Jump to content

Where Do Broken Hearts Go

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Samsonite Man (talk | contribs) at 12:58, 20 March 2011. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
Song

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is the fourth single from Whitney Houston's second album, Whitney. The ballad was released in February 1988. The song was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson. Wildhorn approached Jackson about the opportunity to write for Whitney Houston. He gave him the title, and Wildhorn completed the music & lyrics for the song.

Initially, Houston did not want to record the song, feeling there was no special message to convey. However, Arista Records CEO Clive Davis believed the song would go to number one if she recorded it, so she agreed. The single became Houston's seventh consecutive number one single in the United States.

Reception

Chart performances

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go," released off Whitney as the fourth single in February 1988, debuted at number forty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, the issue date of February 27, 1988.[1] Within four weeks of its release, the single reached top ten on the chart, and finally peaked at number one in nine weeks of chart debut, the issue dated April 23, 1988, making Houston the only artist in pop history with seven consecutive No. 1 hits.[2] In addition, she became the first female artist to achieve four number-one singles from one album, Whitney.[3][4] To date, only four albums by women, including Houston's, have yielded four Hot 100 number-one hits. Paula Abdul achieved that feat with her 1988 album, Forever Your Girl; Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 in 1989; and Mariah Carey's self-titled debut in 1990. Houston also holds the title for the most number one hits (7) by a female artist in the 1980s, shared only by Madonna.[5] The song stayed on the top for two weeks and spent eighteen weeks on the chart.[6] It entered the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (formerly "Hot Black Singles") at number sixty, the issue date of March 5, 1988 and nine weeks later reached a peak of number two, becoming Houston's ninth R&B top five hit.[7][8] On the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart, the single peaked at number one, the issue dated April 2, 1988, and remained there for three weeks, making it her sixth No. 1 single on the chart.[9][10] It was ranked number thirty-three and forty-seven, on the Billboard Top Pop and Top Black Singles year-end charts for 1988, respectively.[11] The single also placed at number two on the Top Adult Contemporary Singles year-end chart of the same year.[12] In Canada, the song entered RPM Top 100 Singles chart at number seventy-six, the issue date of March 5, 1988, and peaked at number six on the chart on May 14, 1988, becoming Houston's eighth top ten hit in the country.[13][14]

Worldwide, "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" was not as commercially successful as her previous singles from the album Whitney. The single debuted at number thirty on the UK Singles Chart, the week ending date of March 12, 1988, and three weeks later reached a peak of number fourteen on the chart.[15][16] In Ireland, it peaked at number two, the highest chart position of the song outside the United States.[17] The song also reached number forty-eight in Australia,[18] number twenty-four in Italy,[19] number forty-seven in the Netherlands,[20] and number twenty-three in New Zealand.[21]

Music video

The music video (directed by Peter Israelson) features Houston breaking up with a boyfriend and reflecting on happy memories; asking herself the title question, "where do broken hearts go?" At the conclusion of the music video, the couple reunites.

The video was moderately controversial since the ambiguous ethnic background of Houston's love interest highlighted the racial sensitivites that accompanied Houston's success during the 1980s. The singer had been criticized for "selling out" and "acting white". A mostly-black audience jeered when "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" was nominated for an award at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards.

Covers

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" has been covered by punk rock group Me First & The Gimme Gimmes on their 2003 album, Take a Break and more recently by Joe McElderry on The X Factor 2009. The song has also been covered by Tracy Miller, a Broadway theatrical actress-singer, who performed the song at a "Frank Wildhorn & Friends" concert.

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart listing for the week of February 27, 1988". Billboard. February 27, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Jan DeKnock (April 22, 1988). "Whitney Houston Sets A Record". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart listing for the week of April 23, 1988". Billboard. April 23, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Craig Halstead & Chris Cadman, Jacksons Number Ones AuthorsOnLine Ltd. 2003. ISBN 0-7552-0098-5, pp. 78
  5. ^ Lisa D. Campbell, Michael Jackson: The King of Pop Branden Publishing Company, Inc. 1993. ISBN 0-8283-1957-X, pp. 162
  6. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart listing for the week of April 30, 1988". Billboard. April 30, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "The Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart listing for the week of March 5, 1988". Billboard. March 5, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "The Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart listing for the week of May 7, 1988". Billboard. May 7, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ "The Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart listing for the week of April 2, 1988". Billboard. April 2, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ "The Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart listing for the week of April 16, 1988". Billboard. April 16, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ a b "The Insider: Music Charts of 1988 (page 1)". Chicago Tribune. December 30, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ a b "The Insider: Music Charts of 1988 (page 2)". Chicago Tribune. December 30, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "The RPM Top Singles - Volume 47, No. 20, March 5, 1988". RPM. March 5, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ a b "The RPM Top Singles - Volume 48, No. 4, May 14, 1988". RPM. May 14, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ "Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive: the week ending date March 12, 1988". The Official Charts Company. March 12, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  16. ^ "Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive: the week ending date April 2, 1988". The Official Charts Company. April 2, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  17. ^ a b "The Irish Singles Chart searchable database". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  18. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0646119176. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help) NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
  19. ^ a b "Tutti i successi del 1988". hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  20. ^ ""Where Do Broken Hearts Go" performances on the Dutch Singles Chart". dutchcharts.nl. April 23, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  21. ^ ""Where Do Broken Hearts Go" performances on the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart". charts.org.nz. June 12, 1988. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  22. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Whitney Houston" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  23. ^ "Whitney Houston – Where Do Broken Hearts Go". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  24. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  25. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  26. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
Preceded by Billboard Adult Contemporary (chart) number-one single
April 2, 1988 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
April 23, 1988 – April 30, 1988 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Where_Do_Broken_Hearts_Go&oldid=419789796"