostalgic every single time I listen to the song. Just, I, like, I think of. I think of bright green, bright orange, bright pinks. Yeah, bright yellows. You know, like neon. Like, I think of neon whenever I listen to this song. [00:29:20] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. This is a number one as well. Also, can we talk about that key change? What is going on with that? I never got it. I was like, how will I know if he. And then, like, how will I know if he. [00:29:34] Speaker B: You know what I am an advocate for? I'm an advocate down. Okay. For key change going lower. For this song specifically, I think it also works because, like, I think of just, like, by the end, it's like, there's a sense of desperation. Like, she's like. Like really, like, how am I going to know? Like, can you tell me? And so I literally. When she literally lowers the key, imagine her actually just, like, on her knees. So I do see that sense of desperation for me. [00:30:02] Speaker A: I always think of I want to dance with somebody and how it goes up at the end, and I'm like, I don't know. I just think that would have been so cute. But then again, this is a really vocally demanding song to sing. I can't imagine it going up. Another key iconic. One of my favorites from the album and one of my favorite Whitney Keys Houston songs. [00:30:23] Speaker B: I think this is my favorite from the album. [00:30:24] Speaker A: Really? [00:30:25] Speaker B: Yeah. Awesome. Yeah, it's that one or the next one, which is all at once. Okay. So good. [00:30:37] Speaker A: This. I think this was released as a single in Europe. [00:30:40] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:30:41] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. This song, honestly, definitely lower tier for me in terms of the singles, but I really like it, and I think it's a really strong song. I just think the other songs are just so good. You know what I mean? But, like, I'm drifting on, like, I think of that picture. I think it was the single artwork for this. For this song was her with, like, a horse or something on a beach. And she just looks like a goddess. And that's the imagery I get when I think of this song. And I don't know, it's just so gorgeous. And. Yeah, I don't know. I love me a good ballad. Like, I'm someone who really likes ballads, and I feel like not many people really like them anymore. But, yeah, I don't know. This song just does it for me. [00:31:23] Speaker B: Like, I have a very strange imagery whenever I think of the song. [00:31:27] Speaker A: Really? [00:31:27] Speaker B: I literally picture a classroom. Okay. I picture a classroom and, like, a teacher's writing on a board whenever I listen to the song. [00:31:36] Speaker A: Why? [00:31:37] Speaker B: I don't know. I don't know. I think it's like, okay, so, like, growing up, I don't know if anybody else will relate to this or if this is very much a diverless family niche thing to have watched, but basically we used to have these tapes, like, these VHS tapes of, like, kids songs. It was literally called kids songs. And it was like kids just singing songs, like a bunch of kids. And they were from late 80s, early 90s, and we used to watch them all the time, and they have a bunch of songs on it that were like. That just. It reminds me of all at once. I don't know what it was. I don't know what it is about it. So maybe the. The idea of these kids singing songs makes me think of a classroom. [00:32:16] Speaker A: For me, I think the most memorable part of the song is, like, more than, you know, more than it shows. Oh, that was like, go off Whitney. Like, this is another one where it's like, kind of like in the same vein as you give good love, where it's just, like, there to show off her voice. I think some of the lyrics are a little bit cheesy, but any good ballad has a little bit of cheese in there. Like, you know, I. Who's, you know, Cheese. Cheese is good for you. [00:32:42] Speaker B: Cheese is really good. [00:32:43] Speaker A: Well, not good for you, but it's good. Yeah, Cheese is tasty. Like, I don't think there's anything wrong with a little cheese. So I don't know. I'm here for this song. Probably one of my favorites from the album. Definitely in my top five all at once. Should we move on to the next song? Take good Care of My Heart with Jermaine Jackson. Take good care of my heart. What do we think? [00:33:06] Speaker B: I. As we had said before, this song was better suited for Jermaine. Like, I. I think this makes a lot more sense. His voice before, with that very slow ballad, it just felt like somebody whispering in a child's ear, you know, that's. [00:33:21] Speaker A: The Michael Jackson vibes you get sometimes. [00:33:23] Speaker B: No, this one makes a lot more sense. It makes me think similarly to thinking about you. It feels like a