“Why Does It Hurt So Bad” (Arista): Released on July 7, 1996, by Arista Records as the seventh and final single from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. The song was written and produced solely by Babyface. It peaked on Billboard Hot 100 at #26, on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop at #22, and on Adult Contemporary chart at #6. The song was originally written by Babyface for Houston two years earlier. “I wasn’t really in the mood for singing about why it hurts so bad,” said Houston. The emotions of the movie merged with the real-life circumstances of Houston’s troubled marriage to Bobby Brown two years later. “Now, I’m ready to sing not only the joys of things, but the pains of things, also,” Houston explained.
“The Greatest Love Of All” (Arista): Written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson in 1977, the song was later popularized by Whitney Houston in 1986. Her version received critical acclaim and became a big hit, topping the charts in Australia, Canada and the US, while reaching the top twenty in most countries, including Italy, Sweden and UK. It remains her third biggest US hit, after “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”. Clive Davis, founder of Houston’s label Arista Records, was initially against Houston recording the song for her debut studio album.
“I’m Your Baby Tonight” (Arista): This is the lead single and title track from Whitney Houston’s third studio album, I’m Your Baby Tonight. The song was written and produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface. Houston was nominated for “Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female” with this track at the 33rd Grammy Awards in 1991. It became a huge hit for Houston, reaching the top 10 worldwide.
“My Love Is Your Love” (Arista): This was the fourth single off Houston’s 1999 album My Love Is Your Love. It was produced by Wyclef Jean, hence the mid-tempo reggae-influenced beat. The single was extremely successful worldwide, hitting the Top Ten in nearly two dozen international markets.
“I Will Always Love You” (Arista): In 1992, she recorded the song for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, her film debut. Houston was originally to record Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” as the lead single from the movie. However, when it was discovered the song was to be used for Fried Green Tomatoes, Houston requested a different song and her co-star Kevin Costner brought her Linda Ronstadt’s 1975 version of “I Will Always Love You”. Houston’s version was a massive worldwide success, appearing at #68 on Billboard’s “Greatest Songs of All Time.” It is the longest running #1 single from a soundtrack album. It became Arista Records’ biggest hit. The song was #1 on the Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and R&B chart simultaneously for a record-equaling five weeks; Ray Charles’ “I Can’t Stop Loving You” in 1962 achieved the same feat on the same charts. The song was certified 4× Platinum in the U.S., making Houston the first female artist with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history. The song also peaked at #1 of the singles charts in almost all countries. Houston’s 10-week reign in the U.K. set the record for the longest run at the top by a solo female artist in the history of the British singles chart. It is the only single to have ever topped the U.S., the U.K. and Australian singles charts for at least ten weeks. Upon its release, Houston’s version was acclaimed by many critics, called it her “signature song” or “iconic performance.”
“I Have Nothing” (Arista): This was released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson.
“I’m Every Woman” (Arista): Written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, it was released as the soundtrack’s second single in January 1993. As a tribute to Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston proclaims Khan’s name towards the end of the song. The music video features a very pregnant Houston and cameo appearances by Cissy Houston (Houston’s mother), Chaka Khan, Valerie Simpson, and labelmates TLC. The song won Houston a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video, and received a Grammy Award nomination in 1994 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
“Run To You” (Arista): Written by Jud Friedman and Allan Rich originally as a break-up song. However, the director of The Bodyguard (Mick Jackson) called, saying he liked the song so much, but he’d rather have it to be a love song so the entire song was rewritten, except for the title. All of the previous releases from The Bodyguard had been successes, landing in the top five. “Run to You” became a moderate hit, peaking at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100. Friedman described his experience with playing the song with Houston: “She was totally professional. Whitney actually had a cold that night, and her speaking voice was whispery and hoarse. But when she started singing, she sounded incredible. For Allan and me to be in the studio to hear her sing our song so beautifully, it was one of the greatest moments in our lives.”
“Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” (Arista): The song was released as the lead single from the soundtrack Waiting to Exhale on November 7, 1995, and was written and produced by Babyface. In the US, it became the third single to debut on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in Billboard’s history, and Houston’s 11th #1 single. In 1994, Houston signed with 20th Century Fox to play the role of Savannah Jackson in the film and, initially, she had no interest in recording songs for the film’s soundtrack, as she wanted to concentrate on her acting.
“I Believe In You and Me” (Arista): The Preacher’s Wife is the soundtrack to the 1996 film of the same name and features songs performed by Whitney Houston, who also stars in the film. It is the best-selling gospel album of all time, and has sold an estimated 6 million copies worldwide. The lead single, “I Believe in You and Me” (a cover of The Four Tops classic), became a top five hit in the U.S. and was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards, as well as for Best R&B Album.
“Same Script Different Cast” feat. Deborah Cox: Released as a single in 2000, the song features Houston playing the former lover of Cox’s current boyfriend. The song incorporates a backing track of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Für Elise” during the intro. The song was released as a radio-only promo single and hence no video was made. It was a minor hit on Billboard’s Hot 100, peaking at #70 while reaching #14 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs.