“Where Do Broken Hearts Go” by Whitney Houston

The question posed in this title seeks to understand if true love actually lasts through thick and thin. As is seen in the first verse, the narrator and her lover may have been through a rough time in their relationship and decided to part ways for a period.

Initially, it is unclear if the other party feels the same way, but for the narrator, she comes to the conclusion that the only lesson she learnt from the short break up is that she needs her partner even more and her life has not been the same without him. As she acknowledges the fact that keeping a relationship beautiful requires work and is not as easy as it seems, she questions if her partner’s love has faded over the period.

The bridge of the song sends a positive message that the narrator is now reunited with her partner and is unwilling to let him go again. Her conviction is much clearer as she claims that she knows from the look in his eyes that he still loves and cares for her.

Facts about “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”

Recorded as the fourth single on Whitney’s hit album titled “Whitney”, the singer was at first not convinced that this track was worth recording because she thought it didn’t convey a special message. In one of her interviews in 2000, Whitney indicated that she initially disliked the song and thought it had no proper message to send across.

Smokey Robinson opted to release the song, but the writers preferred Huston instead. Executive producer Clive Davis eventually persuaded her to record it. He even predicted that it would top the charts, which it eventually did.

“Where Do Broken Hearts Go” was released in February 1988 as the fourth single from “Whitney”. Chuck Jackson and Frank Wildhorn were credited for writing the lyrics of this hit single.

Within a month, the song had broken into the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. It finally rose to number one in April 1988. Its performance on the chart made Houston the first female musician to have four songs from an album to peak at the summit of the chart. The song further occupied the top positions on multiple other relevant charts.

The song, however, came with its own controversies. Some people from the black community criticized the singer for acting white which they described as a betrayal.

This was one of the songs Whitney performed at the 70th Birthday of former South African President, Nelson Mandela.

The song is considered one of the most significant ballads of the 1980s.