I Wanna Dance With Somebody

• Released : May 1987
• Tracks: 4 remixes, Moment Of Truth

• Worldwide sales : 4,200,000
• Peak Position : US No. 1, UK No. 1, Fr No. 15

• Song Info : The number one hit "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (originally titled "I'm Gonna Dance With Somebody) was produced by Narada Michael Walden. The song sound space-age with the use of jewel-toned keyboards played by Walden protege Walter Affanasieff (who would later work with Mariah Carey and Celine Dion). The songwriting team George Merrill and Sherill Rubicam, who made up the 80s synth band BOY MEETS GIRL --- famous for "Waiting For a Star to Fall" (1988) and "Oh Girl" (1985) --- wrote "I Wanna Dance . . .". They were upset about how Walden produced the song. In their words, they meant for it to be a rock and roll track, but Walden turned it into a calypso-like song. But Walden countered that Whitney needed something hipper and he didn't want it to sound like something Olivia Newton-John would sing.

  Additional Info: Houston's second album, simply entitled 'Whitney', had a lot to live up to but once again careful choice of songs and production teams led to success, and in fact the album out-sold the diva's debut album (in the UK). It also was the first album by a female artist to debut at no 1 on the US album chart. The first single, 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)' was her fourth number 1 in the US and her second in the UK and was promoted by a great video, in fact for me one of my favourites from the eighties. Whitney looks superb and accompanied by various dancers trying to impress her, it's fun, light-hearted and remains great to watch even today. Songwriters George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam (who also recorded material under the name Boy Meets Girl) had already penned a previous no 1 for Whitney, 'How Will I Know'. The original arrangement of the song however didn't impress producer Narada Michael Walden, who thought it was too country and western - he made it much more funkier and danceable. Strangely, when asked recently if she has regretted anything she's done in her career Whitney pointed to the videos for 'I Wanna Dance' and 'How Will I Know'. She hates the hair and the clothes in both. Other hits from "Whitney" included "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", "Where Do Broken Hearts" Go and "Love Will Save The Day". - Alan Stuart, 'The A to Z Whitney Houston"

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