The Greatest Love of All

"The Greatest Love of All"
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album Whitney Houston
Released	March 14, 1986
Format	CD single, Cassette single, 7" single, 12" single
Recorded	December 1984
Genre	R&B, soul
Length	4:48
Label	Arista
Writer(s)	Michael Masser, Linda Creed
Producer	Michael Masser
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"How Will I Know" (1985) "Greatest Love of All" (1986) "All at Once" (1986)
Music video "Greatest Love of All" on YouTube

"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by Jane Olivor and then again by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer. The words describe her feelings about coping with great challenges that one must face in life, being strong during those challenges whether you succeed or fail, and passing that strength on to children to carry with them into their adult lives. Creed eventually succumbed to the disease in April 1986 at the age of 36; at the time her song was an international hit by Whitney Houston.

The song received critical acclaim and became a big hit, topping the charts in Australia, Canada and the US, while reaching the top 20 in most countries, including Italy, Sweden and UK. It remains her third biggest US hit, after "I Will Always Love You" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Interestingly, all three songs, in order of their former popularity, re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart, after Houston's death, debuting the same week at numbers 7, 35 and 41, respectively, giving Houston three posthumous chart hits.

Background

Clive Davis, founder of Houston's label Arista Records, was initially against Houston recording the song for her debut studio album, Whitney Houston, but he eventually gave in after persuasion from Houston and Masser. It was released as the B-side to the single "You Give Good Love", a previous Top 5 hit by Houston. The song was eventually released as a single in its own right. The song, released in April 1986, was the seventh release from Houston's debut album, and spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May of that year.

Houston's album version features a piano intro, while the single version begins with a keyboard intro. After the single became a success, it replaced the original album version on subsequent pressings of the album. However, the original version was restored for the 2010 Deluxe Anniversary Edition reissue of the album.

Music video

Houston's music video was filmed at Harlem's Apollo Theater in New York City. In the video, she is a successful singer who is about to perform in front of an audience. She reminisces about the time when she was a child performing in a talent competition and receiving encouragement from her mother. The video features Houston's mother Cissy Houston playing herself, supporting a young Whitney.

Reception

Critical reception

Many critics called the song the centerpiece of Houston's debut album. Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote that "Houston sings it with a forceful directness that gives its message of self-worth an astounding resonance and conviction" and called the song a compelling assertion of spiritual devotion, black pride, and family loyalty, all at once. Don Shewey of Rolling Stone wrote that as the song builds, Houston "slowly pours on the soul, slips in some churchy phrasing, holds notes a little longer and shows off her glorious voice."

Chart performance

Benson's 1977 version was an R&B hit, reaching #2 on the R&B chart. It was a moderate pop hit, making the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Houston's version reached number one on the Hot 100 chart for three weeks in 1986. The single was the fourth hit (and third #1) from her debut album. To date, this song was her second longest stay atop this chart, behind 1992's "I Will Always Love You." The song also reached number one on both component charts, the Hot 100 Singles Sales and the Hot 100 Airplay, her second consecutive release to do so, and stayed for 14 weeks inside the top 40. On other Billboard charts, Houston also performed well, reaching number three on the R&B chart. The song topped the adult contemporary chart for five weeks, Houston's longest stay at the top of that chart at the time. The song ranked #11 on Billboard's year end pop singles chart. Houston's single fared well globally as well, reaching #8 in the United Kingdom and the top ten or #1 in several other European countries. It became her first #1 single in Australia. After her death, the single returned to the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 41.

Accolades

Houston won the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Video, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and a Soul Train Music Award for Single of the Year.

In popular culture

In the 1988 film Coming to America, Randy Watson (portrayed by Eddie Murphy) performs a terrible rendition of the song at the "Miss Black Awareness Pageant." An unenthusiastic audience prompts him to walk offstage in a huff.

In It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Dennis and Dee sing this song with their biological father at the Juvenile Lupus Association in the episode "Dennis and Dee Get a New Dad".

In 1994, Mel B chose this song as her audition piece to become Scary Spice of The Spice Girls.

In Bret Easton Ellis' novel American Psycho, yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman gives a long critique of Whitney Houston's career. In the 2000 film adaptation starring Christian Bale, Bateman gives an abridged version of the critique to two women making out on his couch, shortly before he has sex with them and murders them. Since the filmmakers were not able to obtain the rights to the song, an instrumental, easy-listening version plays in the background during the scene.

The song's lyrics are featured in the film School Of Rock. When asked for his opinion about testing from his fellow teachers, Dewey (played by Jack Black) answers the question by saying the lyrics "I believe that the children are our future. Teach them well, but buddy, you gotta let them lead the way. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. That's what I decided...long ago". One of the teachers asks if it is from a song, but he denies it.

Track listing

• US vinyl/7"/Single
  • A "Greatest Love of All" — 4:51
  • B "Thinking About You" — 4:06

Personnel

• Writer — Michael Masser, Linda Creed
• Producer — Michael Masser
• The players — Robbie Buchanan, Nathan East, Dann Huff, Paul Jackson, Jr., Randy Kerber, Richard Marx, Lou Shelton, Debbie Thomas, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Oren Waters
• Mixer — Bill Schnee
• Engineers — Michael Mancini, Russell Schmitt

Charts and certifications

Chart positions

Chart (1986)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)	25
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	24
Ireland (IRMA)	4
Italy (Musica e dischi)	13
Germany (Media Control AG)	30
New Zealand (RIANZ)	12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	20
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	8
US Billboard Hot 100	1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	3
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	1
Chart (2012)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	41

Year-end charts

Chart (1986)	Position
Australian Kent Music Report	27
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	11
U.S. Black Singles	46
U.S. Pop Singles	11

Certifications

Country (Provider)	Certification
Canada (CRIA)	Gold
United States (RIAA)	Gold

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" by Samantha Fox	Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart number-one single July 14, 1986 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" by Samantha Fox
Preceded by Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder	Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles number-one single April 26, 1986 (5 weeks)	Succeeded by "Live to Tell" by Madonna
Preceded by West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys	Billboard Hot 100 number one single May 17, 1986 – May 31, 1986
Preceded by "Live to Tell" by Madonna	Canadian RPM number-one single June 7, 1986	Succeeded by "A Different Corner" by George Michael

See also

• List of number-one singles in Australia
• List of RPM number-one singles of 1986
• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1986 (U.S.)
• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1986 (U.S.)

External links

• Greatest Love of All at Discogs