How Will I Know
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| “How Will I Know” | |||||
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| Single by Whitney Houston from the album Whitney Houston |
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| Released | November 1985 | ||||
| Format | CD single Cassette single 7" single |
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| Recorded | 1985 | ||||
| Genre | Soul, R&B | ||||
| Length | 4:36 | ||||
| Label | Arista Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | George Merrill Shannon Rubicam |
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| Producer | Narada Michael Walden | ||||
| Whitney Houston singles chronology | |||||
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"How Will I Know" is the third single from Whitney Houston's self-titled first album. The single was released in November 1985. It was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of Boy Meets Girl fame. The song was originally meant to be for Janet Jackson. The song is an electric dance tune about Houston trying to decide if a boy she likes will ever like her. The song introduced Houston to the MTV generation after her first two singles were R&B ballads.
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[edit] Chart information
On the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles survey, "How Will I Know" rose from #60 to #50 the week of December 14, 1985, reaching the #1 spot by February 15, 1986, and becoming Houston's second chart topping single. The single displaced "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick, thus becoming only the third time (and first by female artists) for relatives to replace themselves at number one, as Houston and Warwick are first cousins. It remained at number one for two weeks, and spent fifteen weeks in the top forty.
The song performed extremely well on other Billboard charts, climbing to number one on the Adult Contemporary along with the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and Hot Dance Club Play chart, showing Houston's success was not limited to any single genre.
Internationally, the single made Houston a noticeable star, but failed to match the success it had in the United States, reaching number five in the United Kingdom, number two in Australia, number eleven in Switzerland, and number twenty-one in Germany. On the United World Chart, the song peaked at number one where it stayed for nine non-consecutive weeks.
The song may be heard in its original version, or in an extended percussion intro version (such as on the music video). Later copies of Houston's debut album contain the latter version.
[edit] Music video
The music video for "How Will I Know" was directed by Brian Grant and is set against a fantasy, vividly colored background, with dancers in black outfits and wearing French-style makeup.The dancers included Hot Gossips: Maddie Loftin, Frances Wingate, Annie Dunkley, Donnette Goddard and Heavon Grant. Arlene Phillips choreographed. There were also Gospel choir singers in the song, as Houston had been in a Gospel choir during her childhood.
The video is recognized mainly for the background, wandering spiders, animated paint dripping down the screen, Houston's frizzy hair and solid charcoal dress. In the video, when Houston sings "I'm asking you 'cause you know about these things", there's a brief screencap of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, Houston's godmother.
Later in her life, when Houston was asked if she regretted anything in her career, she pointed to the music video for "How Will I Know," stating that she hated the hair and clothing choices. The video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video in 1986, however.
[edit] Cover versions
- The first stanza of the song was sampled in LMC vs. U2's dance hit, "Take Me to the Clouds Above".
- Kelly Clarkson, who was influenced by Houston, sang the song in her concerts.
- Houston's cousin, Dionne Warwick, covered the song on Solid Gold in 1985.
- South African singer Dube covered the song in 1989 for his album Slave.
[edit] In pop culture
- The song was voted #12 in VH1's List of Greatest Songs of the 80s.
- The song was featured and covered on Kids Incorporated.
- Jane Seymour and Tony Dovolani danced to the song on Dancing With The Stars
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| Preceded by "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne & Friends |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single February 15, 1986- February 22, 1986 |
Succeeded by "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister |
| Preceded by "Do Me, Baby" by Meli'sa Morgan |
Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks number-one single March 8, 1986 |
Succeeded by "Your Smile" by René & Angela |
