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)
If I Told You That
Whitney Houston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You that I have feelings for you
And would it be so wrong to say
What's on my mind
I'm sorry I have to
We were friends but with time
What I feel inside for you has changed
But I'd give up on love, if I thought
(If I told you that) I wanted to see you
(And if I told you that) I beg to please you
(If I told you that) I'll always keep you
What would you say (if I told you that)
I know that we were just friends
But what if I decide to bring somethings in
I hope it won't offend the trust
We have cause I don't want this to end
I you think that we'll lose what we have
Then I'd just rather stay (rather stay) the same
(I'd rather stay the same)
Cause I don't want to choose
Between two of the most precious things to me
(tell me)
(If I told you that) I wanted to see you
(And if I told you that) I beg to please you
(If I told you that) I'll always keep you
What would you say (if I told you that)
If we take this chance and extend
To each other romance
I hope it would be
The right thing for you and me
(If I told you that) I wanted to see you
(And if I told you that) I beg to please you
(If I told you that) I'll always keep you
What would you say (if I told you that)
Would you be there for me
Could you dare to hold me
Will my feelings leave me
Lonely if I told you
Whitney Houston's song "If I Told You That" is essentially a confession of love from one friend to another. The singer is considering whether to reveal their newfound romantic feelings to the listener, and describes the fear and hesitation that come along with doing so. The lyrics express a desire to keep their friendship intact even if the lover is not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. The verses showcase the singer's inner thoughts and struggle to decide whether to speak up, while the chorus forecasts what could happen if their feelings are revealed.
As the verses unfold, the apprehensions of the singer are exposed while keeping the rhythm and the melody engaging. The lyrics present a relatable narrative of the fear of jeopardizing a friendship by confessing romantic feelings. The repetition of "If I told you that" in the chorus highlights the doubt and fear that the singer has about the possibility of a relationship, either good or bad, and what it will take to make it work.
The song's structure is simple, and the melody is catchy, making it easy to sing along. The lyrics, while being profound, aren't difficult to understand, making it a favorite for many listeners. It's a song that addresses the feelings and struggles of many people who find themselves falling in love with a friend and revealing what they feel without hurting the existing relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Now tell me how you feel if I told
The singer is asking the listener to express their emotions if she confesses her feelings for them.
You that I have feelings for you
The singer is admitting that she has developed feelings of love for the listener.
And would it be so wrong to say
The singer is questioning whether it is inappropriate for her to reveal her true emotions to the listener.
What's on my mind
The singer wants to speak her mind about her feelings.
I'm sorry I have to
The singer feels apologetic for putting the listener in this position.
We were friends but with time
The singer and the listener were previously friends.
What I feel inside for you has changed
The singer has developed romantic feelings for the listener over time.
But I'd give up on love, if I thought
The singer would rather give up on love than act on her feelings if it would be hurtful to the listener.
That it was untrue for you
The singer does not want to take a chance on their relationship if the listener does not reciprocate her feelings.
(If I told you that) I wanted to see you
The singer is expressing her desire to spend more time with the listener if she reveals her feelings.
(And if I told you that) I beg to please you
The singer is willing to do what it takes to make the listener happy if they are receptive to her feelings.
(If I told you that) I'll always keep you
The singer is making a commitment to the listener that she will always value and care for them if she confesses her feelings.
What would you say (if I told you that)
The singer is asking for the listener's response if she reveals her true feelings.
I know that we were just friends
The singer acknowledges that their relationship was just that of friendship previously.
But what if I decide to bring somethings in
The singer is considering introducing a romantic aspect to their relationship.
I hope it won't offend the trust
The singer hopes that expressing her romantic feelings will not destroy their existing trust.
We have cause I don't want this to end
The singer does not want her confession to ruin their friendship.
If you think that we'll lose what we have
The singer is concerned that their friendship will be lost if the listener does not reciprocate her feelings.
Then I'd just rather stay (rather stay) the same
If acting on her feelings will damage their friendship, the singer would prefer to keep things the way they are.
Cause I don't want to choose
The singer does not want to choose between her love for the listener and their friendship.
Between two of the most precious things to me
The singer values both her friendship with the listener and her newfound love for them.
If we take this chance and extend
The singer is taking a chance to extend their relationship to a romantic level.
To each other romance
The singer is expressing her interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with the listener.
