How Will I Know
Encyclopedia
"How Will I Know" is a song recorded by American recording artist Whitney Houston
for her debut album, entitled Whitney Houston
, which was released in February 1985. It was released by Arista Records
in November that year, as the album's third single. Composed by George Merrill
and Shannon Rubicam
, the song was originally intended for Janet Jackson
, but she passed on it. Houston then recorded the song with altered lyrics and production from Narada Michael Walden
. An up-tempo
dance
song, the lyrics speak about the protagonist trying to decide if a boy she likes will ever like her back.
"How Will I Know" received mainly positive reviews. The song became Houston's second number one single on the United States Billboard Hot 100
. It spent two weeks atop the chart and also became Houston's first chart topper on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart
. In other regions, the song was successful, reaching the top ten in in Sweden, Norway, and United Kingdom and the top twenty in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
The song's music video features scenes of Houston dancing in a strikingly designed setting of video screens and colored partitions. The music video gave Houston exposure to the teens and MTV
, a feat which the black artists had traditionally found tough to achieve. It also received nominations at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
in the categories of Best Female Video
and Best New Artist in a Video
, winning the former category. The song has been performed on many of her tours including Greatest Love Tour
(1986) and her recent Nothing but Love World Tour (2009–10). "How Will I Know" is also featured as a remix on Houston's compilation album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits
(2000), whereas the original version is featured on The Ultimate Collection
(2007).
and Shannon Rubicam
had written the song's demo for Janet Jackson
, employed by A&M Records
executive, John McClain. However, after hearing the song, Jackson's management passed on the song, feeling it was too weak in comparison to her other material. In an interview with Fred Bronson
, Merrill expressed her feelings after learning of Jackson's decision. "We were pretty upset because we thought it was perfect for her at the time. We had written it with her completely in mind." During this period, Brenda Andrews, at Almo-Irving Music, Merrill and Rubicam's publisher, played the song for Gerry Griffith, the director for R&B
music at A&M and Arista Records
. Griffith, who was compiling material for Houston's debut at the time, felt the song perfectly matched her sound. He soon contacted Andrews and the song's two writers and implored that they should relinquish the song to him for Houston's debut album. Griffith described his discovery of the song, and what he and Clive Davis
thought of it:
After getting permission to use the song from Merrill, Griffith quickly turned to Narada Michael Walden
, who was producing Aretha Franklin
's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
", for her album Who's Zoomin' Who?
, at the time. After getting in touch with Walden, Griffith frantically implored him to produce the song, describing how important the song would be for Houston's future album. After hearing the song's demo, Walden agreed to fly down to San Rafael, California to arrange it. He was not much impressed with the demo and requested permission to change some of the song's lyrics and chord progression. Flustered by his request, Merrill and Rubicam denied him the right to their song. After countless back-and-forth with Griffith, they compromised and allowed Walden to de-construct the song and change the key
and tempo
. After completing the song, Houston came into the studio to record her vocals. Originally, Cissy Houston
, the singers's mother, was intended to perform the song's background vocals. Houston had wanted to introduce her mother's vocals on the track, insisting on their inclusion. However, after hearing the finished result, Davis felt Houston's voice itself fit the song's arrangement, and implored her to sing the backup section on her own. While reluctant at first, Houston agreed and re-recorded the background vocals to the praise of both Griffith and Davis. Griffith explained:
that is composed in an "80's dance beat." Rolling Stone
described the song as a "perky synth
-funk
". According to Kyle Anderson of MTV, the song found Houston hitting an "incredible groove." It is written in the key
of G major
. The beat is set the time signature
of common time
and moves at a fast tempo
of 120 beats per minute. The song also has the sequence of G-Bm7-C7-D-Em as its chord progression
. Houston's vocals in the song span from the note of E4 to the high note of G5. Lyrically, the song speaks about the protagonist trying to decide if a boy she likes will ever like her back. She is also hesitant, because her friends tell her "love can be deceiving", and she is shy that she cannot phone him. Later, she feels that it might be a dream, but realizes that "there's no mistaking", and what she feels is really love.
