Whitney Houston

Released: November 17, 1998

Songwriter: Toni Estes LaShawn Daniels Fred Jerkins III Rodney Jerkins

Producer: Rodney Jerkins

[Intro]
Darkchild
Hey baby
Ha ha ha

[Chorus]
If I told you that
I wanted to see you
And if I told you that
I beg to please you
If I told you that
I'll always keep you
What would you say
If I told you that?

[Verse 1]
Now tell me how you'd feel
If I told you that I
Have feelings for you, baby
And would it be so wrong
To say what's on my mind?
I'm sorry I have to, baby, baby

[1st Channel]
We were friends, but with time
What I feel, deep inside
For you (for you)
Has changed (has changed)
But I'd give up on love
If I thought, that it was
Untrue (untrue)
For you (for you, baby)

[Chorus]
If I told you that (uh-huh)
I wanted to see you (I wanted to see you)
And if I told you that (and if I told you)
I beg to please you (to please you)
If I told you that (if I told you)
I'll always keep you (I'll always keep you)
What would you say
If I told you that? (uh)

[Verse 2]
I know that we're just friends
But what if I decide
To bring something in, ooh yeah?
Uh, I hope it won't offend
The trust we have, 'cause I
Don't want this to end
No no no, baby

[2nd Channel]
If you think we will lose
What we have, then I'd just
Rather stay (rather stay)
The same (the same, baby)
Because I don't want to choose
Between two of the most precious things (precious things)
To me (to me, oh yeah)

[Chorus]
If I told you that (if I told you that)
I wanted to see you (I wanted to see you)
And if I told you that (and if I told you)
I beg to please you (to please you, boo)
If I told you that (and if I told you)
I'll always keep you (I'll always keep you)
What would you say (what would you say?)
If I told you that?

[Bridge]
If we take this chance
And extend to each other's romance
And I hope it would be the
The right thing for you and me, oh yeah

[Chorus]
If I told you that (Baby baby, baby baby)
I wanted to see you (I wanted to see)
And if I told you that (and if I told you)
I beg to please you (I beg to please you, oh)
If I told you that (if I told you, if I told you)
I'll always keep you (if I said)
What would you say (what would you say?)
If I told you that? (what would you say, baby?)

[Chorus]
If I told you that (and if I told you that)
I wanted to see you (if I wanna be the realest to you)
And if I told you that (if I told you)
I beg to please you (I beg to please you)
If I told you that (if I told you)
I'll always keep you (I'll always keep you)
What would you say
If I told you that? (what would you say, oh?)

[3rd Channel]
Would you (would you)
Be there for me? (be there)
Could you (say, could you)
Dare to hold me? (dare to hold me)
Will my (will my)
Feelings leave me (baby baby)
Love only (what would you say?)
If I told you? (oh yeah)

[Chorus]
If I told you that (if I told you)
I wanted to see you (and then if I told you)
And if I told you that (if I told you that)
I beg to please you (I beg to please you)
If I told you that (my love)
I'll always keep you (I'll always, I'll always)
What would you say (what would you say?)
If I told you that?

[Chorus]
If I told you that
I wanted to see you (hey)
And if I told you that (you know I love you)
I beg to please you
If I told you that
I'll always keep you
What would you say
If I told you that?

Known across the pop culture spectrum as the “Queen of Pop” and “The Voice” for her mezzo-soprano octave, Whitney Elizabeth Houston left an indelible impression upon pop culture. She is one of the most successful artists of all time, with more than 200 million albums sold worldwide.

Born August 9, 1963, Houston grew up singing as part of the gospel choir at her local church. She was surrounded by powerful voices in her own family (mother Cissy Houston, cousin Dionne Warwick, godmother Darlene Love, honorary aunt Aretha Franklin). After working as a model and commercial actress in the early 1980s, Whitney was discovered during a New York City nightclub performance, which led to her signing a contract with Clive Davis at Arista Records. Whitney’s first song was a duet in 1984 with Teddy Pendergrass on “Hold Me.”

She released her self-titled début album the following year, which catapulted her into superstardom as the album topped the Billboard 200 for 14 non-consecutive weeks before becoming the top-selling album of 1986, eventually achieving diamond status in the US and selling over 22 million copies worldwide. The singles “Saving All My Love For You,” “How Will I Know,” and “Greatest Love of All” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved platinum status. The music video for “How Will I Know” received heavy rotation on MTV, which was uncommon for Black women at the time. She took home the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for “Saving” in 1986; her performance at the Grammys of “Saving” later won her an Emmy award. She also won seven American Music Awards between 1986 and 1987.

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