RIP Whitney Houston

Picture of Lies daughter

 

The anthem, best ever. Still brings me to tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wupsPg5H6aE

Lots of memories singing into a hairbrush wanting to do what she did. What a voice, what a waste.

 

She had great pipes. But it was not performed live, and that greatly diminishes the performance, IMHO.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WinterConcert/story?id=6788924&page=1

 

Greatly, how?

 

I'm a little torn. She still had to produce the performance ... but the level of difficulty was significantly lowered by her actually doing the performance with the opportunity to shout "Take 7."

 

To be able to sing those notes, that way, under any circumstance--live or recorded--is magnificent. Still the best ever.

 

And from everything I've heard, singing in a stadium setting like that is extraordinarily hard -- you have to deal with your own voice bouncing back at you with a delay.

It was a great version of the anthem, to be sure. It's just apples and oranges to compare it to most versions sung live at events. I keep seeing people posting Whitney's version with "This is how it's done, Christina!" attached, but they're really not comparable.

 

It's somewhat sad that sounds that are pleasant or beautiful or catchy or just something you would sing into your hairbrush are automatically termed "hokey."

 

Hell, I'm 51 and that's pretty much my reaction, too. I mean, has there been an interview with her in the last 10 years in which it wasn't quite obvious she was completely messed up and gone? Sure, she had a great voice at one time. But it was her own choices that squandered that great gift. I just can't muster up a lot of sympathy and I certainly can't muster up any grief. It's not like she was going to produce anything worth listening to in the coming years.

 

Well, I guess that's the difference in people.

She didn't hurt anyone but herself. She only disappointed fans who wished she had met her ultimate potential.

Yeah, I'll allow for grief in this instance.

 

She hurt her daughter. Bobbi Kristina is a mess, too.

However, I cannot imagine how much pain Houston suffered as a result of her various addictions. I am sure she hated where her choices led her. No one wants to be an addict.