How Will I Know

Infobox Single
Name = How Will I Know


Artist = Whitney Houston
from Album = Whitney Houston
B-side =
Released = November 1985
Format = CD single
Cassette single
7" single
Recorded = 1985
Genre = Soul, R&B
Length = 4:36
Label = Arista Records
Writer = George Merrill
Shannon Rubicam
Producer = Narada Michael Walden
Certification =
Chart position =
* #1 (USA)
* #2 (Australia)
* #5 (UK)
* #21 (Germany)
Last single = "Saving All My Love for You"
(1985)
This single = "How Will I Know"
(1985)
Next single = "Greatest Love of All"
(1986)

"How Will I Know" is the third hit 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 is an electric dance tune about the singer wondering if a guy she likes feels the same way about her. The song helped introduce Houston to the MTV generation and became her third hit from the album.

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 as well, climbing to number one on the Adult Contemporary and on 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, 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.

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 and animated paint dripping down the screen. 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.

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".
*"Hit the Lights covered the song with their extended iTunes release of Skip School Start Fights in 2008

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