Houston began singing at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, as a child and became a background vocalist while in high school. She was one of the first black women to appear on the cover of Seventeen after becoming a teen model in 1981. With the guidance of Arista Records chairman Clive Davis, Houston signed to the label at age 19. Her first two studio albums, Whitney Houston (1985) and Whitney (1987), both peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and are among the best-selling albums of all time. Hit singles from the albums, including "How Will I Know", "Greatest Love of All" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", established her as a catalyst in the acceptance of black female artists on MTV. Her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990), yielded two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, the title track and "All the Man That I Need". Houston's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV in 1991 received widespread media coverage.
Houston made her acting debut with the romantic thriller film The Bodyguard (1992), which despite its mixed reviews became the tenth highest-grossing film to that date. Its soundtrack won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and remains the bestselling soundtrack album of all time. It generated multiple hit singles, including "I Have Nothing", "I'm Every Woman" and "I Will Always Love You"; the latter won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, spent a then-record 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and became the best-selling single by a woman in music history. Subsequently, she went on to star in the films Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996), and she recorded their respective soundtracks; the former scored her last Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)", while the latter, produced by Houston herself, became the bestselling gospel album of all time. As a film producer, she produced multicultural movies and series such as Cinderella (1997) and The Princess Diaries and The Cheetah Girls.
Houston's first studio album in eight years, My Love Is Your Love (1998), spawned several hit singles, including the title track, "Heartbreak Hotel", "It's Not Right but It's Okay" and the Academy Award-winning Mariah Carey duet "When You Believe". Following the success, she renewed her contract with Arista for $100 million in 2001, one of the biggest recording deals of all time. However, her personal problems began to overshadow her career. Her 2002 studio album, Just Whitney, received mixed reviews, while her drug use and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown received widespread media coverage. After divorcing Brown, Houston returned to the top of the Billboard 200 chart with her final studio album, I Look to You (2009). In February 2012, Houston accidentally drowned in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors. News of her death coincided with the 2012 Grammy Awards, which took place the day following her death, and was covered internationally. Her life and career were dramatized in the 2022 biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Her assets amounted to $250 million, earned over a 25-year career.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Houston
Discography
Whitney Houston (1985)
Whitney (1987)
I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990)
My Love Is Your Love (1998)
Just Whitney (2002)
One Wish: The Holiday Album (2003)
I Look to You (2009)
*You were Loved
Whitney Houston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We all want our voices to be heard
Every one wants a chance to be someone
We all have dreams we need to dream
Sweeter than any star you can reach
'cause when you reach and find, you've found someone
You'll hold this world's most priceless thing
The greatest gift this life can bring
You were loved
[Chorus]
You were loved by someone
Touched by someone
Held by someone
Meant something to someone
Loved somebody
Touched somebody's heart
Along the way
You can look back and say (mm)
You were loved (yes you were)
You can have diamonds in your hands
Have all the riches in the land
But, without love,
You don't really have a thing, no no
When somebody cares that you're alive
When somebody trusts you with their life
That's when you'll know (huh)
That you have all you need
You'll hold this world's most priceless gift
The finest treasure that there is
You can look back and know
You were loved
[Chorus]
So many roads that you can take
Whatever way you go
Don't take that road alone
It's better you should know
[Chorus]
So remember to tell that special one (yeah, mm)
You were loved
You were loved
You were loved
You were loved
Hey hey hey hey hey
The song "You Were Loved" by Whitney Houston is an uplifting ballad addressing the universal desire for acceptance and love. The verses describe the human need for validation and recognition, emphasizing the importance of dreams, trust, and caring relationships. The chorus repeats the title phrase, highlighting the message that every person has a value and purpose and can look back on their life with fondness and gratitude for the love they have received. The bridge offers a warning that it is better to share the journey with someone than to face it alone. The repetition of the phrase "you were loved" at the end serves as a reminder and affirmation that every person deserves to feel loved and appreciated.
