This day in 1987, exactly a decade ago, Whitney was the first singer to debut at the #1 position with her "Whitney" album. Also the #1 single was held by Whitney, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" was a major hit on pop, radio, sales and adult contemporary charts, reaching #1 and peaking at #2 on the R&B 100 Singles. Wow!
From Fanasylum
Thanks to everyone who voted. I noticed many double votes from people and I have taken them out. It is very fair and I took the first 200 votes I got for a round even number.
Rank |
Album |
Votes |
|---|---|---|
1 |
You Were Loved |
103 |
2 |
Gospel Single |
49 |
3 |
Somebody Bigger Than You And I |
20 |
4 |
End Campaign |
18 |
I've sent a letter to ARISTA. Hopefully they will reply. It urges them not to give up the "Preacher's Wife" project. Read on.
Dear Arista,
We the fans are extremely disappointed with what you have done with
the "Preacher's Wife" soundtrack. You literally left this to fail.
And the fan club has reported that you have given up entirely on
the album and refuse to release any other singles. Now this is
the biggest mistake you have done. Firstly, you have NOT even
promoted the new single "My Heart Is Calling". Its low key release
has left the single to be a basically unknown title and a pointless
release. Meanwhile, you refuse to produce a video for it and
expect this to help the "Preacher's Wife" soundtrack. The soundtrack
has been dipping down in sales since it's peak in January due to
your lack of promotion for the singles "Step By Step" and "My
Heart Is Calling".
Also, you ignore the most potent track on the soundtrack, "You Were Loved". This track is one of the favorites on the album as well as a radio friendly single with a Dianne Warren touch that can bring a song to the top. This is evidenced in releases by Celine Dion (Because You Loved Me) and Toni Braxton (Unbreak My Heart). I hope you don't ignore this letter since the fans are really upset about what Arista has done and the lack of promotion of this hit bound soundtrack.
We urge you to release the new single "You Were Loved" since it will do the album wonders. I have conducted a vote over the past month (30 days) about the album. The fans were given 4 choices.
(1) To release "You Were Loved" as the next single.
(2) To release a gospel single
(3) To release "Somebody Bigger Than You And I" as an A side
(4) To abandon the campaign (what you're basically doing)
Out of 200 people, I've received 103 people (more than the majority) to release "You Were Loved", 49 people (nearly a quarter) to release a gospel single, 20 people (10 percent) to release "Somebody Bigger Than You And I". This tells me that 173 people out of 200 believe this album still has a future if more singles are released.
Also, "Preacher's Wife" is a favorite of many. My survey conducted that out of all the albums Whitney has released "Preacher's Wife" is the best. And basically you're giving up on this.
I have taken my time to write you this letter and conducting all the necessary evidence to convince you NOT to give up this project, as we heard from the Fan Club. In fact, what is interesting is that one of the Arista staff wrote me saying that the album would continue to be promoted by the Remix Album. But the Remix Album is now postponed to a later date.
I hope you can take it from the fan's and public's point of view. "You Were Loved" is a very popular song and it is very radio friendly. Many people like it. Please release it.
Sincerely, The Fans
Thanks to Eita for translating a Japanese article on the Japan incident. I know this may be old news but from a Japanese perspective, it's interesting. Remember, these are just rumors.
Whitney and Bobby throw away $500,000 ring (from Yuukan Fuji)
The superstar in American pops, who gave her concert recently in Japan, had a quarrel with her husband Bobby Brown during their stay. It came to light that they had trouble when Bobby threw away his wedding ring equivalent to 500,000 dollars on the Metropolitan Expressway. The trouble happened on May 12. Bobby got away from the hotel in secret, and went out a disco nearby Roppongi, Tokyo. Whitney was taking a shower then. Later having noticed that, she asked the hotel staff his whereabouts, and got out to take him back. They had a big quarrel on their way to the hotel in a car. So Bobby threw away his wedding out of the window. Their quarrels are well-known in U.S. Bobby's force, abuse of drinking and flamboyance with women have caused perhaps serious divorce problem more often than now. But he accompanied his wife for her 6th Japan tour after four year's seperation, and took part in it, even showing us their intimacy. After all this, they made up and went back to New York with their daughter Bobbi Kristina, 4,on May 15.