heist again. It feels like an 80s heist little movie. [00:33:35] Speaker A: That's fair. For me. This is one of the bops of the album. Like, how will I know? Like, it's one of the up tempos. I think that this one is much superior to Nobody loves me like you do. [00:33:48] Speaker B: Definitely. I agree. [00:33:50] Speaker A: I just. I. I think it's more fun. But I'm still shook that he has two duets on this album. But that's okay, you know, go off Jermaine. I like the song, but is it particularly memorable still? Not really. Like, I don't know. I think it's a good song, but I wouldn't. Like I said I wouldn't go listen to it. [00:34:09] Speaker B: Lyrically, I don't care for it. I. I honestly don't. It's the music for me that I'm like, you know? [00:34:17] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:17] Speaker B: So I'm like. I think. Like I said, I think having it in a minor key just makes it feel like it adds to, like, the rushy, rushing energy of it. Like, you feel like you're like, okay, I'm late for Something. [00:34:28] Speaker A: Okay. You. You did good with the production. Jermaine, you. I mean, you. You kind of ate there. [00:34:32] Speaker B: You did eat. Yeah, a little bit. One, two, three. But I. Yeah, it's not my personal preference of the song, but I'm like, you know what? I would play this if I need to get somewhere quickly. [00:34:45] Speaker A: I do think, unfortunately, it is kind of one of those filler tracks, but it's still cute. If it comes on, I will listen to it. I would not skip with this one. Shall we move on to the next song, Greatest Love of all. [00:34:58] Speaker B: Yes. [00:34:59] Speaker A: Okay. This is one of the staples of one of this album and two of her career. [00:35:05] Speaker B: Whenever I think of this song, I. I think also just the video, too. It's like, of her just performing on a stage. [00:35:11] Speaker A: The video is very iconic. [00:35:13] Speaker B: So precious. Like, so precious. Also, just like the lyrics, because the greatest love of all's happening to me. It's like a child blooming into themselves. So that's why I also think this song feels younger than she actually was. [00:35:28] Speaker A: Yeah, I. I do like the topics of self love in this song. Learning to love yourself, you know, it's the greatest love of all. I think that's like a important lesson. And like, I mean, that sounds so cheesy. Love yourself. But. No, it's true. Like, I don't know. I think sometimes you need that kick in the ass from Whitney, you know, hey, just be. Just be kind to yourself. Sometimes when you're down, like, it's just kind of. This is one of those songs where it's comforting to listen to sometimes, you know? And if by chance that special place you've been dreaming now leads you to a lonely place, find yourself in love. You know what I mean? It's just, It's. It's just very comforting lyrically, so. And to hear the voice or like, I mean, that. That's probably one of the reasons I love. I love divas and ballads is just because of the way it makes you feel and it makes you feel supported. And the video, too, is iconic. Just the whole thing at the theater. And then her as a kid as well, with the mom is just so cute. And then the freeze frame at the end where they hug, it was just adorable. So, I mean, one of the best videos from the album. Another number one single for Ms. Whitney Houston. And I'm pretty sure this was the last single of the album. [00:36:46] Speaker B: Yeah, it would have been. [00:36:47] Speaker A: Also, vocally, this is kind of like, I don't want to compare her to Mariah all the time, but it's kind of like her vision of love. Just like her, like, standard sing your ass off song. You know, find your strength in love and like, just long notes. Exactly what you want to hear from Ms. Whitney Houston and kind of shows a different side of her talents because I think this is a different kind of vocal performance than a song like, saving all my love for you. Right. [00:37:12] Speaker B: You know what? I would also compare to this one. You are beautiful. Like, I just think, like, this is, like, peak of that energy. Like, peak self love. Love yourself. You know what? You are strong with or without anybody. Like, it's just. I think it's so memorable and iconic in that way, too, because I'm like, every other song here is like, hey, you're on my mind. I don't know how to get to you. This one's just like, you know what? I don't need you anymore. Actually, I'm great. [00:37:42] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:37:42] Speaker B: I believe the children are future. [00:37:46] Speaker A: Don't kill me. [00:37:47] Speaker B: So good. So good. [00:37:49] Speaker A: I also think the song does the whole kind of self love thing and empowerment thing better than beautiful by Christina Aguilera. I love Christina Aguilera, but I just