Hey, lovers of inspirational ballads! I'm Sam Lansky and this is my column, Pop Think, which is taking a decidedly Whitney Houston turn this week. Because, well, Whitney was the very best, and her tragic passing last weekend has seen me revisiting her remarkable catalog of smashes. And even if "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" gets me dancing, it's always going to be about those ballads for me -- you know, the ones that Whitney had a way of absolutely owning.
See, I have this playlist in my iTunes called "Fempowermallads," which is my clever (read: not actually clever) portmanteau for "female empowerment ballads," songs generally sung by grown, intelligent women with crazy powerful vocals about any and all of the following subjects: Living in the moment, embracing the unknown, shaking off haters, transcendence, overcoming obstacles, and being your best. It's a playlist that's seen me through some tough times -- times of heartache, grief, self doubt, and even "Pretty Little Liars" going on hiatus. The core of this playlist will always be Whitney's flawless "One Moment In Time," a stunning ballad with chillingly perfect vocals that never fails to pull me from my pity party.
This week, I'm taking another look at this major moment from Whitney Houston's iconic music career and examining why "One Moment In Time" serves as a more powerful example of Whitney Houston's talent and message than ever before.
Whitney Houston's death last Saturday at the age of 48 leaves a vacancy in the world of music so enormous that it's almost impossible to properly conceive of. What she leaves behind is a legacy of incredible singles and albums, millions of avid fans, and the knowledge that she inspired generations of listeners with her preternaturally flawless voice, perfect pop hooks, and above all, a message of hope.
That message of hope has never been more clarion than in her 1988 single "One Moment In Time," which was recorded for the 1988 Summer Olympics. The song was penned by legendary songwriters Albert Hammond and John Bettis and produced by Narada Michael Walden, who also helmed other Whitney hits like "How Will I Know," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and it's an absolute belter, packing a major sonic wallop due mostly to the peerless power of Whitney's vocals.
Read more about the legacy of Whitney Houston's "One Moment In Time" after the jump.
As with all the very best pop songs, the lyrics are deceptively simple. After a twinkly (and likably '80s) intro, her voice comes in, high and sweet and not yet full throttle: "Each day I live, I want to be/A day to give the best of me," she sings. "I'm only one, but not alone/My finest day is yet to come." Each of these lines, deconstructed, is powerful in its own right, but what always stands out to me is the heartrending brilliance of "I'm only one, but not alone" -- a line that immediately conjures Whitney's frequent theme of autonomy and self-empowerment.
But the simplicity of the verses are matched by a surprisingly wordy chorus: "I want one moment in time/Where I'm more than I thought I could be/When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away/And the answers are all up to me." Looking back, Whitney was looking forward to a better day, one more triumphant than the present. But she wants to take back the locus of control, holding the reins on her own future. "Give me one moment in time/Where I'm racing with destiny/Then in that one moment in time/I will feel, I will feel/Eternity," she sings. The lovely image of "racing with destiny" makes the message of the song even more about transcending humanity and attaining a moment of nearly superlatively supernatural excellence. This makes sense given that the purpose of the song was largely to inspire athletes in the Olympic Games. But in the wake of her death, the lyrics are rendered more poignant than ever. For the first time, she's no longer racing with destiny.
Because even though Whitney's later years saw the once-untouchable star facing personal struggles that tarnished her public credibility, she did have that moment in time -- over and over again. When "One Moment In Time" was released, her most enormous cultural moment had yet to arrive (that would come a few years later, with the release of The Bodyguard soundtrack and larger-than-life smashes such as "I Will Always Love You" and "I Have Nothing"). But that single, isolated moment in time is one she achieved with her impact on the world of music, if not on the world, period.
And as for eternity? Well, I'm pretty sure people will be playing Whitney Houston tunes until the end of time. I know I will.
+ Watch Whitney Houston's "One Moment In Time" video and MTV's "Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words" special below.
Watch Whitney Houston's videos and interviews, watch Whitney Houston's last performance on Thursday, Feb. 9, find out more about Whitney Houston's musical legacy, and watch Whitney Houston's top MTV moments. And leave your thoughts and Whitney Houston memories in the comments.