Thanks again Eita!
Hi Bryan, I wrote to the fan club about the promotion of "The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack" and they wrote me back and told me it was definitely over. The promotion was supposed to last prior to the movie coming out until it came out on video. They told me that the new and third single "My Heart Is Calling" will probably be the last single to be released from "The Preacher's Wife" with no videoclip. I hope this is not true! I was hoping Whitney and "Arista Records" would release the ballad "You Were Loved" as a single along with a videoclip. 3 singles were only scheduled to be released according to the fan club. When "The Preacher's Wife" first came out it was being promoted as "Whitney Houston stars in the Soundtrack Event of the Year!" But thanks to "Arista Records" lack of promotion, it turned into "The Most Disasterous Soundtrack Event Of The Year". I hope "My Heart Is Calling" isn't a dud on the charts. At least 2 more singles should be released with at least one more videoclip from the soundtrack. Whitney has worked hard and has given her best and her all to "Arista". She is their best artist and she deserves their attention, recognition and respect. I'm very disappointed "Arista" let Whitney down when they stopped promoting and releasing singles from "The Preacher's Wife" soundtrack. The future of "The Preacher's Wife" doesn't look bright and "You Were Loved" deserves to be released as a 4th single. Whitney has always had a good track record with ballads on the Hot 100.
The fan club knows nothing about Whitney's future music projects. Not even a brand new full length studio album. I wonder what's happening. Keep me posted if you hear any info. I would like Whitney's videoclips on videocassettte. I hope "Arista" will release that in the near future with a "Greatest Hits" album to go with it. Thank you for letting me voice my opinions.
Your "Whitney Pal",
Stephane
Thank you Stephane for the information. It's really disappointing? I mean, they give up on it without releasing one of the best songs I've ever heard, "You Were Loved" from the soundtrack. Whitney is known as a ballad queen. They should be releasing this beautiful song. It will do the album wonders. And I just want to inform everyone that I've compiled 200 votes from the Voting booth and it seems the huge majority want "You Were Loved". I'm going to write Arista and tell them how much we fans are disappointed with what Arista is doing with this beautiful album. I don't understand their promotion. It's always been good how they promote Whitney, especially in "Bodyguard" and "Waiting To Exhale" when they would release 5 singles from one album and promote them close to each other. Arista, we're very disappointed.
I'd like to hear people's comments about this. If you've got anything to say even one sentence, E-mail me!
From MTV Asia, I heard that Bobby was involved in an argument with a taxi driver when the taxi scraped Bobby's new car. Supposedly, Bobby's friends went up to argue with the taxi driver but Bobby didn't do much. Don't want him to get arrested again.
Hi, this could may be interesting for you guys - a Whitney Chart-Information from
the WHITNEY HOUSTON FanClubFdt. Munich.
Greetings from Marcus and Best Wishes to you all and keep your great website
:-)
Germany doesn't believe.....
Not good Chartnews about Whitney in Germany. After the first single from the
"Preacher's Wife Sdtrk" for Europe "STEP BY STEP" which had entered the Top
5, "I believe in you and me" - released in early of May - did not enter the
charts to date and her latest single "My heart is calling" was not released
in Germany until now. This is (I believe) in cause of that "I Believe In You
And Me" was'nt promoted by radio. And the Video, which shows Whitney in a
winterly background is not ideal to show in the Springtime...mmh..
Now, the Soundtrack slips out of the Top 100. Whenever BMG Arista/Ariola (the
Europe Publisher from Arista Records) will release the scheduled "Dancin'
Special" / "The Best Of ..." I will hope, that Whitney's chartperformances
will be go back to the Top!