think this song does it better and for me, in a more memorable way. Definitely a highlight for me. [00:38:06] Speaker B: Yeah. Because I'm like. Even with Christina's version, it's like, version. But her song is very much so just, like, don't listen to them. You're pretty. You're very, very, very pretty. Whereas this one, she's like, I just have a lot of love for myself. [00:38:20] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:38:20] Speaker B: And it's like. It's like she's kind of speaking to herself, Whereas Christina's is like a third party is speaking to you, which is, like, I guess in turn still some form of validation. Whereas this one is like, you don't need validation, actually. You just. You just know that, like, I. I love myself, and that's all that matters. Mm. [00:38:38] Speaker A: And, like, I don't know. When you're boss, you know, you could find yourself in any type of love, whether it be familial love, self love, romantic love. You know, you're not. It's kind of nice because it's talking about love as a more universal thing as opposed to just kind of being about a relationship, you know, and it's calling it the greatest love of all, you know, like, love with yourself. [00:39:00] Speaker B: Yeah. I love this song so much. It's definitely one of my favorites. [00:39:04] Speaker A: And the vocals, honey. And she sings it so straight in this version. But there's a live version from, I think, the 15th anniversary of Arista Records from 1990, where she goes up there. Because Whitney did this a lot in her career. She would kind of reinvent the song live. And she went up there and just went line by line and ad libden was like, I believe the children are our future. You know, when it went so slow. So it's like a six minute song, like. But it was so beautifully done. You need to listen to it. It's on. It's on Spotify. [00:39:38] Speaker B: Copy that. [00:39:39] Speaker A: That's one of the times. Just made it better live. But also, I like the. I like the regular version too, so it's nice to be able to go back and forth. But she really killed it with that one. [00:39:48] Speaker B: She killed that. You ate that. Whitney, we love you. [00:39:51] Speaker A: And are we ready to move on to Hold Me, the last song of. [00:39:55] Speaker B: The album, Hold Me featuring Teddy Pendergrass. I have a great love for Teddy. Like, I love him. I adore his music so much. Rest the of rest in the most heavenly places. I. I don't know this one. For me, I'm just like. It just feels like. It feels like a dream. It doesn't really feel like it's a real song. It feels like I'm like. I listened to it in a dream and that's not even like a. Oh, this. This song feels so dreamy. It's just like. It just feels like it's not real. [00:40:23] Speaker A: I don't really like this song that much. [00:40:25] Speaker B: It's. It's just not given the most. It's. It's also just like. It gives very peak. I don't know. It reminds me, like, of Haitian reception. Like a Haitian wedding reception. Like, I'm just like. I would see. I could see this being a first dance song and I'm like, okay. I'm like, all right. [00:40:44] Speaker A: I guess I'd be damned if this is my first dance song. [00:40:47] Speaker B: Oh, my God. Yeah. This would not be mine. But I. I don't know. It also just like. I don't think it really highlights her vocals in the best ways. [00:40:56] Speaker A: She's kind of mixed down, like, just in the production. [00:40:59] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:40:59] Speaker A: She's not really super present. [00:41:01] Speaker B: Yeah. I think it's like. I think it may be to match his style of vocals too, because, like, his is. He has very soft, understated vocals. I'm like. I think his vocals are very, like, understated. So, like, I think they may have, like, been, like, had to, like, mirror her vocals to that. [00:41:17] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:41:18] Speaker B: Which is why I'm like, okay. It doesn't really sound like her in some ways I'm like, I don't really see Whitney in it a lot. [00:41:25] Speaker A: Maybe the song. Yeah, just. Just the style of it too. It came out before her debut as well, like, as a single. So I think it might have just been tacked on. I don't know if it was recorded for his album. [00:41:36] Speaker B: I also just don't think this should have been the last song of the album. I think I would have appreciated Greatest Love of All, actually the last song to make it feel more well rounded. [00:41:45] Speaker A: That's fair, you know. So this song was recorded in 1983 and it came out in mid 1984. And it's from Teddy Pendergrass's album Love Language. [00:41:56] Speaker B: Oh, I see. [00:41:57] Speaker A: So I think this was just kind of tacked on at the end as a, like, not a bonus track, but yeah, you know, kind of a bonus