The Greatest Love Of All
Written by Michael Masser / Linda McCreed.
Released on the 1978 album The Magic Is You and another recording 1990 on a single and on the 1991 album Keep The Music Playing. Both versions are available on CD. You can easy discern between the two by the track length.
Shirley Bassey has performed this song live on some concerts and a fan told me about a concert 1988 where she made a comment before singing it about how she had recorded her version well before Miss Houston. On another concert she dedicated the song to all the parents.
Originally this was a hit for George Benson 1977.
In the same year the funk band Mandrill has sung this song.
1986 Whitney Houston reached No. 1 in the US Billboard with this song.
Everybody's searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
Never found anyone who fulfilled that need
A lonely place to be
So I learned to depend on me
I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadow
If I failed, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe
And no matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all is happening to me
I've found the greatest love of all inside of me
The greatest love of all is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
Is the greatest love of all
I believe, that children are the future
Teach them well, and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride, to make it easier
Let the children's laughter
Remind us how it used to be
I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadow
If I failed, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe
And no matter what they take from me
They can't take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all is happening to me
I've found the greatest love of all inside of me
The greatest love of all is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
Is the greatest love of all
(transcribed by Roman <scribbler@gmx.net>)