' 'He's So Shy
', 'How Will I Know' is still irresistibly danceable." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic wrote "...what really impresses some 20-plus years on are the lighter tracks, particularly the breakthrough single 'How Will I Know'." While listing Houston's top five songs of 1980s, Steve Peake of About.com
gave the song a positive review, writing, "Houston's boppy, peppy numbers tend to suffer from a particularly dated sound compared to her ballads, but this song still works remarkably well because of its lush melody throughout the verse, bridge and chorus." "[t]his track helps Houston prove that she knows how to interpret, with great skill, tunes that display solid craftsmanship," he added. While reviewing the Deluxe Anniversary Edition of the album, Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly
commented on the A capella version of the song noting, "a cappella mix of 'How Will I Know' [that] displays the singer's precision long before the advent of Auto-Tune." While reviewing The Ultimate Collection, Nick Levine of Digital Spy
added, "Houston's floor-fillers have aged a little more gracefully, although their clunky, thudding drum sounds are as unmistakably eighties as Joan Collins' Dynasty wardrobe.... 'How Will I Know' is so steeped in melody that its verse." The song was voted number twelve in VH1
's List of Greatest Songs of the 1980s.
in November 1985 as the third single from Houston's self-titled debut. It debuted at number sixty on the US Billboard Hot 100
, on the December 7, 1985 issue. Nine weeks later, it peaked at number one on the issue dated February 15, 1986, becoming Houston's second number one single in the US. It displaced Dionne Warwick
's "That's What Friends Are For
", and was displaced by "Kyrie
" by Mr. Mister
. It stayed on the peak for two weeks. The song also debuted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs at number sixty and later peaked at number one, a peak it maintained for one week. On the issue dated January 25, 1986, "How Will I Know" entered the Hot Dance Club Play
charts at number thirty and later peaked at number three on the February 22, 1986 issue. It also peaked at number one on the Adult Contemporary charts. Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) certified the single Gold on December 6, 1995, for shipments of 500,000 copies or more. It ranked number six on the Billboard Year-End charts. In Canada, the song debuted at number eighty on the RPM Singles chart on the issue dated December 14, 1985. It later peaked at number one on the week dated March 1, 1986, becoming Houston's first number one single in Canada. It was later certified Gold by Canadian Recording Industry Association
on May 1, 1986, for shipments of 200,000 copies or more.
The song performed well in other countries. In United Kingdom, the song debuted at number thirty-six, on the week dated January 25, 1986, and later peaked at a position of number five. It was also certified Silver by British Phonographic Industry
(BPI). According to MTV UK and Ireland
, the single has sold about 280,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number thirty-five on the Singles chart and later peaked at number nineteen. In Austria, the song reached a peak position of number twenty-eight, while reaching a peak of number twelve in the Netherlands. The song also reached number two in Norway and Sweden, while charting at number eleven in Switzerland. According to Allmusic, "How Will I Know" has sold about one million copies worldwide.
for "How Will I Know", directed by Brian Grant
, was filmed prior to the release of the single and album. Unlike her previous music videos, Houston was given the opportunity to move beyond the staged performance settings to demonstrate elementary dance moves. The video is set against a strikingly designed, vividly colored setting of video screens and partitions. Houston's hair is dyed a honey color, and is held up by a dazzling colored bow. She is also seen accented by a tight, sleeveless gray dress made of metal mesh, reaching almost to her knees, accessorized with matching arm-bracelets. Houston is also seen interacting with animated dancers, in black outfits and wearing French-style makeup. The video also has a scene of splattering of paint and it's dripping down the screen. Houston's godmother and her family's close friend, Aretha Franklin
, also makes a cameo on the music video. In 2011, Kyle Anderson of MTV
wrote that the video was "eye-opening to watch her cut loose in a fun environment," since her previous songs were ballads.
The music video received heavy rotation in music channels like MTV and gave Houston exposure to a wider audience, something which the African-Americans had found difficult to achieve. Also, the video was nominated for two awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
, in the categories of Best New Artist in a Video
and Best Female Video
, winning the latter.