track. [00:42:04] Speaker B: Okay. If it's treated as a bonus track, then yes. But I'm just like. If it was actually infused into the album to be the last song. I don't agree with that decision, to be honest. Me personally, I would have put Greatest Love of All last. So we can start off with you. [00:42:17] Speaker A: Good. [00:42:17] Speaker B: Good Love being like, okay, I'm getting this really good love from this guy, whatever. But then ending it off being like, oh, it's actually within me all the, like, all along. [00:42:26] Speaker A: That's true. I just think it's a little bit too cheesy as a. As a ballad. And that's coming from me, like, I love cheese. Just kind of forgettable. I don't know. I don't know Teddy Pendergrass either, so I don't know his style of music, but I just don't think that they necessarily mesh the best. But that's kind of all the thoughts I have on this song. [00:42:45] Speaker B: Yeah, me too. I think it's just like. It's kind of there. [00:42:48] Speaker A: Okay, so that is the album. Now do we want to move on to the album success? I know. It went number one on the Billboard 200 and it sold since release in 1985. It sold over 25 million copies. [00:43:03] Speaker B: Damn. [00:43:04] Speaker A: That's fucking crazy. It's one of the best selling albums of all time. [00:43:08] Speaker B: Not surprised, to be honest. I think this is an incredible debut. [00:43:12] Speaker A: I think it's her highest selling except for the Bodyguard. Sorry, continue. [00:43:15] Speaker B: Is it? [00:43:16] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:43:16] Speaker B: I don't know the names of albums. You'll know. You'll see that in these episodes. I'm like. I'm always just like someone with the. With the dancing and the somebody. Like, it's you know, I. I'm not surprised at, like, how. How well this album did. I think it's surprising. Like, something I learned on this episode too, is that, like, how slow it came to rise. I did not know that. I thought it was, like, immediate success. [00:43:34] Speaker A: I think with Saving All My love for you, it crossed over into pop radio and kind of went from being in quotation marks, rmb, I think translation black, like, for the black market, to the general audience, which was the pop market, which was the white audiences. That's kind of how music was looked at back then, unfortunately. [00:43:57] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:58] Speaker A: So, yeah. But I think she crossed over at that point over to mtv. And I think I remember seeing an interview of her saying it got so popular they had to play it. I love when they have to play it. That's what she said. I'm paraphrasing. [00:44:10] Speaker B: I love. I love her. Like, oh, my God. I can actually picture her in these interviews. Everything that she said, there was no question to it. She was very certain everything that she said. And she's like, I think this is what. Why it intimidated interviewers too, because, like, she would be. She would never break eye contact. She'd be like, yeah, I'm Whitney Houston. [00:44:29] Speaker A: Yeah, Whitney Elizabeth Houston. [00:44:32] Speaker B: Come on. [00:44:36] Speaker A: I. I don't. [00:44:37] Speaker B: I don't like, other than. I'm like, these are things I'm like, I'm learning now, like, the ultimate success. And it's like, I thought it was immediate, so. [00:44:42] Speaker A: Hold Me with Teddy Pendergrass went to number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US you give good love went to number three all at once. Went to number five in Sweden. Saving All My love for you went to number one in the US Thinking about you charted somehow, I don't know. It was a single. [00:45:00] Speaker B: Okay, I can see why, though. I actually can see why, like, I. What? Which is why I considered it like momentary magic. Because I'm just like. I do believe that at that time, like, that was needed. [00:45:11] Speaker A: Yeah. So it went to number 10 on US Hot R B and hip hop songs and number 24 on US dance club songs. So, I mean, it had its little moment. I'm assuming there was a remix. So I need to hear the remix. Let's hear the remix and try to try that again. And then there was. How will I know? Number one and greatest love of all. Number one. [00:45:31] Speaker B: You're saying that the duet with Hendy BunaGrass was number 46. Okay, so I can see how it charted, but I still think it's a little High. Not gonna lie. [00:45:39] Speaker A: Yeah, it was. It was well before the album came out, too, as part of his release. [00:45:44] Speaker B: Right? [00:45:45] Speaker A: Yeah, it was part of Love Language. [00:45:47] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:45:47] Speaker A: The album went number one in the us, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and went to number two in the uk. Okay, so now to move on to the impact of the album. [00:45:59] Speaker B: So I know it literally shaped a lot of debut albums for so many other trailblazers as art, rather other divas, you know, Like, I think it genuinely did show what it means to, like, claim your presence, which is what Whitney was like. Somebody that wasn't afraid to take up space, that was afraid to be. That wasn't afraid to be. Like, this is me. This is who I am, and here's what I gotta show you, right? And like. Like we had said before, like, it was. It's so important that she did this one too, because, like, it was. It would have been really easy for her to just follow under. Fall. Fall under her mother's shadow. But this album just shows us, like, you're gonna make it. You're gonna. You're gonna have. You're gonna have your own talent, right? Like, you gotta have your own talent. You gotta be your own self. I think it definitely had such an immense impact on the ways that we view divas in general. Actually. [00:46:51] Speaker A: It also impacted the sound to come. Like, I feel it. Like, it. It had a big impact on the 90s. What would become 90s pop? Because if you look at, especially the early 90s, it's very adult contemporary, which kind of goes with this album mentality. Like, I feel like it's almost like indistinguishable, like a song that's like Greatest Love of All and, you know, something from the early 90s that would have been popular, like Hero Carey. You know what I mean? Like, if you played those for someone who had no idea what they were, they would probably think it's from the same time. You know what I mean? Like, I just think it kind of set the style for years to come because there was even people like Michael Bolton, you know, Celine Dion, who were big adult contemporary people after that. And even if you look at, like, other artists debuts, they kind of had to measure up to this one. [00:47:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:47:42] Speaker A: Because it was so huge. And she was just instantly a superstar. I think she had, like, seven instantly. [00:47:49] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Like, even, like. Yeah, like, the album had a slow rise, but, like, people still regarded Whitney as just like, who the hell is that? [00:47:58] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:47:59] Speaker B: You know, like, it's kind of like remembering who this person is and, like, how she again, Just performed with everything that she was. Like. It wasn't something that's like. She was like, reserve. Like, she never had to, like, reserve her talent in a bank and just being like, let me show this later. You know, Like, I'll just, like, show different parts of myself. She was able to give herself, like, give herself as 100% each and every single time and still have it be innovative, still have it be legendary and not sound the same. Like, even the ways in which she sounds on how well I Know is different than the ways that she sounds on I Want to Dance With Somebody, which were two. I think these are two sister sisters. Sister songs. Sister sisters with. These are, like, sister songs that we regarded. But it still sounds so distinct in the ways she performs them, too. [00:48:43] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:43] Speaker B: Without reserving talent, without, like, being like, let me save this for the next track. You know what I mean? [00:48:48] Speaker A: Yeah. She could really kind of adapt to what the song needs, and she knows what she's gonna sound good on. And I don't know. I remember because I saw. I saw I Want to Dance With Somebody in theaters a few months ago, and I heard even just for How Will I Know? Like, I don't know if it was the real demo track, but they had another singer on it for the demo track. Like, when she was listening to the demo of how well I Know in the movie. And it just sounds like any old pop song. Like, it sounds like Madonna or, like, you know, something, but, like, not as good. And it's just amazing how Whitney took these pop songs and gave it soul with nothing but her voice. Yeah, like, just like, How I Know is so pop. You had. Like, if you. Like, literally, if you gave that to Madonna, it would have been a pop song, but it just has so much soul influence in it. And I think that's also what's so impactful about the album. And also she kind of set the diva, the. The modern diva at that time. Blueprint. Like, when Mariah Carey came out, everyone compared her to Whitney Houston. They said she's. She's the greatest voice since Whitney Houston, you know, like, it was that kind of blueprint. And I think when Whitney came out, they compared her to Aretha, you know, as that kind of, like, landmark diva. Like, you know, that voice. [00:50:02] Speaker B: I've always considered just like Whitney as just, like, that's it. Right. But then I was