Writing as a fan, a DJ, Observer on the scene and just a plain mourner as we grieve from her death, Whitney Elizabeth Houston in essence is worth more than we as LGBT people in Jamaica realise if we are to seriously reflect on how her music has come to assist in the struggle in the most peculiar of ways. Her melodic tones whether it be a “You Give Good Love To Me” smoothy or a high tempo dance number such as early original studio extended and David Morales remixes of “So Emotional” “Love Will Save The Day” or “How Will I Know?” who can forget the early MTV influence as an African American artist following in Michael Jackson’s footsteps in having her video go mainstream with that cute dress, big hair, the look of innocence and the bow that had everyone talking for years about even to this day. Prior to her arrival in 1985 let us not forget the other divas such as Jennifer Holliday (who Houston adored then), Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Shannon, Janet Jackson, Sheena Easton, Patti LaBelle, Bette Midler, Paula Abdul, Shirley Bassey, Madonna and our very own Sheryl Lee Ralph who gave us that anthem “In The Evening” (remixed almost every year since its release) influences on worldwide LGBT entertainment circles all of whom still have an impact to this day on our landscape and with the steady stream of murder music from local dancehall artist some of whom are in the closet which directly had negative psychological and homophobic influences in those days which mostly called for our maiming or deaths it was sweet relief to hit the dancefloor of a hastily put together gay party at someone's home or expensively rented venue, the main clubs of the day be they Marshall’s, The Entourage (Brian Williamson), Club Heavens (which re-opened in February 2012) or the more UPT shindigs of the day where early DJs who influenced me worked with vinyl records and double turn tables at the time dropping hot remixes from the diva. Other Jamaicans who could afford to travel abroad would tell their stories of hearing the latest remix dropped at a packed Sound Factory Gay Club in New York for example and the anthemic reactions from hundreds of mostly shirtless gay men or the underground smoky clubs in London where house and garage reworked versions of her songs were instant dancefloor fillers.
“I’m Every Woman” was and still is a drag performer’s ode along with “Queen of the Night” both from the Bodyguard Soundtrack although at the time of their release in 1993 meant far more than it does today as a mere classic for Miss Houston as the song literally gave a boost to an aspect gay male life especially for effeminate individuals or members of the transvestite community who fondly found solace when they were played and evidenced in the sing along smiling faces reactions from willing patrons at our events, a reaction that still exists today.
I too was enthralled by this anthem and so too “Step By Step” (The Junior Vasquez Remix) which I recently drew from my archives on February 18th 2012 to spin for the kidz the night of her funeral service at a Rave in upper St. Andrew, the reaction was the same as when it was released back in the day with the entire patronage singing along and bopping as I delivered my twenty five minute Whitney tribute set at the event. I was pleased that dancemusic is still valued as a release for us and we do not have to resort to the hetero-normative dancehall materials sometimes that have now come to overtake our entertainment for mostly younger party fans but I guess it is their go at it now as they write their own historical realities. Some of these new dancehall releases though less caustic still have overtones of homophobia embedded in the lyrical content with some now hitting out at supposed downlow life, a reason for my decision several years ago not to spin such music in my playlist and one I stand by to this day leaving me as the only DJ on the circuit that caters to the children and queens who prefer femme beats and housemusic. It has not been an easy fifteen years.
Other more profound reasons were found to impersonate her with the songs as backdrop to the performances that had meaning such as grieving lost friends at wakes, candlelight vigils for AIDS victims where "I Will Always Love You" was a staple, "I Have Nothing" from the Bodyguard Soundtrack for more rousing shows with major acts as headlines all helped as cathartic exercises for the community as we saw and entertain ourselves. "Jesus Loves Me" was used one year by a young diva as her choice performance song which brought tears to the eyes of many at that JASL candlelight vigil for World AIDS Day some years ago "Try It On my Own" released from her 2003 "Just Whitney" CD became an anthem for resilience and self determination for many of us despite the public's lack lustre response to the CD and single and was performed expertly by legendary Diva Nastacia Waugh (with breast stuffing and shoes thrown in the audience), Macey Antibellum Grey when days were brighter, Andrea "Poochie" Aguilera when she ruled impersonations and Kerry Glama Sweetlife all brought their own interpretations to the track and receiving noted applause and tips from the audiences who witnessed them. The Thunderpuss remix one of the last the duo would do for Houston was also well received at the time of its release 2003 to 2004 but we soon began to see the trouble for the diva in her personal life and waited for the day when she would return to the top as she was on track to be till her untimely death.
