I had the money. I had cars. I had the house. I had a husband had the kid ... and none of it really feels ... was really that fulfilling. For a time I was happy. I was happy, but I needed that joy. I needed my joy back … that peace. (Whitney Houston in 2009, appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show)Some of Whitney Houston’s interviews the last few years of her life were a glimpse into the life of a tormented soul. For someone who gave so much happiness to people through her performances, it seemed as though there was a disconnect, there was something wrong and deeply unfair. It seemed that what she offered the world was not bartered in exchange for exactly what she wanted or needed. She got what most people would have given an arm to receive. She had fame, affluence, countless awards from her peers and certain security but she could not find the peace that she longed for.
What an amazing talent she was, to be sure. She broke new ground for many singers who would follow the path she blazed. Who would have thought that a descendant of a slave would perform for us the most beautiful rendition of our national anthem? And for those of age, who would have forgotten the song for the 1988 Olympics - One Moment In Time - synched with the fluid and slo-mo struggles of athletes going for the gold, giving all that they had and leaving nothing on the field.
Valentine’s Day this year is bittersweet. She was a favorite feature on our Rich & Nina Series over the years. We lost someone whose songs, at least for many of us, were so inextricably connected to the memories of our youth - the friendships, the relationships, the romances, the heartaches and the varying degrees of happiness. In that decade, it seemed that everywhere there was a sharing of good times, one of her songs would be playing.
Her departure from this earth coincided with the freeing of another soul from a different kind of torment. The day of her death, the 11th of February, is also the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. As if on queue, she took her bow and promptly exited stage left. If a picture tells a story, you might inquire what this moment meant to her - of her placing her head on Pres. Mandela’s shoulder with her eyes closed, in a sign of complete deference and kinship. I would argue that she found, if for a fleeting moment, the semblance of peace. (VIEW PICTURE)
Perhaps, the best way to celebrate her life is to enjoy what she left for us. We picked seven songs from a long list of her popular tunes to celebrate her work. We can’t tell you how much we’ll miss you. Happy Valentines Day, Nippy.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
HOW WILL I KNOW
I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO
DIDN’T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL
ONE MOMENT IN TIME
GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