remembering. I'm just like, no, there are people that definitely did come before her, too, but it's still, like, seeing the ways in which she has been able to branch from These comparisons, because I'm just like, yeah, like, comparing her to Aretha Franklin, but there's two completely different sounds, right? So, like, I still think that, like, Whitney, and it's in her own essence is somebody that, like, people have still, like, taken different branches from being like, how can I sound similar to the ways that she performs this and stuff like that? And it's gonna be really interesting. I think it's literally gonna lead the way for a lot of other artists we're gonna see, like, when we. When we study them being like, oh, actually, this is. I can see how they tried to mirror Whitney's style in this song and, like, like all these things. So really interesting. I'm like, I think she's genuinely with this album specifically, like, it showed a lot of artists that were coming after her how to make a debut album. Anyways, shall we get to ranking the tracks? [00:51:01] Speaker A: Yeah, let's rank the tracks. [00:51:03] Speaker B: Okay. [00:51:03] Speaker A: What we're gonna do next is we rank the tracks from worst to best. I'm gonna start first before Nelly. I think my least favorite song on the album has to behold me with Teddy Pendergrass. I'm sorry, but kind of boring. Like, not my thing. Like, still a great song, just not very Whitney. And you could tell it was before she kind of formed her sound as a musician. Number nine would be someone for me just because I, like. I don't know, I just think kind of forgettable. That song, the line about being 17 was cute. But then I would say thinking about you. Whatever some nostalgia points, but just not my. Not, not my thing. Then nobody loves me like you do. I think it's a cute song. I think it's a cute ballad. I think it's better than a lot of the other non singles on the album. For me personally, I think it should have been a single. Probably overthinking about you. [00:52:01] Speaker B: Yeah, sorry. [00:52:03] Speaker A: And then take good care of my heart I just think was slightly superior to nobody that loves me like you do. Another Jermaine track next. I would say, oh, my God, all at once. All at once is a great song, but I just think in terms of the other singles, they were stronger, but it was. It was very cute. Then I will go with greatest love of all. I love this song, but I just think for me, the other songs on the album are like, a step ahead. Just because for me, the next three tracks are just the epitome of this album. But then again, the song is two. When I think of this album, I think of the. My top four tracks next we have you give good love. I love the song just because it's so soulful and it isn't trying to be a hit. Not that the other songs are, but it's just kind of relaxed in a way and groovy and. Yeah, it's really, really cool. Really nice and young. Then it's how well I know. I love the bop. I like to run to this song. I like. I just like this song. Makes me want to move just with the power of her voice. I love this bop from this album. And then finally, my number one song. Oh, my God, you guessed it. Saving all my love for you. I just love the R and B influence. I love how it's slow. It tells a story. And I just think of, like, nighttime in a City. Like, I think of the music video when I hear this song and her singing in the studio. [00:53:28] Speaker B: As for me, I think similarly to Cam, my last song would be Hold Me with Teddy Benagrass. I just don't think it serves in the ways that it should. And then it would probably be Nobody loves me like you do. Like, interesting, interesting. I just. I'm sorry. Jermaine just sounds too creepy. I can't. Like, I'm like. I just imagine, like, good night, Precious. Like, I just. It just doesn't. It doesn't sound right to me. Closely ahead of it would be someone for me. I really do like that line. Like we said, it's the 17 line. Really cute. And then it would probably be. It'd probably be thinking about you similarly to what we said before. Everything we said before was that it wasn't the most memorable, but it's like something I'd probably play, like, on the streetcar, on the subway, you know, it. [00:54:16] Speaker A: Was kind of cute. [00:54:17] Speaker B: You know, it's kind of a moment, a little bit. Momentary magic is what we said. [00:54:20] Speaker A: Momentary magic. Yes. [00:54:23] Speaker B: I liked Take Good Care of my Heart a little bit more than that. I think it was just, like, the addition of the second voice, I think actually did help, which is funny because Jermaine sounded creepy in the one before, but in this one, it actually works. It does serve what it needs to serve. [00:54:38] Speaker A: Jermaine, you need to stay on those up tempos, honey. [00:54:41] Speaker B: Yes. Thank you. Don't come on some ballads, especially with Whitney. Okay. Please, please. No, no. And then it would probably be, you give good love. I do think it's an. It was an incredible intro. I don't know if I would shoot, like, if. Amongst the other ones. I feel like I. I feel like I would. I would Put how well I know as the intro to the album. [00:55:01] Speaker A: Wait, you're saying all at Once is better than you give good Love? [00:55:05] Speaker B: Yes. [00:55:06] Speaker A: Are you? [00:55:06] Speaker B: Okay, what I love all at once, all at Once is actually next what I would rank in ranking. Actually, no, it probably Greatest love of All. [00:55:16] Speaker A: Bitch, you're saying all at Once is better than Greatest love of all? [00:55:18] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:55:19] Speaker A: Holy shit. [00:55:20] Speaker B: I, I, as much as I love Greatest love of all, like, I think all at Once is just like, it makes me. It makes me think of just like open water and just like somebody literally stranded out in C. Like actually, but also, like, it just, it just. It just captures so, so much nostalgia in it too. And then probably. Oh, and then saving all my love for you is my second cute. [00:55:43] Speaker A: Okay, decent choice. [00:55:47] Speaker B: So decent. I'm just like, it's. It's obviously amazing, but I still think that How Will I Know is my number one. I think it's the. Whenever I think of this album, I think of that song. Like I said before, I do think that that actually should have been the intro to the album. I can see why they had put you give Good Love since that was the first single that was released that gave such great songs success. But I, I think I would have switched that around a little bit. I think. I think I would have started with how will I Know and ended with greatest level all for the album. That's my ranking. [00:56:24] Speaker A: Okay, so next we need to grade the album. [00:56:26] Speaker B: What are we going to give this album? What are you going to. What. What would you want to give this album? [00:56:30] Speaker A: Okay, I don't know what I'm going to give this album because I think in some ways, in some ways, I would give a diva decoded because it kind of revolutionized what it means to be a diva at that time. [00:56:41] Speaker B: I would also give a diva decoded. [00:56:43] Speaker A: But. But so many fillers. A lot of fillers. [00:56:48] Speaker B: Actually, here's the thing. I don't have as many fillers as you do, though. I feel like the fillers for me are the Tony Bunder, Grass, Someone for me, and maybe thinking about you. [00:56:57] Speaker A: To me, like, half the album is just filler, really. Like, I don't know, like, the germane stuff is cool, but, like, I don't know. I. I don't know. For me, the quality of those, My top five in the ranking and, and the, the bigger singles completely outweighs. Yeah. [00:57:16] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:57:17] Speaker A: They're what I think of when I think of this album. And those songs are such quality. In a sense. It doesn't matter what the Other songs would have been, but I just think, like, it is filler and it's not, like, very consistent, if you ask me. [00:57:30] Speaker B: Yeah. So in that regard, though, because I'm just like, if. If those five songs weren't there, then the album would flop for you. [00:57:37] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely. If those five, like, amazing songs weren't there, then, yeah, I would not like the album. [00:57:44] Speaker B: Serious. Okay. So in. In your eyes, the five carry the album. [00:57:48] Speaker A: I. I would say it carried the album as. As singles should, you know, to be fair. Yeah. But I don't know. I just think it's. It's not as consistent as it could be. [00:57:57] Speaker B: Yeah. For me, I would give it diva decoded and, like, pulled it on a sign outside. Diva decoded. That's because while I also believe that there are some songs on here where I was like, they weren't as. They definitely weren't as strong as the singles. Cough, Cough. The one that creeps me out a little bit now. But, like, I actually don't think. I still don't think that any of the songs on this album were bad. [00:58:22] Speaker A: No, you're right. [00:58:22] Speaker B: I don't think there were skippable. Skippable songs for me, personally. I mean, I still speed through that track with. With Space with Jermaine, but, like, I still think that, like, there was nothing on this album that I was like, oh, my God, God awful. So I'm just like. I think they just weren't. They were weak in comparison to these five masterful songs. But I still believe even those five, if. Even if it was just up to those five to be able to carry the album, it didn't. Amazing job. [00:58:48] Speaker A: Yeah. I would also have to give