(1986), Moment of Truth World Tour
(1987–1988), Feels So Right Japan Tour
(1990), I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour
(1991), The Bodyguard World Tour
(1993–1994), and My Love Is Your Love World Tour
(1999). She also recently performed the song on her Nothing but Love World Tour (2009–2010). Apart from the concert tour performances, Houston has performed the song on various other occasions like the Third MTV Video Music Awards
(1986), where she sang "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All
", Thirteenth Annual American Music Awards
(1986), and 1987 BRIT Awards
. On May 15, 1987, during her European promotion for then-new album, Whitney
, Houston sang the song at the Montreux Golden Rose Rock Festival: IM&MC Gala with two other songs, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go
." She appeared on The Mike Douglas Show
, taped in Philadelphia, and performed "How Will I Know". On her Moment of Truth World Tour
, she participated in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert
and performed the song with other seven songs. She also performed the song on "Welcome Home Heroes
", a concert dedicated to the US troops, their families, and military and government dignitaries in honor of those returning from the Gulf War, which aired on HBO on March 31, 1991. The concert was taped and later released as a VHS
on May 14, 1991. She also performed the song on The Concert for a New South Africa
, three concerts to honor President Nelson Mandela
, in 1994. Houston later performed the song on the closing ceremonies of the 1994 World Cup along with five of her other songs. In 2000, she performed the song on Arista
's 25th Anniversay, along with "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)".
and Renee Sands
covered the song for Kids Incorporated
, in 1986. Hit the Lights covered the song for the extended iTunes
release of their 2008 album, Skip School Start Fights. New Zealand Idol
contestant Camillia Temple, covered the song for the "top three" night of the show's first season. It was later covered by The X Factor
contestant Lucie Jones in October 2009 for the show's sixth season. Apart from the covers, the first stanza of the song was sampled in LMC vs. U2
's dance song, "Take Me to the Clouds Above
".
Someone for Me
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
for her debut album, entitled Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston (album)
Whitney Houston is the debut album of American R&B and pop singer Whitney Houston, released March 14, 1985 on Arista Records. The album initially had a slow commercial response but began getting more popular since the summer of 1985...
, which was released in February 1985. It was released by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in November that year, as the album's third single. Composed by George Merrill
George Merrill (songwriter)
George Merrill is an American songwriter whose work mostly dates from the mid to late 1980s.He wrote "How Will I Know," which was a hit for Whitney Houston in 1986, as well as Houston's 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."...
and Shannon Rubicam
Shannon Rubicam
Shannon Rubicam is an American female singer/songwriter who is best remembered for being half of the mid to late 1980s pop duo Boy Meets Girl....
, the song was originally intended for Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, but she passed on it. Houston then recorded the song with altered lyrics and production from Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
. An up-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
song, the lyrics speak about the protagonist trying to decide if a boy she likes will ever like her back.
"How Will I Know" received mainly positive reviews. The song became Houston's second number one single on the United States Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It spent two weeks atop the chart and also became Houston's first chart topper on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
. In other regions, the song was successful, reaching the top ten in in Sweden, Norway, and United Kingdom and the top twenty in the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
The song's music video features scenes of Houston dancing in a strikingly designed setting of video screens and colored partitions. The music video gave Houston exposure to the teens and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, a feat which the black artists had traditionally found tough to achieve. It also received nominations at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New...
in the categories of Best Female Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work...
and Best New Artist in a Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
The MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984...
, winning the former category. The song has been performed on many of her tours including Greatest Love Tour
Greatest Love Tour
The Greatest Love World Tour was Whitney Houston's first headlining worldwide tour in support of her multi-platinum debut album, Whitney Houston. The tour started at the Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 26, 1986 and was a 4-month venture...
(1986) and her recent Nothing but Love World Tour (2009–10). "How Will I Know" is also featured as a remix on Houston's compilation album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits
Whitney: The Greatest Hits
-International edition:-Whitney: The Unreleased Mixes:Whitney: The Unreleased Mixes is a limited-edition four-record vinyl set, containing eight full club versions of selected remixes found on the American release...
(2000), whereas the original version is featured on The Ultimate Collection
The Ultimate Collection (Whitney Houston album)
The Ultimate Collection is a Whitney Houston greatest hits collection, released on October 29, 2007. For the first time, a single CD of Houston's hit singles is released. It debuted at number five in the UK, with sales of 37,228. It climbed to number three in its second week on the chart...
(2007).
Background and recording
Originally, songwriters George MerrillGeorge Merrill (songwriter)
George Merrill is an American songwriter whose work mostly dates from the mid to late 1980s.He wrote "How Will I Know," which was a hit for Whitney Houston in 1986, as well as Houston's 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."...
and Shannon Rubicam
Shannon Rubicam
Shannon Rubicam is an American female singer/songwriter who is best remembered for being half of the mid to late 1980s pop duo Boy Meets Girl....
had written the song's demo for Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, employed by A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
executive, John McClain. However, after hearing the song, Jackson's management passed on the song, feeling it was too weak in comparison to her other material. In an interview with Fred Bronson
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. Bronson is an American journalist, author and writer. He is best known for his appearances on American Idol, the weekly "Chart Beat" column in Billboard magazine, and as the author of books related to Billboard charts.Born to Irving and Mildred Bronson and raised in Culver City,...
