Whitney Houston "The Greatest Love Of All"

[Hervard]

The second of Whitney's many number one songs, it remains one of my favorite tracks by her. It always brings tears to my eyes because it reminds me of a Long Distance Dedication that I heard on AT40 back in 1987 (the show was also used as part of the AT40 Flashback series and the dedication was heard on that one too, since it was after the first hour) from two parents in memory of their baby girl who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. They chose that song because it was the number one song the day that the child was born, back in May, 1986.
This is my third favorite Whitney Houston track behind "Miracle" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go".

[prenatt1166]

The second of Whitney's many number one songs

Actually, it was her third on the Hot 100 following "Saving All My Love For You" and "How Will I Know". Unless you are using another source. The original version appeared on the B-side of "You Give Good Love", but after she became so successful a new version was recorded and released as the fifth single from her debut album. "Thinking About You" was issued to r&b stations before GLOA was released.

:)

UU-BRU Radio Playlist
[red]For Week Ending April 12, 1986[/red]

(Rank This Week, Last Week, Artist, Title)

01 02 Whitney Houston - Greatest Love Of All
02 03 Prince - Kiss
03 01 Stevie Nicks - I Can't Wait
04 06 Julian Lennon - Stick Around
05 05 Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - American Storm
06 10 Madonna - Live To Tell
07 09 Hooters/Patty Smyth - Where Do The Children Go
08 07 John Cougar Mellencamp - ROCK In The USA
09 04 Simple Minds - Sanctify Yourself
10 14 Robert Palmer - Addicted To Love

GLOA spent 3 weeks at #1, ranking at #7 for the year, only 50 points behind the top single of 1986, "How Will I Know"

[jlh527]

I Love Whitney and she is among my three favorite artists of all time, but I CAN"T stand to listen to "The Greatest Love of All'. This song has been butchered and destroyed by so many people at graduations and talent shows and not to mention radio OVERKILLED this one.

[mst3k]

Not one of my favorites by Whitney, but it's still a good song. It's a remake of George Benson's hit single from the 1977 movie The Greatest.

[Keith3000]

prenatt1166 said:

Actually, it was her third on the Hot 100 following "Saving All My Love For You" and "How Will I Know". Unless you are using another source.

He's using the Radio & Records charts, where "Saving All My Love For You" peaked at #3. Incidentally, that's my favorite Whitney Houston track.

TGLOA was a great song...Whitney made some incredible music back in the mid to late '80s. I'm sure this song was overplayed like hell, but it obviously didn't affect me at the time.

[Adonis the DemiGod!]

I love this song.

[prenatt1166]

He's using the Radio & Records charts

That explains it. Thanks!

:)

[strong4PMB!]

Great song. Her voice is amazing on it.

[FreakyFlyBry]

geoguy said:

Great song. Her voice is amazing on it.

[reception]

I like it.

[Hervard]

There are actually two versions of this song. One starts out with a piano intro, while the other has, I guess a synthesizer, or whatever - it's the same instrument with which Sergio Mendes' 1983 songs "Never Gonna Let You Go" and "Rainbow's End" start out. It's also the version that reception downloaded. IMO, that's the better version, although I believe AT40 used the piano version - at least they did when they played it as a LDD back in the 1980s and sometimes they'd even cut out the intro.

[620 Soul Train]

The original album version is dull as all ghett out. I remember being excited when it entered the top 40 while I had already owned the single "You Give Good Love" and this was on the B side. Back in 1986 you had to buy the single to get the better version, now if you were to buy the unopened CD version today of her debut album you will certainly get the "single" version of both this song and "How Will I Know".

[prenatt1166]

When GLOA was released as a single, the vinyl LP and cassette tape of the album were issued with the new versions of "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love Of All" as well.

[620 Soul Train]

prenatt1166 said:

When GLOA was released as a single, the vinyl LP and cassette tape of the album were issued with the new versions of "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love Of All" as well.

The same thing they did with the Backstreet Boys? OK. That makes sense.... :)

[Deleted]

This is a good case of an artist with a great voice doing their rendition of a crappy song, and turning it into something good.

[tico]

It was good at first, but it suffered from overplayment.

[George Tropicana]

I liked Tenia Taylor's cover.

[Brethren]

This song sounds so dated. It sounds as if it was released in the 60's. In fact, even The Supremes did not sound this dated.

[areyoureadytojump]

The video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZkSZaTzed4

[mrmister]

I loved this song. I loved when she performed it too. Its such an iconic song with a significant meaning.

[CookyMonzta]

mst3k1 said:

Not one of my favorites by Whitney, but it's still a good song. It's a remake of George Benson's hit single from the 1977 movie The Greatest.

His version went to #24 on the Hot 100.

[Player211]

This is one of Whitney's most memorable records.

[jdanton2]

i saw the thread for the other version so i had to check if there was a thread for the Whitney version . despite all the hate this song gets i find the Whitney version to be one of the most beautiful and inspiring songs of all time .

[Deleted]

Decent but overrated.

[Soulsista]

Not really one of my favorites by her.

[JOJO SIWA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME]

Nice song. It's sappy as hell, but Whitney's vocals are absolutely lovely.

I really liked the Junior Vasquez remix from the mid/late 90's.

[#LisaRinna]

The vocal :'(

[Minor Scratch]

I don't think anyone could challenge Whitney's delivery on her early ballads. Just amazing.

[Deleted]

How am I just discovering this? :O This is beautiful!

[Oprah]

This song is pure cheese, but Whitney's voice transforms it into something entirely different.