“I Believe in You and Me” by Whitney Houston

“I Believe in You and Me” is a song that was originally dropped in the early 1980s, which Whitney Houston got around to covering in the mid-1990s. Of course Whitney was amongst the most naturally-talented singers of her day. So the implication is that, being the true personification of a diva, if Houston or her people decides to cover an old song to release as a single, then said song must be pretty powerful. And whereas “I Believe in You and Me” is for the most part a standard love song, it does appear to have a deeper implication in between the lines.

With that in mind, yes, this is one of the more poetic and pure-minded pieces of lyrical romance we have ever come across. But that said, it is fundamentally a composite of the basic tenets that define a true-love song. For instance, there is the vocalist telling the addressee, her honeybun, that she idealizes being with him forevermore. 

There is also the artistic allusion to the idea that now being with him, she has experienced a new lease on life. Also, Whitney vows to never do the addressee dirty. Such a disposition includes remaining by his side even when he’s going through hardship. 

Also, in her own classy way, the vocalist pledges to imbue the addressee with some good lovin’. And in the grand scheme of things, as revealed in the bridge, she realizes love is blind, so to speak. But she’s willing to “play the fool forever” in this particular relationship if need be.

The Very Important Bridge

Even though said bridge may actually be the most ignored part of this song, it is also one of the most important. That’s because when you combine the aforementioned bridge-based idea with the titular expression, the result is the implication that maybe this is a romance which to some would appear doomed to fail. 

Or viewed alternatively, perhaps the addressee is someone who doesn’t appear as an ideal spouse or what have you. But what the vocalist is telling him is that she has faith that they can make it together, which is more or less a roundabout way of saying that she believes in the power of their love.

And to note, Whitney Houston actually dropped this song as part of the soundtrack to a movie she starred in entitled The Preacher’s Wife. The role she portrays in that movie is of a wife in a troubled marriage (which, spoiler alert, is ultimately rectified). So this song would definitely make sense in such a context, i.e. the singer expressing belief in her relationship amidst it appearing that it may fail.

And it’s not like this piece has to be interpreted in such a way. Indeed leading up to the bridge, the vocalist sounds a lot like someone who is just now falling in love and accordingly is letting her vision for the romance be known to the other party. But either way, what she’s putting forth can be boiled down to her love for the addressee being so great that, on the vocalist’s end, she is not willing to let anything tear them apart.

Release Date of “I Believe in You and Me”

“I Believe in You and Me” was originally performed by American R&B collective, The Four Tops in 1983. Whitney Houston’s version was recorded and released in 1996. It was issued as the first of three singles of the sound track album to the 1996 romantic film “The Preacher’s Wife.” The singer herself was one of the stars on the said film.

Awards and Accolades

It peaked at number 4 and number 16 in the U.S. and the UK, respectively. This single became the singer’s 16th track to enter the top 5 hit songs in the U.S. The track also performed greatly on a number of musical charts across the globe.

In February 1997 this tune became Houston’s 4th single to be Platinum certified by the RIAA.

Credits

Houston was not involved in the writing of this song. It was authored by renowned American songwriter and producer Sandy Linzer along with David Wolfert.

The song’s production was handled by Canadian musician and producer David Foster. The singer herself along with American record producer Mervyn Warren have also been credited as producers of this tune.

Popular Cover Versions of “I Believe in You and Me”

In 2014, Barry Manilow released his version of this song, featuring vocals from Houston. Other artistes who have performed covers of this track include:

• Kim Burrell (2012)
• Usher (2012)

“The Preacher’s Wife”

“The Preacher’s Wife: Original Soundtrack Album” was officially released in November 1996.  Arista and BMG Entertainment are the record labels that took charge of releasing this album.

As noted above, this R&B album was accompanied by two other singles. “Step by Step,” released in February 1997, was the second single of the album. The project’s third single, “My Heart Is Calling,” was released in June 1997.

Like “I Believe in You and Me”, the album also performed excellently, recording over 3 million sales in the U.S. alone. As a result, it was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA in June 1998.

In 1996 the album peaked at number 3 in the U.S. It was also successful in other regions including the UK, where it peaked at number 35.