it diva decoded just because of what it did for pop music. It paved the way, I think, in. In some sense, like, they didn't need to be as good. The. The album tracks don't need to be as good as the singles in the. In the first place. And also, we have such high expectations for Whitney because she's Whitney. [00:59:08] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:59:08] Speaker A: You know what I mean? Like, I feel like if it was another artist, we'd be like, yeah. And if it was like, just. [00:59:13] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:59:13] Speaker A: You know what I mean? If that was their singles. Yeah, like, that would be acceptable. But just because it's Whitney Houston, we're like, oh, it needs to be, you know what I mean? [00:59:22] Speaker B: Top tier, which is like, just showing of who he. She was. Like, I. I hold her in a completely different realm of grading. She's perfect. She said. [00:59:34] Speaker A: Yeah. She really knocked it out of the park, in terms of a debut album, it's as close to perfect as you can get. I think every album has a little bit of filler. You know what I mean? Nelly is always right. That is the rule. [00:59:47] Speaker B: That's true. [00:59:48] Speaker A: That's the rule on this podcast. So for next week, honestly, with every week, we do, like, Nelly chooses, then I choose. Nelly chooses, then I choose. So next week is my choice, and all I'm gonna say is, don't hold back. Just have a good time, and we'll make the rules up as we go along and break them all if we're not having fun. Okay? [01:00:10] Speaker B: Okay. Well, I'm excited for next week's especially. I love my divas. That's why I'm here. [01:00:17] Speaker A: Did you have fun on our first real episode? [01:00:21] Speaker B: I did. Did you? [01:00:22] Speaker A: Yeah. It was cute. [01:00:23] Speaker B: I hope that you guys do, too. I could talk forever about Whitney. Like, I really, really could. I wonder how it's going to be for, like, other artists that I'm, like, not as invested in. [01:00:33] Speaker A: Well, I'm excited to do one. That's my choice, too. Like, but in terms of the picks we have after, like, I don't know what I'm gonna do for our third episode. Like, I don't know if I'm gonna love that. Maybe I'll start to love the music, but, like, I guess we'll see. [01:00:46] Speaker B: Oh, that one's gonna be an interesting one. Thank you, everybody, for listening. [01:00:50] Speaker A: Yes. [01:00:51] Speaker B: Again, we are just starting, and I know that this is gonna be something really, really fun and allows us all to tap more into our music and recognizing the people that came before us and giving homage to those that are often not as regarded as they should be. [01:01:08] Speaker A: Yeah. I feel like when people talk about Whitney Houston, they talk like they kind of make fun of her a lot. [01:01:13] Speaker B: Yeah. Which is a shame. It's such a shame. [01:01:16] Speaker A: But, like, to quote the Mariah Carey, we'll always have the music. [01:01:23] Speaker B: To quote. I forgot. I forgot that person's name when they were like, leave Britney alone. Leave Whitney alone. No, for real, though. Leave her alone. Okay. Let's not. Let's not get into stigmatizing addictions and all this stuff that a lot of people love to do. I'm really happy that we got to cover her in ways that just, like, regards her for who she was as an artist as well as recognizing how innocent she was in the industry as well, to start off with. But I'm really excited for what's to come. Thank you, everybody, for listening. This is something that I'm hoping that you guys can take away from as well as helps you to tap into your music a lot more. [01:02:01] Speaker A: Yeah. And we hope you check out the album, some of the tracks we talked about. Thank you for bearing with us on this first episode. We're still trying to figure out the kinks of how we're gonna do this. [01:02:10] Speaker B: Definitely. [01:02:11] Speaker A: We've both never done our own podcast before, so we're figuring it out. So thank you so much for listening and we'll see you next week. We'll see you next week on Diva Decoded. [01:02:20] Speaker B: On Diva Decoded. [01:02:22] Speaker A: Bye. [01:02:23] Speaker B: Bye. Before we end, we'd love to shout out our lovely team behind this podcast. [01:02:35] Speaker A: First, we'd like to shout out our amazing editor, Blake Walker. Thank you so much. You do all the dirty work and we really, really appreciate you. [01:02:42] Speaker B: We love you, Blake. We'd also love to shout out our lovely social media manager, Angelica Ortega. So everything you see visually, it's her. [01:02:49] Speaker A: Yeah, she's killing it. Thank you so much for listening. My name is Cam Barbeau. [01:02:54] Speaker B: And I'm Nelly Deverles. [01:02:55] Speaker A: You've been listening to Diva Decod.