"How Will I Know" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her self-titled debut studio album. The song was released on November 22, 1985, by Arista Records as the album's third single. Originally written and composed by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, the song was originally intended for R&B singer Janet Jackson, but she passed on it. Houston then recorded the song with altered lyrics and production from Narada Michael Walden. The lyrics speak about the protagonist trying to discern if a boy she likes will ever like her back.
"How Will I Know" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. It became Houston's second number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1986, spending two weeks atop the chart and also became her first chart topper on the Canadian RPM Top 100 Singles chart. It also reached top 10 positions in Australia, Sweden, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom, and top 20 positions in the Netherlands, New Zealand and Switzerland.
Initially, songwriters George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam had written the song's demo in 1984 for R&B singer Janet Jackson, employed by A&M Records executive, John McClain.[1] 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 his 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."[1] 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 album at the time, felt the song perfectly matched her sound. He soon contacted Andrews and the song's two writers and prompted that they should give up the song to him for Houston's debut album.[1] Griffith described his discovery of the song and what he and Clive Davis 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."[1]
After getting permission to use the song from Merrill, Griffith quickly turned to Narada Michael Walden, who was producing for Aretha Franklin, material for her album Who's Zoomin' Who?, at the time.[1] After getting in touch with Walden, Griffith frantically prompted him to produce the song, describing how important the song would be for Houston's upcoming 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. Distracted by his request, Merrill and Rubicam denied him the right to their song.[1] After a lot of 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 in late 1984. Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother, joined her daughter to perform the song's background vocals. Griffith stated:
"I asked Whitney to sing on 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!"[1]
"How Will I Know" is a synth-funk[3] and dance-pop[4][5] song composed in a 1980s dance beat.[6] According to Kyle Anderson of MTV, the song found Houston hitting an "incredible groove".[7] It is written in the key of G flat major.[6] The beat is set the time signature of common time and moves at a fast tempo of 120 beats per minute.[6] The song also has the sequence of G♭-B♭m7-G♭/C♭-D♭-E♭m-D♭ as its chord progression.[6] Houston's vocals in the song span from the note of D♭4 to the high note of G5.[6] Lyrically, the song speaks about the lead woman trying to discern whether a man she likes will ever like her back.[8] She is also hesitant, because her friends tell her "love can be deceiving", and she is so shy that she cannot call him.[8] Later, she feels that it might be a dream, but realizes that "there's no mistaking", and that what she feels is really love.[8]
Critical reception
"How Will I Know" mainly garnered positive reviews from music critics, with some noting it as a standout on the album.[9] Don Shewey of Rolling Stone commented "Although it's awfully reminiscent of the Pointer Sisters' 'He's So Shy', 'How Will I Know' is still irresistibly danceable."[10]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'."[9] While reviewing the Deluxe Anniversary Edition of the album, Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly commented on the a cappella 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."[11] 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."[12] Dave Rimmer of Smash Hits considered that "this dreary bit of disco isn't anywhere near as good" as "Saving All My Love for You", adding that it "sounds positively snoozeworthy, in fact".[13] The song was voted number 12 in VH1's List of Greatest Songs of the 1980s.[14][15]
Commercial performance
"How Will I Know" debuted at number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100, on the December 7, 1985, issue.[16] Nine weeks later, it peaked at number one on the issue dated February 15, 1986, becoming Houston's second number-one single on that chart.[1] It displaced Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick's "That's What Friends Are For", and was displaced by Mr. Mister's "Kyrie".[1] It stayed on the peak for two weeks.[1] The single also debuted on the BillboardHot Black Singles chart at number 60 and later peaked at number one, a peak it maintained for one week.[16] On the issue dated January 25, 1986, "How Will I Know" entered the BillboardDance Club Songs chart at number 30 and later peaked at number three on the February 22, 1986, issue.[16] It also peaked at number one on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart.[16] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single Gold on December 6, 1985, for shipments of 500,000 copies or more, and later Double Platinum, for an equivalent sales of 2,000,000 units.[17] It ranked at number six on the Billboard year-end chart. In Canada, the single debuted at number 80 on the RPM Top 100 Singles chart on the issue dated December 14, 1985.[18] It later peaked at number one on the week dated March 1, 1986, becoming Houston's first number-one single in Canada.[19] It was later certified Gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on May 1, 1986, for shipments of 200,000 copies or more.[20]
The single performed well in other countries. In United Kingdom, it debuted at number 36, during the week of January 25, 1986, and later peaked at a position of number five.[21] It was also certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[22] According to MTV UK and Ireland, the single has sold about 280,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[23] In New Zealand, the single debuted at number 35 and later peaked at number 19.[24] In Austria, the single reached a peak position of number 28,[24] while reaching a peak of number 12 in the Netherlands.[24] It also reached number two in Norway and Sweden, while charting at number 11 in Switzerland.[24] According to AllMusic, "How Will I Know" has sold about 1.5 million copies worldwide.[25]
In Australia, "How Will I Know" was released as the first single from the album in March 1985.[26] It spent a single week in the Kent Music Report chart at number 97 in July 1985,[27] before re-entering the chart in February 1986, eventually peaking at number two.[28]
Music video
The accompanying music video for "How Will I Know", directed by British director Brian Grant and choreographed by Arlene Phillips,[29] was filmed before the release of the single and album.[30] Unlike her past music videos, Houston was given the opportunity to move beyond the staged performance settings to demonstrate straightforward dance moves.[30] The music video is set against a strikingly designed, vividly colored setting of video screens and partitions.[30] Houston's hair is dyed honey blonde and is worn by a dazzling colored hairbow.[30] She is also seen underlined by a form-fitting silver dress made of metal mesh, reaching almost to her knees, adorned with matching fingerless gloves.[30][31] Houston is also seen reaching out with backup dancers, in black outfits and wearing French-style makeup.[31] The music video also has a scene of splattering of paint and drizzling down the screen.[31] Houston's labelmate and family friend Aretha Franklin also makes a black-and-white cameo appearance in the otherwise colorful music video.[31] In 2011, Kyle Anderson of MTV wrote that the video was "eye-opening to watch her cut loose in a fun environment", since her past songs were ballads.[7]
In 2021, French DJ David Guetta teamed up with British DJ MistaJam and singer John Newman to release a dance track based on an interpolation of "How Will I Know".[100] Now called "If You Really Love Me (How Will I Know)", the song charted in the UK, reaching No. 66 in the Top 75 (for the week ending August 5, 2021) after amassing a sales total of 7,018 units.[101][102] The song became the fourth entry on that week's chart for Guetta (though the only single out of the four chart hits where he took lead artist credit) and the first chart credit for Newman since "Give Me Your Love" with Sigala and Nile Rodgers in 2016.
^How Will I Know (7" vinyl). Whitney Houston. Arista. 1985. AS1-9434.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^How Will I Know (12" vinyl). Whitney Houston. Arista. 1985. 607 952.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^How Will I Know (12" vinyl). Whitney Houston. Arista. 1985. 602 126.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^How Will I Know (CD single). Whitney Houston. BMG Victor Inc. 1988. A10D-102.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 202140 into search. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