, Merrill expressed her feelings after learning of Jackson's decision. "We were pretty upset because we thought it was perfect for her at the time. We had written it with her completely in mind." During this period, Brenda Andrews, at Almo-Irving Music, Merrill and Rubicam's publisher, played the song for Gerry Griffith, the director for R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
music at A&M and Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
. Griffith, who was compiling material for Houston's debut at the time, felt the song perfectly matched her sound. He soon contacted Andrews and the song's two writers and implored that they should relinquish the song to him for Houston's debut album. Griffith described his discovery of the song, and what he and Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
thought of it:
"We had a lot of R&B-based tunes, we had a few ballads, but we didn't have a pop crossover song. So when I heard 'How Will I Know,' I said this is absolutely perfect. I played it for Clive [and] he fell in love with it. I wasn't very familiar with her family background, I didn't realize that even at that time there was a pretty big industry buzz about her future."
After getting permission to use the song from Merrill, Griffith quickly turned to Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden
Narada Michael Walden is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter. He was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s and his musical career spans three decades, in which he was awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards...
, who was producing Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)
"I Knew You Were Waiting " is a song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan.-Music video:...
", for her album Who's Zoomin' Who?
Who's Zoomin' Who?
Who's Zoomin' Who? is the ever first million-selling, Platinum-certified album by Aretha Franklin, originally released in the summer of 1985. It was the first of four Platinum records in Franklin's 50-plus year recording career....
, at the time. After getting in touch with Walden, Griffith frantically implored him to produce the song, describing how important the song would be for Houston's future album. After hearing the song's demo, Walden agreed to fly down to San Rafael, California to arrange it. He was not much impressed with the demo and requested permission to change some of the song's lyrics and chord progression. Flustered by his request, Merrill and Rubicam denied him the right to their song. After countless back-and-forth with Griffith, they compromised and allowed Walden to de-construct the song and change the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
and tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. After completing the song, Houston came into the studio to record her vocals. Originally, Cissy Houston
Cissy Houston
Emily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
, the singers's mother, was intended to perform the song's background vocals. Houston had wanted to introduce her mother's vocals on the track, insisting on their inclusion. However, after hearing the finished result, Davis felt Houston's voice itself fit the song's arrangement, and implored her to sing the backup section on her own. While reluctant at first, Houston agreed and re-recorded the background vocals to the praise of both Griffith and Davis. Griffith explained:
"I asked Whitney to sing the background session. She was reluctant because she wanted to enjoy hearing her mother sing. I said, 'No, get out there and sing,' so she did. The background sounded incredible...Clive Davis heard the mix and immediately gave it a 10, which is outrageous for him, because he doesn't like anything!"
Composition
"How Will I Know" is a dance-popDance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
that is composed in an "80's dance beat." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
described the song as a "perky synth
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
". According to Kyle Anderson of MTV, the song found Houston hitting an "incredible groove." It is written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
. The beat is set the time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and moves at a fast tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 120 beats per minute. The song also has the sequence of G-Bm7-C7-D-Em as its chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
. Houston's vocals in the song span from the note of E4 to the high note of G5. Lyrically, the song speaks about the protagonist trying to decide if a boy she likes will ever like her back. She is also hesitant, because her friends tell her "love can be deceiving", and she is shy that she cannot phone him. Later, she feels that it might be a dream, but realizes that "there's no mistaking", and what she feels is really love.
Critical reception
The song mainly garnered positive reviews from critics, with some noting it as a standout on the album. Don Shewey of Rolling Stone commented "Although it's awfully reminiscent of the Pointer SistersPointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters are an American pop/R&B recording act from Oakland, California that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Spanning over three decades, their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, disco, jazz, bebop, blues, soul, funk, dance, country and rock.The...
' 'He's So Shy
He's So Shy
"He's So Shy" is a the title of a song written by Tom Snow and lyricist Cynthia Weil which in 1980 became a top ten Pop hit for the Pointer Sisters.-Background:...