Tragic soul queen WHITNEY HOUSTON has been told by doctors she will probably never have another child. Houston, 33, has a four-year-old daughter, BOBBI, from her marriage to badboy rapper BOBBY BROWN. But the singer has suffered three miscarriages, and surgeons have told her, "three strikes and you're out." Houston says, "Every day I just thank God Bobbi is beautiful and healthy." What a bummer!
From Cybersleaze
On MTV Asia, I've heard news that Whitney and Bobby are planning a showbiz surprise. Spokespersons are keeping quiet about this though. So watch out for a surprise coming to our ways.
The life of Whitney's new "Preacher's Wife" single remains bleak. It has entered at #2 on the Bubbling Hot 100 Singles Chart on June 28 week, her lowest charting single to date. This means #102! Even in the R&B Charts it seems to be doing really bad. It debuts only at #43, already falling in airplay as it is only #65 on its seventh week on R&B radio after falling from #63. It is #46 in R&B Sales. Unlike "We Didn't Know" and "I Belong To You" which failed to enter the Hot 100, they were only promoted to R&B radio. This single from Whitney appears to be her lowest charting single ever if it enters the Hot 100 even. How could Arista not promote it? They've just left this record to fail. It's very sad. No video, no radio promotion, nothing.... Many people haven't even heard about this single!
NEW YORK (Variety) - Although it has taken three years, "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella" has come together as a TV movie. But the glass slipper has been resized, and the movie has changed about as much as Cinderella's horse and carriage after midnight.
Originally developed at CBS with Whitney Houston as Cinderella, the film will start shooting Monday as the keystone of ABC's "Wonderful World of Disney" film series. It will be one of the most expensive two-hour TV movies ever made and will air Nov. 2 to kick off sweeps month.
Houston has instead taken the role of fairy godmother. Cinderella will be played by Brandy Norwood, star of the UPN series "Moesha."
Also signed to star are Whoopi Goldberg as the Queen, a role played by Ginger Rogers in the 1965 CBS TV movie that starred Lesley Ann Warren. Jason Alexander takes the role of Lionel, a new character. Bernadette Peters plays the wicked stepmother while newcomer Paolo Montalban, plucked from the ensemble of Broadway's "The King & I," will play the prince. Veanne Cox, who got a Tony nomination for "Company," and Natalie Deselle, who co-starred in "B.A.P.S." tackle the wicked stepsisters.
It's the first time a black actress has played Cinderella in the Rodgers & Hammerstein version, and the producers and Houston made a concerted effort to cover numerous ethnicities to give the picture universal appeal.
Said Houston: "Our production, unlike all past TV musical extravaganzas, has a rainbow cast. Cinderella is about dreaming and I want my daughter and all children of every color and nationality to know that their dreams can also come true."
Executive producer Craig Zadan said Houston felt too old to play Cinderella. "We agreed she might play the godmother, and suggested Brandy. It turned out they were close friends and she called her right there and said, 'Hi, this is your fairy godmother.' Brandy was beside herself."
Houston's producing partner Debra Chase said the remedy made sense because "the years went by, she had a daughter, and her image changed. There has to be a naivete to Cinderella that's just not there when you're 30-something."
It didn't take Brandy long to commit: "I was so excited, I screamed," she said, recalling the phone call. "When she told me that she was the Fairy Godmother, I thought, oh my God, I finally get to work with Whitney. I feel very blessed and absolutely thrilled."
Three songs have been added to the original production, which starred Julie Andrews and aired in 1957 to an audience of 100 million. "The Sweetest Sounds," a Richard Rodgers tune, will be sung by Brandy and the prince; "There's Music in You," a Rodgers & Hammerstein tune, will be sung by Houston; and "Falling in Love With Love," a Rodgers & Hart song from the 1938 Broadway comedy "Boys From Syracuse," will be sung by Peters.
Robert Freedman wrote the new adaptation of the original Oscar Hammerstein book.
Special thanks to Fal for this article.
