Burning The Ground Exclusive
“I get so emotional, baby… Every time I think of you…”
Released in October 1987, “So Emotional” was the third single from Whitney Houston’s mega-selling second album, Whitney. The song showcases a grittier, more rock-infused side of Whitney’s voice—complete with big drums, searing guitar, and of course, that unmatched vocal power.
Written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly—the same duo behind hits like Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors”—“So Emotional” brought a harder edge to Whitney’s pristine pop image. With its fusion of pop-rock, dance, and soul, the song showed she could do much more than just ballads.
The single was a massive success, becoming Whitney’s sixth consecutive #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying her with The Beatles and The Bee Gees for the longest streak of chart-topping singles at the time. It also topped the Dance Club Songs chart and cracked the Top 10 internationally, including the UK, Canada, and Australia.
The music video for “So Emotional,” directed by Wayne Isham, captures Whitney on the road and backstage as she preps for a high-energy concert. Shot at Lehigh University’s Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the video was filmed between dates of her 1987–1988 Moment of Truth Tour. It’s a candid, electrifying snapshot of Whitney in her prime—playful, stylish, and commanding the stage with ease.
For the clubs, Shep Pettibone crafted a total of five mixes for the 12″ release, each tailored for different dancefloor moments. The Extended Remix brings the drama with punchy synths and an amped-up groove. The Dub Mix strips things back to spotlight the rhythm section, while the Bonus Beats offers DJs pure percussive fuel. The Edited Remix trims things down for more commercial play.
And then there’s “The Voice”—a jaw-dropping acapella version that isolates Whitney’s soaring vocals over minimal backing. It’s a masterclass in vocal control, phrasing, and emotion. If you ever doubted her range or power, this version will silence you.
From the glam-rock guitars to the iconic belting chorus, “So Emotional” is pure ’80s fire—a perfect blend of vulnerability and power. Whether you were sweating it out on the dance floor in 1987 or just discovering it today, this track remains one of Whitney’s most thrilling and energetic performances.
Stay tuned—this one’s worth cranking up loud.
SIDE A:
So Emotional (Extended Remix) 7:53
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Steve Peck
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Additional Programming By] – Fred McFarlane
So Emotional (Edited Remix) 4:27
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Steve Peck
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Additional Programming By] – Fred McFarlane
SIDE B:
So Emotional (Single Version) 4:02
So Emotional (Dub Version) 5:15
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Steve Peck
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Additional Programming By] – Fred McFarlane
So Emotional (Bonus Beats) 4:28
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Steve Peck
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Additional Programming By] – Fred McFarlane
So Emotional (The Voice) 4:18
Edited By – Junior Vasquez, Shep Pettibone
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Steve Peck
Producer [Additional Production By], Remix [Remix By] – Shep Pettibone
Programmed By [Additional Programming By] – Fred McFarlane
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | So Emotional- | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #1 |
| 1987 | So Emotional- | U.S. Billboard Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs | #5 |
| 1987 | So Emotional- | U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary | #8 |
| 1987 | So Emotional- | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Arista – AD1-9641
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- A&R [A & R Coordination By] – Richard Sweret
- Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements By] – Whitney Houston
- Design – Dave Brubaker*
- Executive-Producer – Clive Davis
- Photography By [Photo] – Patrick Demarchelier
- Producer [Original Production By] – Narada Michael Walden
- Written-By – Billy Steinberg & Tom Kelly*
NOTES:
Printed in U.S.A.
From the LP “WHITNEY”
Includes a special full-color souvenir poster.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
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Are this US 12″ mix and the European 12″ mix different?
Thanks for this Paul. My version of this is popped and clicked out. The underlying bassline for the Extended Mix was the inspiration, I think, for the 1988 track by the Pet Shop Boys Always On My Mind / In My House on Introspective (the In My House section). Anyway awesome job as usual!
Paul!! This is an absolute banger from Whitney Houston!! As you mentioned, without a doubt a career highlight. This track just gets you moving… Man oh man, to think this is what filled the airwaves, the dance clubs, the soundtrack to our lives in 1987! We really were quite lucky. This single just takes all of her best qualities, plus top songwriting, and amps it up to 100. How Will I Know was terrific. I Wanna Dance With Somebody and this single just solidified Whitney as the reigning Queen! I do remember talk of her breaking the Beatles and Bee… Read more »
Retro Hound, Wow—thank you so much for this incredible comment! You absolutely nailed it: Whitney was the soundtrack of 1987, and this track is pure magic. There’s just something electric about the way it captures that era—so full of joy, energy, and powerhouse vocals. I completely agree, it takes all of Whitney’s best qualities and just launches them into the stratosphere. The songwriting, the production, that voice—everything clicked. And yes, that single cover! She truly radiated elegance and confidence. A timeless image to go with a timeless song. Your memory of the buzz around her breaking those chart records is… Read more »
Thanks so much for this, Paul! I wore the stylus out at home playing this a million times! Although I love the Extended Remix, the Edited Remix’s 8-beat/tone intro is KILLER! I would mix/scratch that in at the club and the crowd would drop everything and head to the dancefloor. And the “h-h-ha-hee” sample Shep used extensively I would do myself with the acappella. Such fond memories! Thanks again!