', 'How Will I Know' is still irresistibly danceable." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic wrote "...what really impresses some 20-plus years on are the lighter tracks, particularly the breakthrough single 'How Will I Know'." While listing Houston's top five songs of 1980s, Steve Peake of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
gave the song a positive review, writing, "Houston's boppy, peppy numbers tend to suffer from a particularly dated sound compared to her ballads, but this song still works remarkably well because of its lush melody throughout the verse, bridge and chorus." "[t]his track helps Houston prove that she knows how to interpret, with great skill, tunes that display solid craftsmanship," he added. While reviewing the Deluxe Anniversary Edition of the album, Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
commented on the A capella version of the song noting, "a cappella mix of 'How Will I Know' [that] displays the singer's precision long before the advent of Auto-Tune." While reviewing The Ultimate Collection, Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
added, "Houston's floor-fillers have aged a little more gracefully, although their clunky, thudding drum sounds are as unmistakably eighties as Joan Collins' Dynasty wardrobe.... 'How Will I Know' is so steeped in melody that its verse." The song was voted number twelve in VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's List of Greatest Songs of the 1980s.
Chart performance
"How Will I Know" was released by Arista RecordsArista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in November 1985 as the third single from Houston's self-titled debut. It debuted at number sixty on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, on the December 7, 1985 issue. Nine weeks later, it peaked at number one on the issue dated February 15, 1986, becoming Houston's second number one single in the US. It displaced Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
's "That's What Friends Are For
That's What Friends Are For
"That's What Friends Are For" is a 1982 song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager and introduced by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film Night Shift.-Dionne Warwick cover:...
", and was displaced by "Kyrie
Kyrie (song)
"Kyrie" was a #1 hit song by the 1980s pop/rock band Mr. Mister, from their 1985 album Welcome to the Real World. Released in late 1985, it hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in March 1986, where it was #1 for two weeks. It also hit the top spot on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart...
" by Mr. Mister
Mr. Mister
Mr. Mister is an American pop rock band most popular in the 1980s. The band's name came from an inside joke about a Weather Report album called Mr. Gone where they referred to each other as "Mister This" or "Mister That", and eventually selected "Mr. Mister." Mr. Mister may be considered as...
. It stayed on the peak for two weeks. The song also debuted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs at number sixty and later peaked at number one, a peak it maintained for one week. On the issue dated January 25, 1986, "How Will I Know" entered the Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
charts at number thirty and later peaked at number three on the February 22, 1986 issue. It also peaked at number one on the Adult Contemporary charts. Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) certified the single Gold on December 6, 1995, for shipments of 500,000 copies or more. It ranked number six on the Billboard Year-End charts. In Canada, the song debuted at number eighty on the RPM Singles chart on the issue dated December 14, 1985. It later peaked at number one on the week dated March 1, 1986, becoming Houston's first number one single in Canada. It was later certified Gold by Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
on May 1, 1986, for shipments of 200,000 copies or more.
The song performed well in other countries. In United Kingdom, the song debuted at number thirty-six, on the week dated January 25, 1986, and later peaked at a position of number five. It was also certified Silver by British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI). According to MTV UK and Ireland
MTV (UK and Ireland)
MTV is a 24-hour general entertainment channel operated by Viacom International Media Networks.The channel was launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localization strategy in 1997. MTV UK was launched on 1 July 1997. The channel was set up to provide audiences with local artists and more relevant...
, the single has sold about 280,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number thirty-five on the Singles chart and later peaked at number nineteen. In Austria, the song reached a peak position of number twenty-eight, while reaching a peak of number twelve in the Netherlands. The song also reached number two in Norway and Sweden, while charting at number eleven in Switzerland. According to Allmusic, "How Will I Know" has sold about one million copies worldwide.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "How Will I Know", directed by Brian Grant
Brian Grant
Brian Wade Grant is a retired American basketball player. He played the power forward and center positions for five teams during 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association. He was known for his tenacious rebounding and blue-collar defense...
, was filmed prior to the release of the single and album. Unlike her previous music videos, Houston was given the opportunity to move beyond the staged performance settings to demonstrate elementary dance moves. The video is set against a strikingly designed, vividly colored setting of video screens and partitions. Houston's hair is dyed a honey color, and is held up by a dazzling colored bow. She is also seen accented by a tight, sleeveless gray dress made of metal mesh, reaching almost to her knees, accessorized with matching arm-bracelets. Houston is also seen interacting with animated dancers, in black outfits and wearing French-style makeup. The video also has a scene of splattering of paint and it's dripping down the screen. Houston's godmother and her family's close friend, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, also makes a cameo on the music video. In 2011, Kyle Anderson of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
wrote that the video was "eye-opening to watch her cut loose in a fun environment," since her previous songs were ballads.