The song was released in November 1998 as part of the album "My Love Is Your Love." It was written by Diane Warren, a prolific songwriter who has produced hit songs for numerous artists, including Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Aerosmith. The production was handled by David Foster, a celebrated music producer and composer who has won multiple Grammy awards. The song features Houston's signature soaring vocals, backed by a gospel choir and a poignant string section. The lyrics and melody are reminiscent of Houston's 1980s ballads and highlight her ability to connect with her audience through heartfelt emotions and soulful performances.
Line by Line Meaning
We all want to make a place in this world
We all have a desire to find our purpose and make a difference in this world.
We all want our voices to be heard
We all want to be noticed, recognized and our opinions to matter.
Every one wants a chance to be someone
Everybody seeks opportunities to showcase their abilities to become somebody important in life.
We all have dreams we need to dream
We all have aspirations and ambitions that we want to fulfill in our lives.
Sweeter than any star you can reach
The feeling of achieving our dreams and goals is more rewarding than anything else in the world.
'cause when you reach and find, you've found someone
When you finally achieve what you've been striving for, you'll find somebody important who has made an impact in your life.
You'll hold this world's most priceless thing
The most valuable treasure in this world is not materialistic, but the feeling of being loved by someone.
The greatest gift this life can bring
The ultimate blessing in life is to know that you were loved and respected by others.
Is when you look back and know
When you reminisce about your life, the most comforting feeling is to know that you were loved by somebody.
You were loved by someone
Someone in your life loved and cared for you deeply.
Touched by someone
Somebody made a positive impact on your life, either emotionally or physically.
Held by someone
Somebody supported you and was there for you during your difficult times.
Meant something to someone
You were an important person in someone's life, and you had a significant impact on them.
Loved somebody
You loved somebody deeply and passionately, and they meant a lot to you.
Touched somebody's heart
You made a positive and emotional impact on someone's life by touching their heart with your words or deeds.
Along the way
Throughout your journey in life, there were moments when people loved, cared, and supported you.
You can look back and say (mm)
When you retrospect, you'll realize that you were surrounded by love, and it's worth cherishing.
You can have diamonds in your hands
Possessing riches, wealth, or materialistic things isn't enough to lead a fulfilling life.
Have all the riches in the land
You could have everything in the world, but without love or emotional fulfillment, you'll still feel incomplete.
But, without love,
Love is an essential element of a complete and happy life, and without it, everything else becomes worthless.
You don't really have a thing, no no
Without love, there's no real meaning or value in life.
When somebody cares that you're alive
When someone genuinely cares about your existence, welfare, happiness, and well-being, they are demonstrating their unconditional love for you.
When somebody trusts you with their life
When someone puts their trust in you and relies on you with their wholeheartedness, it's a clear indication that they love and respect you.
That's when you'll know (huh)
When people genuinely care about you, trust you, and appreciate your existence, it will make you realize the essence of pure love and its significance in life.
That you have all you need
When you have love and support from the people around you, you have everything that you need to lead a happy and fulfilling life.
The finest treasure that there is
The most significant and precious treasure that a human can possess is love, and it's something that money cannot buy.
So many roads that you can take
There are numerous paths that one can take in life, and everybody has their unique journey.
Whatever way you go
Regardless of the path you take in life, it's essential to know that there's someone who loves and supports you.
Don't take that road alone
It's crucial to have loved ones around you as you embark on your journey in life since they'll act as your support system and help you overcome any hurdles.
So remember to tell that special one (yeah, mm)
It's essential to express your love and appreciation to the people you love and cherish.
You were loved
Letting somebody know that they genuinely mattered to you and that you loved them is one of the most comforting things you can do for them.
Hey hey hey hey hey
The repetition of hey hey hey hey hey is more of a musical addition than a meaningful content in the song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Realsongs
Written by: DIANE EVE WARREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind