Greatest Love of All
Encyclopedia
"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser
and Linda Creed
and originally recorded 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.
, 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. The original version, however, was restored for the 2010 Deluxe Anniversary Edition reissue of the album.
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.
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."
." 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 fourteen weeks inside the top forty. 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 Billboards 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
.
for Record of the Year
and a Soul Train Music Award for Single of the Year.
, 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 Bret Easton Ellis' novel American Psycho
, yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman gives a long critique of Whitney Houston's career and mentions the song heavily. 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 tho the song, an instrumental, easy-listening version plays in the background during the scene.
|-
Michael Masser
Michael Masser , a former stockbroker, is a composer and producer of popular music. He attended the University of Illinois College of Law, but left to pursue his interest in music...
and Linda Creed
Linda Creed
Linda Creed also known by her married name Linda Epstein, was an American singer-songwriter and lyricist who teamed up with songwriter-producer Thom Bell to produce some of the most successful Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s.-Career:Born in Philadelphia in 1949, Creed was raised in the...
and originally recorded by George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
for the 1977 Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. 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.
Background
Clive DavisClive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
, founder of Houston's label Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, was initially against Houston recording the song for her debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston (album)
Whitney Houston is the debut album of American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston, released March 14, 1985 on Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response but began getting more popular since the summer of 1985...
, but he eventually gave in after persuasion from Houston and Masser. It was released as the B-side to the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"You Give Good Love
You Give Good Love
"You Give Good Love" is a song by American recording artist Whitney Houston, released as the lead single from her self-titled debut album, entitled Whitney Houston in the United States in February 1985 by Arista Records, and the second single from the album in the United Kingdom. The song was...
", 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
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
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. The original version, however, was restored for the 2010 Deluxe Anniversary Edition reissue of the album.
Music video
Houston's music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was filmed at Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
's Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. 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
Cissy Houston
Emily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
playing herself, supporting a young Whitney.
Critical reception
Many critics called the single the centerpiece of Houston's debut album. Stephen Holden of The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
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
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
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 YouI Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
." The song also reached number one on both component charts, the Hot 100 Singles Sales
Hot 100 Singles Sales
The Hot Singles Sales chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures sales of commercial singles and is one of three component charts, along with the Hot 100 Airplay and the Hot Digital Songs, that determine the chart positions of singles on the...
and the Hot 100 Airplay
Hot 100 Airplay
The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard...
, her second consecutive release to do so, and stayed for fourteen weeks inside the top forty. On other Billboard charts, Houston also performed well, reaching number three on the R&B chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
. The song topped the adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
for five weeks, Houston's longest stay at the top of that chart at the time. The song ranked #11 on Billboards year end pop singles chart. Houston's single fared well globally as well, reaching #8 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the top ten or #1 in several other European countries. It became her first #1 single in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Accolades
Houston won the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Video, and was nominated for a Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
and a Soul Train Music Award for Single of the Year.
In Pop Culture
In the film Coming to AmericaComing to America
Coming to America is a 1988 comedy film directed by John Landis. The screenplay was written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, from a story by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the film. Murphy plays an African prince, who heads to the United States in hopes of finding a woman he can marry...
, Randy Watson (portrayed by Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
) 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
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
, 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 Bret Easton Ellis' novel American Psycho
American Psycho
American Psycho is a psychological thriller and satirical novel by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1991. The story is told in the first person by the protagonist, serial killer and Manhattan businessman Patrick Bateman. The book's graphic violence and sexual content generated a great deal of...
, yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman gives a long critique of Whitney Houston's career and mentions the song heavily. In the 2000 film adaptation
American Psycho (film)
American Psycho is a 2000 cult thriller film directed by Mary Harron based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel of the same name. Though predominantly a psycho thriller, the film also blends elements of horror, satire, and black comedy...
starring Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
, 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 tho the song, an instrumental, easy-listening version plays in the background during the scene.
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
Chart positions
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... ) |
1 |
| Ireland (IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... ) |
4 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi) | 13 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1986) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
| US Black Singles | 46 |
| US Pop Singles | 11 |
Certifications
| Country (Provider) | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada (CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... ) |
Gold |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold |
Chart procession and succession
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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 DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...