The music video received heavy rotation in music channels like MTV and gave Houston exposure to a wider audience, something which the African-Americans had found difficult to achieve. Also, the video was nominated for two awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New...
, in the categories of Best New Artist in a Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
The MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984...
and Best Female Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work...
, winning the latter.
Live performances
Houston performed the song throughout the entire run of her Greatest Love TourGreatest Love Tour
The Greatest Love World Tour was Whitney Houston's first headlining worldwide tour in support of her multi-platinum debut album, Whitney Houston. The tour started at the Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 26, 1986 and was a 4-month venture...
(1986), Moment of Truth World Tour
Moment of Truth World Tour
The Moment of Truth World Tour was the second worldwide tour by American R&B/Pop singer, Whitney Houston. The tour started in North America during the summer of 1987, following the release of her second album Whitney...
(1987–1988), Feels So Right Japan Tour
Feels So Right Tour
The Feels So Right Tour was the tour in Japan only by singer Whitney Houston. The tour started on January 1, 1990 and ended on January 24, 1990 before the release of her third album I'm Your Baby Tonight.-History:...
(1990), I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour
I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour
The I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour was a concert tour of arenas by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston that included 101 concert dates in North America and Europe in 1991.-History:...
(1991), The Bodyguard World Tour
Whitney Houston 1993-1994 World Tour
-Notes:*On select dates during the 1993 U.S. tour, Whitney peformed two of Diana Ross's classic songs.*At the concert on July 30th in Atlantic City, NJ, she performed "Stormy Weather" as a tribute to Lena Horne, who starred in the 1943 film, Stormy Weather....
(1993–1994), and My Love Is Your Love World Tour
My Love Is Your Love World Tour
-Additional notes:*During opening night, June 22nd in Chicago, IL; after Houston performed "I Will Always Love You" she closed the show with two encore's, "My Love Is Your Love" and "Step by Step"...
(1999). She also recently performed the song on her Nothing but Love World Tour (2009–2010). Apart from the concert tour performances, Houston has performed the song on various other occasions like the Third MTV Video Music Awards
1986 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1986 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 5, 1986, honoring the best music videos from May 2, 1985, to May 1, 1986. The show was hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, and Dweezil Zappa, and it emanated primarily from both The Palladium in New...
(1986), where she sang "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All
Greatest Love of All
"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. The song was later popularized by Whitney Houston. Creed wrote the lyrics in the midst of her struggle with breast cancer...
", Thirteenth Annual American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
(1986), and 1987 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
. On May 15, 1987, during her European promotion for then-new album, Whitney
Whitney (album)
Whitney is the second studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston, released in the United States on June 2, 1987 by Arista Records as the follow-up to her best selling debut album, Whitney Houston. The album met the expectations of many people and was sensationally popular after its...
, Houston sang the song at the Montreux Golden Rose Rock Festival: IM&MC Gala with two other songs, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody " is the first single from Whitney Houston's second studio album Whitney. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously written the number-one Whitney Houston hit "How Will I...
" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go
Where Do Broken Hearts Go
"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is the fourth single from Whitney Houston's second album, Whitney. The ballad was released in February 1988. The song was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson. Wildhorn approached Jackson about the opportunity to write for Whitney Houston...
." She appeared on The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that aired in syndication from 1961 to 1982, distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations.The program featured light banter with...
, taped in Philadelphia, and performed "How Will I Know". On her Moment of Truth World Tour
Moment of Truth World Tour
The Moment of Truth World Tour was the second worldwide tour by American R&B/Pop singer, Whitney Houston. The tour started in North America during the summer of 1987, following the release of her second album Whitney...
, she participated in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was a popular-music concert staged on June 11, 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London and broadcast to 67 countries and an audience of 600 million. It was also referred to as Freedomfest, Free Nelson Mandela Concert and Mandela Day...
and performed the song with other seven songs. She also performed the song on "Welcome Home Heroes
Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston
Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston, was Whitney Houston's first ever solo televised concert and DVD/video release. The DVD/video presents Houston performing live at the Naval Air Station in Norfolk, Virginia on March 31, 1991. The video was originally released on May 14, 1991, and the DVD was...
