Whitney Houston

Released: June 2, 1987

Featuring: Cissy Houston

Songwriter: Björn Ulvaeus Benny Andersson Tim Rice

Producer: Narada Michael Walden

[Verse 1]
Nothing is so good it lasts eternally
Perfect situations must go wrong
But this has never yet prevented me
From wanting far too much for far too long

Looking back, I could have done it differently
Won a few more moments
Who can tell?
But it took time to understand the man
Now at least I know
I know him well

[Chorus]
Wasn't it good
Wasn't it fine
Isn't it madness he can't be mine
But in the end
He needs a little more than before

Security
He needs his fantasy and freedom
I know him so well

[Verse 2]
No one in your life is with you constantly
No one is completely on your side
And though I move my world to be with him
Still the gap between us is too wide

Looking back
I could have played it differently
Learned about the man before I fell
But I was ever so much younger then

Wasn't it good (oh, so good)
Wasn't it fine (so fine)
Isn't it madness he can't be mine

[Bridge]
Didn't I know how it would go
If I knew from the start
Why am I falling apart

[Chorus]
Wasn't it fine
Isn't it madness he can't be mine
But in the end
He needs a little more than before

Security
He needs his fantasy and freedom
I know him so well

It took some to understand him
Hoo, ooh
I know him so well

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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