So Long, Whitney...

Whitney's gone.

Y'know...I wouldn't say I was her GREATEST fan of all time. I was, however, certainly a fan. I can't particularly put a specific number level to express my love for her, but it's clearly high enough for me to feel some pretty deep sadness right about now.

Let me tell you what she meant to me. When I first started really digging music (post Hee Haw and country youth--which I treasure), I was about 10 years old, right around the time she released her self-titled debut album. I used to keep my cassettes (yes, cassettes) in a very rigid, strict order of purchase. My first five cassettes ever purchased were in this order:

1: Miami Vice Soundtrack

2: Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair

3: Whitney Houston

4: Madonna: True Blue

5: Pretty in Pink Soundtrack

I think it bears noting that I bought Whitney music before I bought Madonna music, right?

That album was a biggie for me in the 80's. To this day, when I'm feeling nostalgic or need something to calm me, I'll break out the music from that album (and no, I don't listen to it on cassette anymore--sadly).

"Saving All My Love for You" is a favorite. "How Will I Know" is a given. "Greatest Love of All" (Coming to America--and all of the many cliches now attached to this tune aside--this was a good one). Crap. I just went through the playlist on this album, and there's not one that I can remember disliking. Can't count the # of times I fell asleep to this album as a kid (no, not cuz it was boring--it was soothing).

While I never got into many of her later albums in the same way as her debut, I still found several favorites from later years. "I Have Nothing" from The Bodyguard, "All the Man I Need", and the dance mix of "It's Not Right, But It's Okay", to name a few.

I'll admit that I did get a kick out of the jokes at her expense (in her later Bobby Brown/drug issue years), particularly Debra Wilson of MADtv's spectacular rendition of her drug-addled Star Spangled Banner; where she started the song too high and continued to the fevered ending (all the while listening to her inner monologue). Also, Kathy Griffin's frequent jabs at her were good for a laugh. But I think we all had the same reaction to the joking. I guess it was all about those cliched "we laugh so we don't cry" moments. We were all sad to see her sink so far.

The other half and I were discussing...it seems that growing up in the 80's, the TRULY BIG pop stars of the day were Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and Whitney. I think this will end up being a bigger sense of loss than anyone would have imagined (especially since her heyday has been over for about a decade). And of course she was so young.

Not to sound too melodramatic, but I want to say "it's not right, but it's okay"...when you think about the demons she was probably juggling, she's probably in a more peaceful place now.

So long, Whitney...you'll be missed, but I have "Saving All My Love for You" and "Hold Me" to keep me chill when it's been a rough day. Thanks.