I hope it would be
The singer hopes that their romantic relationship will work out.
The right thing for you and me
The singer believes that a romantic relationship between her and the listener will be the right choice for both of them.
Would you be there for me
The singer is seeking reassurance from the listener that they will support and care for her if she reveals her true feelings.
Could you dare to hold me
The singer is asking if the listener is willing to be intimate with her if they decide to pursue a romantic relationship.
Will my feelings leave me
The singer is concerned that revealing her feelings will leave her vulnerable and hurt.
Lonely if I told you
The singer is worried that confessing her feelings will drive the listener away and leave her feeling alone.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FRED JERKINS III, RODNEY JERKINS, LASHAWN DANIELS, TONI ESTES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@misshealth2
Now tell me how you'd feel
If I told you that I
Have feelings for you
And would it be so wrong to say
What's on my mind
I'm sorry I have to
We were friends but with time
What I feel inside for you has changed
But I'd give up on love
If I thought that it was untrue for you
If I told you that
I wanted to see you
And if I told you that
I'd beg to please you
If I told you that
I'll always keep you
What would you say
If I told you that
I know that we're just friends
But what if I decide to bring something in
I hope it won't offend the trust
We have cause I don't want this to end
If you think that we'll lose what we have
Then I'd just rather stay (rather stay) the same
(I'd rather stay the same)
'Cause I don't want to choose
Between two of the most precious things to me
(Tell me)
If I told you that
I wanted to see you
And if I told you that
I'd beg to please you
If I told you that
I'll always keep you
What would you say
If I told you that
If we take this chance
And extend to each other romance
I hope it would be
The right thing for you and me
If I told you that
I wanted to see you
And if I told you that
I'd beg to please you
If I told you that
I'll always keep you
What would you say
If I told you that
Would you be there for me
Could you dare to hold me
Will my feelings leave me
Lonely if I told you
If I told you that
I wanted to see you
And if I told you that
I'd beg to please you
If I told you that
I'll always keep you
What would you say
If I told you that
@misshealth2
Meaning of "If I Told You That (Duet)" by Whitney Houston (Ft. George Michael)
"If I Told You That" by Whitney Houston is a duet with George Michael that explores the feelings of two friends who may have deeper romantic feelings for each other.
Houston's character confesses that she has feelings for her friend and wonders how he would react if she told him. She hopes that he would reciprocate her feelings and enjoy spending time together, fulfilling each other's needs. However, she is also cautious about the possible risk of losing their friendship if they pursue a romantic relationship.
The chorus repeats the same question, "What would you say if I told you that?" emphasizing the uncertainty and vulnerability she feels in confessing her feelings.
The song's lyrics suggest that the message is meant for a romantic partner, but the context of the duet with George Michael adds a layer of ambiguity to the relationship, playing with the idea of a romantic relationship between two friends.
Overall, "If I Told You That" is a reflection on the complexity and uncertainty of relationships, especially when feelings are involved.
@TheJellymonty
I'm one of the background dancers. My cousin was the lighting director of this video so I begged him to let the director sneak me in as a background extra and it was so much fun! George and Whitney were so hilarious and easy going and their chemistry was off the charts. At one point I remember George joking during takes and he said "She's gonna un-gay me in a minute!" and Whitney responded, "Boy pls I un-gayed u the moment you laid eyes on me!" And everybody just died of laughter! Miss them both. Hope they still jiving like this up there. RIP both of yous.
@dimanshediamond6347
I love this! It just sounds like something they’d both say!!!,😊
@Boomboxss-fu3ic
Wow, that's an awesome story, thank you :)
@cordelia81
This made me think, whats eternal and whats limited ....
@taneeshathomas2090
Such an awesome memory I'm glad u got to experience that
@toniebee2239
Thank you for sharing that beautiful memory.
@Cali5556
George Michael: sang a duet with THE Aretha Franklin and THE Whitney Houston, and stood his fucking own. Absolute legend.
@BestBecky78
And Mary J!!! 🤩🤩
@KayJay7000
All three duets were great but I think this one is the best and it looks like Whitney and George were having fun making the video too. Charming!
@pamelaa.mankowski212
Thank you ! Ppl need to look at themselves quit judging least you be judged .. thank you God for allowing me to hear these two angels .. and thank you Mary J. And Aretha Franklin .. RIP our angels