It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be

"It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" is a duet recorded between Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston, and appeared on Franklin's 1989 album Through the Storm. The song was released on June 10, 1989, as the second single from the album by Arista Records.

The original album version was written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren and produced by Narada Michael Walden, and the re-mixed version was produced by Teddy Riley. In the US, the single reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the R&B Singles chart. On the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at No. 29.

Critical reception
AllMusic editor William Ruhlmann retrospectively panned "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be", calling it "an embarrassing failure for both Franklin and the previously pop-perfect Whitney Houston."

Versions

 * Album Version – 5:37
 * Single Edit – 4:49
 * Single Remix/Teddy Riley Mix – 4:02
 * Extended Remix – 6:12
 * Hip Hop Remix – 4:57
 * House Radio Mix – 5:05
 * New Jack Swing Dub Mix – 6:20
 * After Hours Club Mix – 7:35
 * 1989 Vogue Dub Mix

Personnel

 * Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, vocal engineer
 * Whitney Houston – lead vocals
 * Walter "Baby Love" Afanasieff – co-producer, keyboards, synth bass, drum programming
 * Narada Michael Walden – producer, arrangements
 * Ren Klyce – Fairlight CMI programming
 * Karen "Kitty Beethoven" Brewington, Melisa Kary – backing vocals
 * Lincoln Clapp – engineer
 * David Frazer – engineer, mixing engineer
 * Dana Jon Chappelle – additional engineer