Thursday Tunes: Whitney Houston - Run To You

I was deeply saddened at the passing of Whitney Elizabeth Houston, the undisputed Queen of Pop, at the age of 48, just one night before the Grammys in Los Angeles last Saturday. Like every little Black girl in America, Whitney was like my version of Princess Diana; glamorous, elegant, and always poised (at least from the outside looking in). I took my hairbrush and looked in the mirror and sang lyrics far too adult for my tender ages. I wanted to be her. She was brown and glowing. She had a 10000 watt smile and was a diva from the start.

 Whitney was from musical royalty: Her mother Cissy was part of the group the Sweet Inspirations; her first cousin was Dionne Warrick; her Godmother was Aretha Franklin. She recorded her first song as a background artist to Chaka Khan on "I'm Every Woman" (a song in which she re-recorded for The Bodyguard soundtrack that went on to break records). She was destined to be nothing but greatness. After her first television appearance on the Merv Griffin show when she sang "Home", everyone knew we had seen a star.

 So naturally, this Thursday's tunes is dedicated to Whitney. I tried hard, SO hard, to narrow it down to one song that epitomizes her dynamic vocal abilities. But I also wanted a song that resonated with me, who was way past the age of the little girl who sang "Greatest Love of All" with a hairbrush.

 I chose "Run to You" from The Bodyguard. The lyrics are so simple but her delivery is TIMELESS and classic. Whitney had this ability to make a song resonate with your core. I thought about the lyrics of this song heading from class yesterday. My Wed night class is long..VERY long. When I come home it so so late, it is dark and quiet as a mouse. I feel isolated. I feel alone. I wished so very much to have someone to come home to. I thought about a person whose arms I'd like to run into....to greet me at the door...and realized...if he only knew...how much I'd want to run.....to you..

 But my favorite lyrics in the entire song are from the second verse:

Each day, each day I play the role
Of someone always in control
But at night I come home and turn the key
There's nobody there, no one cares for me 
What's the sense of trying hard to find your dreams
Without someone to share it with
Tell me what does it mean?

 

Thank you Whitney for this song.  Thank GOD for your voice and lending you to use for 48 years, 30 of which was spent entertaining millions. Recorded almost 20 years ago,  this song still speaks to this eternal little black girl, who as we speak, is holding her remote, singing along to your song...



Rest in Power and Eternal Slumber, Whitney...