Have you seen the latest issue of Mad Magazine? Well there's a section called "Watch out! It's a Chick Flick!". They have all these cartoon jokes. For example there's one where people are in a movie theater crying. The caption says, "If it says 'From the makers of Steel Magnolia', WATCH OUT! IT'S A CHICK FLICK!". Well, the Whitney one says, "If Whitney Houston sings the title song, WATCH OUT! IT'S A CHICK FLICK!" The cartoon shows a Kevin Costner like cartoon figure with earplugs, carrying Whitney. Whitney has an unusually large head and a large mouth. She's saying "Woooo" and there are broken notes. It's funny.
From Celebsite
Foxy Brown: Mary J. Blige, definitely. But she surprised me and put me on her new album. Still, that would be dope. I don't want to do too many more features. I want to just hold my own next album. And I mean, who's left? I guess the next person is Whitney. I have Toni, so the next person is Whitney. I got everybody else.
I found this on Rolling Stone. It's pretty old, February 1997.
From MTV
MGM, which owns the re-make rights, has joined with Edmonds Entertainment to co-produce and assist with the soundtrack.
The original "Idolmaker" was the fictionalized biography of producer Bob Marcucci, who helped bolster the careers of Frankie Avalon and Fabian. The current version will reflect the current music scene, according to "Billboard."
(Should we watch out for a Whitney single from the soundtrack, hopefully so.)
From VH-1
From Gary
Isn't that so sad that people wanted to beat her up? I bet they really feel bad now that she is one of the world's leading stars!! From Carrie
According to "Billboard," Brandy will be joined by Whitney Houston, who has been cast as the fairy godmother. "Seinfeld's" Jason Alexander will play the prince's valet.
The ABC/Walt Disney Television collaboration begins production June 23, with a scheduled airing sometime in November.
From Billboard Online
A friend of Carey's told "Entertainment Weekly" that the singer is interested in acting. "She talks all the time about Madonna and Whitney Houston," the friend says. "Whenever she sees them in a movie, she says that's what she wants, too."
Carey has been working with acting coach Sheila Gray, who described the singer as having "power and soul" and determination.
from VH-1
From Cybersleaze
Please support the Tokyo Video Petition
I love "I Go To The Rock"! Good choice! Good thing they put a gospel B-side to this single. Remixes will probably be on the maxi single which will be out soon enough, hopefully. Watch for this single to debut on the Billboard charts on the June 28 issue of Billboard Magazine, less than two weeks from now. Hope this song will be a big hit.
aiff 736k
wav 736k
Real Audio Format
The Real Audio File, which I've downloaded is 34.1 seconds and the file size is only 66k.
CASE CLOSED
Sunday morning, witnesses told police they saw Brown get out of a limousine with a beer in one hand and then slap Houston in the face as she exited the limo.
Houston, who performed last week at Aloha Stadium, was heard screaming for help as the couple argued in the vehicle for about 10 minutes before driving away from Kahala Mall.
One witness, Myrna Murdoch, said, "It looked like somebody - probably her - was trying to get out of the limousine and she was either pulled back or yanked back. There was a lot more noise and perhaps 10 minutes later they left."
The couple told mall security that the situation was under control, according to mall manager Ron Yoda.
Brown and Houston left Hawaii on Monday without commenting on the incident.
Notice how it says "It just looked like Whitney." The media has really twisted our minds.
Rachel's Comments (READ)
I think we should all, I included, take a look at ourselves, and see
how eager we were to believe that Bobby was a wife abuser.
I, for one, am asamed that I let the media shape my way of thinking about Bobby.... I had actually begun to beleive it.... although I have always been reluctant to dis Bobby.
-- Rachel.
I totally agree with Rachel. They had me going too. I mean, the press has always been on Whitney's back. Leave her alone. Whitney's a smart lady. She wouldn't stay with a violent person. I don't think Bobby's what the media makes him out to be. Discuss it in the Discussion Forum
Please E-mail any news to me.
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