Music History Today: May 2, 2023

May 2, 1987: Whitney Houston released "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" as the lead single from her second album, Whitney.

Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. It also took the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single.

Whitney Houston

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Brian Grant, who did Houston's video for "How Will I Know," also directed this one. He had a tough challenge because Houston couldn't dance. Working with choreographer Arlene Phillips, they solved this problem by surrounding Houston with authentic dancers and keeping her dance moves minimal. 

Read more: Wikipedia

May 2, 1936: English pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck was born Arnold George Dorsey in Madras, India.

Engelbert Humperdinck hit it big with the song "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)" in 1967 and followed up with seven consecutive Number 1s.

Engelbert Humperdinck

Humperdinck has been likened to Tom Jones because of their smooth pop style. The two briefly shared the same manager (Gordon Mills). He hosted a variety show in 1970 based on Tom Jones' This Is Tom Jones. Humperdinck's show was canceled after six months. 

Read more: Biography

May 2, 1964: "Little Children" by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas entered the US Top 40. It reached Number 7.

Beatles manager Brian Epstein signed Billy J. Kramer in 1963, put him with the Manchester group The Dakotas, and got them to record some songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They immediately scored a Number 2 UK hit with "Do You Want To Know a Secret," the first-ever cover of a Lennon and McCartney song to chart. The follow-up "Bad To Me," explicitly written by John Lennon for the group, became their first UK chart-topper. 

Read more: Songfacts

May 2, 1981: Sheena Easton topped the US music chart with "Morning Train." 

"Morning Train" by Sheena Easton presents a strange vision of suburban happiness as the man takes the train to work, does his eight hours, then returns home and entertains his wife with movies, dancing, or anything else she wants. This was released outside of the United States as "9 To 5." The title was altered in America to avoid confusion with the Dolly Parton hit. 

Read more: Songfacts

May 2, 1989: The Cure released their eighth studio album, Disintegration.

The Cure's commercial breakthrough, Disintegration, reached Number 3 in the UK and 12 in the US and produced four hit singles: "Lullaby," "Lovesong," "Fascination Street," and "Pictures of You."

"Lullaby" is based on a recurring nightmare Robert Smith had as a child where a giant spider ate him. The 1990 Brit award-winning music video was inspired by David Lynch's 1977 debut horror movie Eraserhead. This song had the Cure's best chart placing in the UK. 

Read more: Classic Pop Magazine

I Wanna Dance with Somebody
(Who Loves Me)
Whitney Houston