You’re welcome, Fred 🙂
Thank you for posting this! It is one of my favorite WH songs, and I love the remixes!! Your write-up was spot on, per usual!!
You’re welcome, Greg 🙂
Hi, Paul, I don’t like your Shep Pettibone posts!
No, I LOVE it!!!
Would you consider posting this gem again?
https://www.discogs.com/release/184979-Janet-Jackson-Alright
It has tracks never released on CD or digital up to now
and I only have your mp3 version from many years ago.
PLEASE!!!
Kind regards from Vienna, Austria
Christian
Paul, I say this politely: I have requested this a few times over the past 10 years and sadly you have not gotten to it. I sincerely BEG you to post this amazing JJ 12″. Pretty please. With a gigantic cherry on top. Thank you in advance.
I have the US 12″ in my collection, but it has always intimidated me. I know it will be a large project that will take several days to complete. I’m not making any promises, but maybe I can get it done next week. 🙂
Oooh… I have almost all the promo CDs from this era and it’s true- the a cappella and the hip house dub aren’t to be found on them! This would be an awesome addition to my Janet collection for sure!
I think I also have the US 12″ promo, which has some edits. Janet Jackson – Alright – Vinyl (12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo), 1990 [r2154764] | Discogs
I have a 7 track remix promo CD with 7 versions, 4 are 7” edits, 2 are 12” and one is the dub. Then a have a 3 track promo that has 2 7” versions and the regular version, none of these have Heavy D. I have another rumor of Come Back To Me with some 7” edits of Alright, but I believe they duplicate these (at the time they were only available on the import so I bought it 😆). Oh Janet…
Thank you!!! I am astonished JJ never released the acappella on any kind of re-issue, promo, or even her digital stuff. It’s also, as far as I know, only on the US promo and commercial 12″. I just don’t get this decision even after 35+ years. Thank you again!
Gonna do my best to get it done.
Juhuuu!!!
Danke für den Versuch!
Thank you so much for Whitney. The edited remix was the single version in the UK, which got played on the radio at the time. Much prefer it to the album version, and it’s incredibly hard to find. Could I possibly suggest another great Shep Pettibone remix of a Janet song? ‘Escapade’ would be great, as again the remix single version is hard to find. One final Shep remix would be ‘Bad Boy’s by Miami Sound Machine. Again really hard to find. Thanks for a great website and hope you’re feeling a lot better.
As I lover of RnB I was super frustrated with acts releasing stomping dance track but filling their albums full of ballads. Whitney unfortunately fell into that category to me when she hit the scene. Not that I didn’t enjoy her singing, even my first introduction to her on the Jermaine Jackson s/t album (released overseas as “Dynamite”) I thought she was great, Take Good Care Of My Heart still has a place in my heart, I just couldn’t do an album as a consecutive listen. But How Will I Know and to a much larger extent, So Emotional just… Read more »
Absolutely agree with you! Whitney’s voice was undeniable from the jump, but I totally get the frustration with the ballad-heavy albums, especially when the singles gave us so much energy. “How Will I Know” and especially “So Emotional” were such standout moments—when she leaned into those uptempo, funky, or rock-tinged tracks, she owned them. There’s something electrifying about her delivery on songs like that. And yes, “Take Good Care Of My Heart” is such an underrated gem—great shout! So glad this track still hits for you—it really is a career highlight. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
What a grand 12-inch this is, Paul!! Everything about it is perfect!! All the talent is on display here! And, that voice!! Gosh, was she ever brilliant!!
And, Paul, you worked overtime on this record!! I mean, all these mixes here. Please know we appreciate all your hard work and concentration that goes into these rips!! It’s a labor of love that you do, Paul! Know that we, your adoring public, love you and are forever grateful!!
Jeff
Jeff, you absolutely made my day with this comment—thank you so much! It really is a stunning 12-inch, and you’re right, all the talent involved just shines through. That voice… pure magic.
And your kind words about my work mean the world to me. It is a labor of love, and hearing that it brings joy to people like you makes every hour spent totally worth it. I’m so grateful for your continued support—it keeps me inspired to keep digging, cleaning, and sharing! Much love back to you, Jeff! ❤️
Wow! What a collection of legends: Whitney Houston, Steinberg/Kelly, Shep Pettibone, and Junior Vasquez! THANK YOU SO MUCH for another perfect MUST-HAVE Vinyl!!!! I always forget that Junior Vasquez started out working with Shep Pettibone before he became a legend in his own right. And Steinberg/Kelly definitely know how to write an intelligent hit without sticking to generic formula. All their songs are memorable, but none really sound alike: Alone, I Touch Myself, Eternal Flame, Like A Virgin, I’ll Stand By You, ….
I just didn’t even know this info. Once again a stellar write up! Thanks Paul
I love reading Paul’s write-ups almost as much as his impeccable transfers!
Me too! They keep getting better and better!
As always you’re welcome, Martika 🙂