Thankfully the Stop Murder Music Campaigns over the years has come to silence some of the loudest voices who called for our execution and we had music like that of Miss Whitney to fall back on for alternative entertainment with a cadre of songs tastefully remixed by world renowned gay remixers, producers and DJs. Younger lip sync performers tend to pair with more older legendary divas such as Nastacia Waugh to present their renditions of “When You Believe” that duet with Miss Whitney and Mariah that instantaneously stopped the rumours that they were feuding rivals as it gave the impression Houston was upset that her position was threatened by a fast rising successful Carey then there are the other album anthems such as “Didn’t We Almost Have it All” “You’re Still My Man” “Greatest Love of All” “Where You Are” and of course the mother of all “I Will Always Love You” with the dance version becoming a major classic locally after all these years, that too was included in my set at that aforementioned Rave and even the hardcore dancehall patrons and girls were bopping all over the dancefloor to the pulsating steady 127 bpm stomper singing the lyric. Nearly everyone who was LGBT who I knew had at least one album (known then in the 80s on vinyl) or CD from Miss Houston or a CD single and songs such as “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” be it the original album version, the 12 Inch Single Extended Play or the steady stream of Remixes to follow since its release in 1987 which includes a bootleg 2012 tech-tribal version played and requested of DJs like myself or even the non housemusic spinner has had requests at parties.
Her influence in live performances where she has set the bar so high in terms of riffs and melismatic skills is present with nearly every other diva who followed (melismas are those quick runs up or down the scale on one syllable) and it is refreshing to hear the comments from them on her influence in their own careers, everyone from Beyonce to GaGa and even Madonna we heard had an impromptu dance breakout at an audition she was having for dancers where she rocked to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" both ruled the 80s and onwards intermittently there was even talk of rivalry between the camps although in years following both ladies have drawn a truce of sorts publicly. Both also have large throngs of gay followers.
In as far as DJs were concerned we were never out of material of Miss Whitney in fact now that I reflect on this in preparing this post it dawned on me that nearly every set mix one of us did and there have been seven jocks to my certain knowledge since my arrival in late 1996 we always had to spin a Houston dance track mostly or if it were a more romantic theme then the slow jams were the order of the play-list. The change over from vinyl records to digital formats for mixing the same selections applied as being the first DJ on the circuit to have used Automix then on to other mixing software we still draw the tracks that made the floor rock although tastes have changed but some things remain constant. More modern hits from Miss Houston have made the cut proving she still has an effect and her last two smash hits proved this “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength" has been on my play list ever since and has been joined by the last CD's title track “I Look To You” as reworked by two Brazilian DJs unfortunately “Million Dollar Bill” has not been able to resonate with audiences even as a remix. The reactions are the same as to “Step By Step” the sing along smiling faces and the words flowing effortlessly from her fans as the beats are pumped behind powerful diva vocal delivery. No pro-tools or voice enhancing technology required for Miss Houston she is clear as a bell.
“It’s Not Right But It’s Ok” is in a class by itself as is in its original Rodney Jerkins produced format or that massive deep hard house refix by the incomparable duo Thunderpuss which even today rocks any event once requested and it is still requested despite its immense popularity, other smash hits as reworked for the gay dancefloors from that 1998 album/cd “My Love is Your Love” include Heartbeark Hotel” with Kelly Price coincidentally the last person she performed with just before her death, “I Learned From the Best” (a former Club Entourage manager’s favourite) “You’ll Never Stand Alone” an album favourite though not released as a major single but was lovingly remixed by that Latin God DJ/remixer Tony Moran who gave it the treatment it deserved with a ten minute plus opus.
Then there are the other dance rarities and goodies such as her duet with Aretha Franklin in 1989 remixed as well entitled “It Isn’t It Wasn’t (Aint Ever Gonna Be)" taken from Aretha’s “Through The Storm” album and another Houston duet with George Michael which was a minor hit originally appearing on the “My Love is Your Love” CD entitled “If I Told You That” which was also redone by Tony Moran in an 11 minute trance house stomper version. Lesser dance remixes include “Fine” which appeared as an original on her double greatest hits CD in 2000, “Greatest Love of All” (The 12 minute Club 69 Remix), “I’m Your Baby Tonight” which struggled in the 1990s to stay on the dance charts, “Someone For Me” from her 1985 debut album which was an underground favourite and also from the same album “Thinking About You” where the extended version was and still is for radio a DJ’s favourite 12 inch pastime especially on Kool 97FM and MegaJamz FM. “Love is a Contact Sport” had a short run when a bootleg 12 inch came on stream in 1988 but it never went far, more modern bootleggers are coming especially since her death as DJs and remixers worldwide give their treatment to her classic and not so classic songs, like Madonna we are going to see a plethora of versions to select from but the more popular versions will always remain sure for our enjoyment.
Her timing could not have been better in 1985 and she lasted for us while sharing the hits to see murder music literally deplete before our eyes, thanks Nippy for the tunes we know and love.
May her soul rest in peace.
Loving DJ Howie
Peace and tolerance
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