Today’s song is “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston. Released in 1987, this was one of Houston’s earliest hits, but certainly not her last.

Fun Facts: 

• Whitney Houston was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1963. Some of her notable family members include her mother, Cissy Houston, a Grammy-winning Gospel artist, and her cousin, Dionne Warwick, the chart-topping R&B vocalist.
• Houston started her singing career as a little girl performing at her family’s church. By age 20, she signed her first record deal with Arista Records.
• “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” was recorded for Houston’s second studio album, Whitney.
• Though the song got mixed reviews from critics, it was a raging success on the charts, reaching the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
• “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1987, which was the first Houston song to attain this status.
• The music video for the song was directed by Brian Grant.
• Houston died on February 11, 2012, from an accidental drug overdose. She was 48 years old. 
• Within 24 hours of her death, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” re-entered the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lyrics:

(Musixmatch)

Huh, yeah, woo

Hey yeah, huh

Ooh yeah, uh-huh, yeah

I wanna dance

Clock strikes upon the hour

And the sun begins to fade

Still enough time to figure out

How to chase my blues away

I’ve done alright up ’til now

It’s the light of day that shows me how

And when the night falls

Loneliness calls

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody

I wanna feel the heat with somebody

Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody

With somebody who loves me

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody

I wanna feel the heat with somebody

Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody

With somebody who loves me

I’ve been in love and lost my senses

Spinning through the town

Sooner or later the fever ends

And I wind up feeling down

I need a man who’ll take a chance

On a love that burns hot enough to last

So when the night falls

My lonely heart calls

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody

I wanna feel the heat with somebody

Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody

With somebody who loves me

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody

I wanna feel the heat

Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody

With somebody who loves me

Somebody who, somebody who

Somebody who loves me

Somebody who, somebody who

To hold me in his arms, oh

I need a man who’ll take a chance

On a love that burns hot enough to last

So when the night falls

My lonely heart calls

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody

I wanna feel the heat with somebody

Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody

With somebody who loves me

Oh, I wanna dance with somebody

I wanna feel the heat with somebody

Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody

With somebody who loves me

Oooh

(Dance)

You know, baby

(Dance)

Woo, yeah

(Dance)

Now get with this

Woah

Don’t you wanna dance (dance) with me, baby?

Don’t you wanna dance (dance) with me, boy?

Hey, don’t you wanna dance (dance) with me, baby?

With somebody who loves me

Don’t you wanna dance?

Say you wanna dance?

Don’t you wanna dance?

(Dance)

Don’t you wanna dance?

Say you wanna dance?

Don’t you wanna dance?

(Dance)

Don’t you wanna dance?

Say you wanna dance, uh-huh (dance)

With somebody who loves me

Oooh (dance)

Oooh (dance)

Oooh (dance)

Hey baby