Whitney Houston "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"

One of popular music's most talented and tragic figures, Whitney Houston catapulted to stardom on the back of a string of six consecutive Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits in the '80s, including "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."

With terrific stage presence and a voice that brought power and three-octave range, Houston was a superstar before she knew it.

Her fame led to a series of poor choices in her personal life. She got tangled up in drugs and had a publicly horrendous relationship with fellow singer Bobby Brown before she died at age 48.

Most people know her from what is widely considered the greatest performance of The National Anthem or her remake of the Dolly Parton hit "I Will Always Love You" for the The Bodyguard soundtrack, but for me, this is the song that defined her career. Upbeat. Peppy. Easy to dance to.

When I DJed, I rotated a dozen (or so) songs to end the night. Sometimes, if the crowd was nice (and the manager wasn't keen to shut down my set in order with local ordinances), I would play a second closer. When there was a second closer, it was often "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."

Location: Michigan, USA

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