", a concert dedicated to the US troops, their families, and military and government dignitaries in honor of those returning from the Gulf War, which aired on HBO on March 31, 1991. The concert was taped and later released as a VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
on May 14, 1991. She also performed the song on The Concert for a New South Africa
Whitney: The Concert for a New South Africa
The Whitney - The Concert for a New South Africa was the title of three concerts which American singer Whitney Houston performed in South Africa to honor President Nelson Mandela and to celebrate a newly unified South Africa in November 1994. Her first performance in Durban, Nov. 8 and final one in...
, three concerts to honor President Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, in 1994. Houston later performed the song on the closing ceremonies of the 1994 World Cup along with five of her other songs. In 2000, she performed the song on Arista
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
's 25th Anniversay, along with "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)".
Cover versions
The song has been covered by various other artists. MartikaMartika
Martika is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress. As a singer she released two internationally successful albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over four million copies worldwide.-Early life and career:Martika entered mainstream show business in an uncredited role as one of the...
and Renee Sands
Renee Sands
Renee Ilene Sandstrom , an American singer and actress better known by her stage name, Renee Sands. She is best known for appearing as Renee on the 1980s children's television show Kids Incorporated.-Career:...
covered the song for Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated
Kids Incorporated, is an American children's television program that was produced from 1984 to 1993. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performances as an integral part of each and every storyline....
, in 1986. Hit the Lights covered the song for the extended iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
release of their 2008 album, Skip School Start Fights. New Zealand Idol
New Zealand Idol
NZ Idol, more commonly known as New Zealand Idol, was the New Zealand version of the Idol series originated as the hit British TV series Pop Idol. New Zealand first saw the Idol format when TV2 aired American Idol 2, which garned impressive ratings...
contestant Camillia Temple, covered the song for the "top three" night of the show's first season. It was later covered by The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
contestant Lucie Jones in October 2009 for the show's sixth season. Apart from the covers, the first stanza of the song was sampled in LMC vs. U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's dance song, "Take Me to the Clouds Above
Take Me to the Clouds Above
"Take Me to the Clouds Above" is a song by English Dance Pop group LMC that reached number 1 in the UK for two weeks in February 2004. The song is a cover of Whitney Houston's 1986 hit "How Will I Know" and samples U2's 1987 hit With or Without You"....
".
Track listing
-
- U.S. Vinyl / 7"
- A "How Will I Know" – 4:10
- B "Someone For Me" – 4:57
-
- Germany Vinyl / 12" / Maxi-CD
- A "How Will I Know" (Dance Remix) – 6:35
- B1 "How Will I Know" (Instrumental Version) – 4:42
- B2 "How Will I Know" (LP Version) – 4:28
-
- Germany Vinyl / 12"
- A "How Will I Know (Dance-Mix)" – 6:10
- B1 "Saving All My Love For You" – 3:55
- B2 "How Will I Know" (Dub Mix) – 5:36
Credits and personnel
How Will I Know- George Merrill – writer
- Shannon Rubicam – writerWritingWriting is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
- Narada Michael Walden – writer, vocal producer
- Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
– vocals - Bill Schnee – mixer
- Michael Barbiero – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Cissy HoustonCissy HoustonEmily "Cissy" Houston is a Grammy Award–winning American soul and gospel singer. She led a very successful career as a backup singer for such artists as Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Wishbone Ash and Aretha Franklin, and is now primarily a solo artist...
– background vocals
Someone for Me
- Freddie Washington – writer
- Raymond Jones – writer
- Jermaine JacksonJermaine JacksonJermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, a member of The Jackson 5, older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and occasional film director...
– vocal producer - Bill Schnee – mixer
Chart positions
| Chart (1985/1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (RPM 100 Singles RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
1 |
| Ireland (IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... ) |
3 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1986) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S Black Singles | 29 |
| U.S Dance/Club-Play Singles | 46 |
| U.S Pop Singles | 6 |
Certifications
| Country (Provider) | Certifications |
|---|---|
| Canada (CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... ) |
Gold |
| United States (RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... ) |
Gold |
| United Kingdom (BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... ) |
Silver |
Chart procession and succession
See also
- List of RPM number-one singles of 1986
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1986 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1986 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1986 (U.S.)
External links
- How Will I Know at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...