Happy 30th Anniversary to Whitney Houston’s third studio album I’m Your Baby Tonight, originally released November 6, 1990.
Whitney Houston was one of the greatest singers to have ever graced this world, the greatest in many people’s eyes. Her legacy—tragically cut short by her passing in 2012—is nonetheless one that is considered of great importance when referencing pop culture. As if having the voice of an angel was not enough, Houston was also an incredible actress and her beauty—artistic, physical, and otherwise—was unequivocal. Whitney Houston really did have it all.
She came from music royalty—her mother is the legendary gospel singer Cissy Houston and her cousin is Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach’s long-time musical muse. With a regal bloodline like this, it’s no surprise that music was to be her destiny and even though she launched her recording career squarely in the world of pop music, there is no denying that her biggest weapon, no matter the genre, was that voice. Following on from the success of her two previous albums ( 1985’s Whitney Houston and 1987’s Whitney), Houston’s third album I’m Your Baby Tonight shifted her focus from big ballads and the occasional bop to a firm dance pop album, albeit with a few ballads included for good measure.
The production team for this album saw producer Narada Michael Walden rejoin Houston for three tracks: “Lover For Life,” “I Belong To You” and a power ballad bringing some serious drama, the cover of Linda Clifford’s “All The Man That I Need.” Joining the production team were the powerhouse duo L.A. Reid and Babyface, adding a fresh vibe on tracks like the thumping “My Name Is Not Susan” and the overtly ‘80s indebted “Anymore.” On the album’s namesake and lead single, the duo gave Houston license to control her vocal direction, something that seems prevalent on all the tracks they produced for the album. Even when returning to ballad territory on “Miracle,” it is safe to say that Houston’s disposition is hers and hers alone, something that wasn’t necessarily evident on her previous albums.
On the Luther Vandross produced “Who Do You Love” (who can forget that medley from the American Music Awards back in ’92), Houston injects some gospel into a relatively bland song. Joining forces with Stevie Wonder for the duet on “We Didn’t Know,” the gentle ballad, released nearly two years after the album’s release, was the sixth and final single to be released.
One of the surprises on this album is the self-produced “I’m Knockin,’” a smooth, piano heavy soulful track that not only closes out the album, but again showcases Houston’s impeccable vocals and her ability with arrangement when given the opportunity. Perhaps it is also the fact that Houston’s type of music appeals to everyone—black and white—no matter what she is lending her voice too, her crossover appeal is something incredibly unique.
I’m Your Baby Tonight marks a time when Houston transitioned from brilliant singer to the legend we have come to know. Her chief instrument, simply known as “the voice,” allowed her to usher in this newfound control over her career, control that would see the singer go on to conquer the big screen in movies like The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), and The Preacher’s Wife (1996), while providing memorable soundtracks to not just the movies themselves, but also a whole generation. In many ways this was a defiant moment for Houston too. Her music had been called into question and the promotional work done with this album left not one person able to say she was anything but soul, success and strength personified.
Although I’m Your Baby Tonight didn’t go on to achieve the momentous success of her two previous albums, it did garner multiple chart-topping singles and went on to be one of the highest-selling albums in 1990, garnering countless award nominations along the way. This was a turning point for Houston and one that has further cemented her legacy as one of the greatest singers of all time.
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