Didn't We Almost Have It All
Encyclopedia
"Didn't We Almost Have It All" is the second single from Whitney Houston
's second album Whitney
, and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1988 Grammy Awards. The song was written by Michael Masser
and Will Jennings
and was released in August 1987. Originally, another song was to be released as the second single, "For The Love Of You", but Arista Records decided to release "Didn't We Almost Have It All" instead because all Houston's singles had to be original material at this point of her career.
The single was number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 even though there was not a video
for the song. A live performance of the song recorded during Houston's successful 1987–1988 Moment of Truth World Tour
was played on MTV
, VH1
, and BET
. The performance is from a Saratoga Springs, New York
date. It was widely speculated that the song is about Houston's relationship with then NFL star Randall Cunningham
.
The season 3 finale of Grey's Anatomy
and an episode of the eighth season of Degrassi: The Next Generation
are named after this song.
for two weeks, from September 26 to October 9, 1987, where the song became her fifth consecutive number one. The song also topped both component charts, the Hot 100 Single Sales and Hot 100 Airplay
, Houston's fourth song (and fourth consecutive release) to do so.
The single stayed in the Top 40 for thirteen weeks, and topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts for three weeks.
Internationally, the song hit the top ten in several markets, and reached the Top Twenty in the United Kingdom
(#14); Switzerland
(#18); and Germany
(#20).
"Didn't We Almost Have It All" was ranked twenty-second on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end charts (1987), and remained in the Billboard Hot 100 for seventeen weeks. It was her fifth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, her fourth on the Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales, her fourth on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, and her fifth on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts.
. Although it was generally considered one of the best performances of the evening, she was voted off. A week later, she released the Song on iTunes.
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...
's second album Whitney
Whitney (album)
Whitney is the second studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston, released in the United States on June 2, 1987 by Arista Records as the follow-up to her best selling debut album, Whitney Houston. The album met the expectations of many people and was sensationally popular after its...
, and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1988 Grammy Awards. The song was written by Michael Masser
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 Will Jennings
Will Jennings
Wilbur H. "Will" Jennings is an American songwriter who is popularly known for writing the lyrics for "My Heart Will Go On", the theme for the film Titanic .-Life and education:...
and was released in August 1987. Originally, another song was to be released as the second single, "For The Love Of You", but Arista Records decided to release "Didn't We Almost Have It All" instead because all Houston's singles had to be original material at this point of her career.
The single was number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 even though there was not a video
Music 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...
for the song. A live performance of the song recorded during Houston's successful 1987–1988 Moment of Truth World Tour
Moment of Truth World Tour
The Moment of Truth World Tour was the second worldwide tour by American R&B/Pop singer, Whitney Houston. The tour started in North America during the summer of 1987, following the release of her second album Whitney...
was played on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, and BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
. The performance is from a Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
date. It was widely speculated that the song is about Houston's relationship with then NFL star Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
.
The season 3 finale of Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
and an episode of the eighth season of Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
are named after this song.
Chart performance
"Didn't We Almost Have It All" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard 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...
for two weeks, from September 26 to October 9, 1987, where the song became her fifth consecutive number one. The song also topped both component charts, the Hot 100 Single Sales and 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...
, Houston's fourth song (and fourth consecutive release) to do so.
The single stayed in the Top 40 for thirteen weeks, and topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts for three weeks.
Internationally, the song hit the top ten in several markets, and reached the Top Twenty 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...
(#14); Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
(#18); and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(#20).
"Didn't We Almost Have It All" was ranked twenty-second on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end charts (1987), and remained in the Billboard Hot 100 for seventeen weeks. It was her fifth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, her fourth on the Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales, her fourth on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay, and her fifth on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts.
Covers
The Austrian singer Lia Weller performed the song in the fourth season of the talent show StarmaniaStarmania
Starmania is a French/Québécois rock opera written in 1976 with music by Michel Berger and lyrics by Luc Plamondon. Some of its songs have passed into mainstream Francophone pop culture.-Genesis:...
. Although it was generally considered one of the best performances of the evening, she was voted off. A week later, she released the Song on iTunes.
Chart positions
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 27 |
| Canada (RPM 100 Singles RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
2 |
| Germay (Media Control Charts Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... ) |
20 |
| 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 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... ) |
17 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 49 |
| Spain (AFYVE) | 12 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 18 |
| U.K (UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... ) |
14 |
| U.S 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... |
1 |
| U.S Black Singles | 2 |
| U.S Adult Contemporary Singles | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1987) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart | 44 |
| U.S Adult Contemporary Singles | 7 |
| U.S Black Singles | 38 |
| U.S Pop Singles | 22 |
Chart procession and succession
See also
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1987 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1987 (U.S.)
External links
- Didn't We Almost Have It 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...