Tunes Tuesday

Tuesday is almost over, but I didn't want to say goodbye without posting something for Tunes Tuesday.

I don't know how many of you caught coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral, but I saw some of it. I watched the moving speech by Kevin Costner, her co-star in The Bodyguard. Much of what he spoke about makes you realize how easy it is for someone to lose their way. I'm going to miss what might have been for Houston, just like I hoped Michael Jackson would have had a powerful comeback. They were both lost too soon.

While Michael Jackson had been singing since childhood, I really didn't get into his music until the 80's when he released his Thriller album. Though I don't think I'll ever be a fan of zombies, I lived through the hype of Thriller and watched the video, along with those for other hits off the album like: "Billie Jean," "Beat It," and "The Girl is Mine," which featured Paul McCartney.

My favorite Jackson song, however, would come off his next album, Bad. "Man in the Mirror" peaked at number one in the United States when released as a single in January 1988. It was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

"Man in the Mirror" was a call to action. It asked people to look at the person in the mirror and be the one to make a difference in the world; for the person you see reflecting back at you in the mirror to work toward bringing peace throughout the world and to help ease the suffering of those less fortunate. I believe Jackson wanted to be the type of person who made a difference. In the video for this song, you'll notice he only makes a brief appearance toward the end. When I think of Michael Jackson, I think of a man who had a lot to offer this world, but who ultimately, like Whitney Houston, was overwhelmed by his demons.




Do you have a favorite Michael Jackson song? Did you ever get a chance to see him in concert? I didn't, but I bet it was quite a show.

Tunes Tuesday

Perhaps I am like many of you. Whitney Houston and her family have been on my mind lately. Late Saturday evening, I sat down to check the news and was shocked to see that Houston had passed away. I don't think shocked quite covers it, actually. Floored, stunned, dazed, I'm not sure those even come close. If the news that day had stated David Lee Roth grew two extra heads and finally hung up his leather pants, I would have found that more believable.

I think it all boils down to my feeling deep inside that Houston had an amazing comeback in her future. Yes, she had a history of drug abuse, and she seemed to lose her way during the years she was married to Bobby Brown, but she was one of the most talented artists in the industry. I've spent the past few days viewing videos on YouTube from her earlier years. I've been listening to her music on Spotify while I work. She combined beauty and grace with an amazing voice. The way she carried herself also made her different from celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Amy Winehouse, whose latest woes are/were always headline news.

For Tunes Tuesday I would like to honor Whitney Houston and her music. I've chosen this video because it's the first one I ever saw. In addition, I think it captures Houston how one report recently described her. While Houston had tons of sex appeal, it was always about the music. I have to go back to the grace and dignity that she exhibited to her adoring fans. In an industry that lately seems to focus more on the wild and raunchy, Houston stands out like Grace Kelly did on the silver screen.

We'll miss you, Whitney. Rest in peace.



Do you have a favorite Whtiney Houston song?