Whitney Houston – Didn’t We Almost Have It All (UK CD Maxi-Single)

September 5, 2009 at 9:05 AM | Posted in Whitney Houston | 10 Comments
Tags: Jermaine Jackson, Michael Barbiero, Michael Masser, Michael Omartian, Steve Thompson, Whitney Houston

FEATURES REMIX OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE ON CD!

“Didn’t We Almost Have It All” is the second single from Whitney Houston‘s second album Whitney, and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1988 Grammy Awards. The song was written by Michael Masser (who produced it as well) and Will Jennings, released in August 1987.

The single was number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 even though there was not a video for the song. A live performance of the song recorded during Houston’s successful 1987–1988 Moment of Truth World Tour was played on MTV, VH1, and BET. The performance is from a Saratoga Springs, New York date.

“Didn’t We Almost Have It All” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, from September 26 to October 9, 1987, where the song became her fifth consecutive number one. The song also topped both component charts, the Hot 100 Single Sales and Hot 100 Airplay, Houston’s fourth song (and fourth consecutive release) to do so.

The single stayed in the Top 40 for thirteen weeks, and topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts for three weeks.

Internationally, the song hit the top ten in several markets, and reached the Top Twenty in the United Kingdom (#14); Switzerland (#18); and Germany (#20).

“Didn’t We Almost Have It All” was ranked twenty-second on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end charts (1987), and remained in the Billboard Hot 100 for seventeen weeks. It was her fifth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, her fourth on the Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales, her fourth on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, and her fifth on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts.

Originally, another song was to be released as the second single, “For The Love Of You”, but Arista Records decided to release “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” instead. PierreDeclercq from Discogs gives us details on this inside story:

“The interest of this 12″ is hardly musical (except for Whitney Houston completists) but its an interesting example of record companies marketing. After the huge dance hit “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, Arista decided to release a ballad as the next single from the album “Whitney”. They chose “Didnt We Almost Have It All” but it was hardly a song suited for a 12″. Not wanting to ruin the potential of other tracks of the album and facing the fact that up-tempo numbers werent so many, the marketing crew chose an obscure track on the B-side of the lp, “For The Love Of You”, a cover of the 1975 Isley Brothers song. This song couldnt have been a single because all Houstons singles had to be original material at this point of her career. So they put this song on the “Didnt We Almost Have It All” 12″ but on the A-side because it was a song, a quiet storm one, a little more upbeat than the ballad. Two versions are available here: the album version and an “extended” one with additional 40 seconds. Actually its an earlier edit of the song before it was shortened for the album; the two versions are in fact almost the same.”

But when it came to choose the name of the song for the cover, Arista didnt know exactly what to do. They printed the cover with the name “For The Love Of You” on it but they reconsidered it releasing the final 12″ with a “Didnt We Almost Have It All” sticker covering the name of the first song.

The companion track on the B-side is “Shock Me” a duet with Jermaine Jackson recorded during the sessions of his own album “Dynamite”. The song didnt make the final album and Arista prefered “Take Good Care Of My Heart” instead, a song also available on the first Whitney Houstons album. Eventually the song was available on the “Perfect” soundtrack.

The “For The Love Of You” 12″ was only available in the US. In Europe “For The Love Of You” wasnt available (part because continental European dont know much about the Isley Brothers) and the additional track was the stunning a cappella version of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, released for the first time here (the European 12″ of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” doesnt feature this song like its US counterpart but the non-album track “Moment Of Truth”). Both “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and “Didnt We Almost Have It All” European 12″ dont feature as many mixes or songs as the US ones but that is kind of common.”

Label:

Arista/BMG

Catalog Number:

RISCD31

Track Listing and Details:

1. Didn’t We Almost Have It All (5:05) the album version

2. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Acappella Mix) (5:18) otherwise unavailable on CD, remix by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero

3. Shock Me (Special Collector’s Bonus Cut) (5:05) duet with Jermaine Jackson. previously available only on the “Perfect” soundtrack, produced by Michael Omartian

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Whitney Houston – Didn’t We Almost Have It All (UK CD Maxi-Single)

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