I Belong to You (Whitney Houston song)

"I Belong to You"
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album I'm Your Baby Tonight
B-side"One Moment in Time"
ReleasedOctober 18, 1991 (U.S.)
Genre
Length5:30
  • 4:38 (Video Edit)
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Narada Michael Walden[2]
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"My Name Is Not Susan"
(1991) 		"I Belong to You"
(1991) 		"We Didn't Know"
(1992)
Licensed audio
"I Belong To You" on YouTube

"I Belong to You" is a 1991 song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990). It was written by Derek Bramble and Franne Golde, produced by Narada Michael Walden, and was released on October 18, 1991, as the album's fifth single by Arista Records. "I Belong to You" was a Top 10 hit on the US Billboard R&B chart, and also charted in the UK and the Netherlands. The song garnered Houston a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 35th Grammy Awards (1993).[3]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that Houston "delivers a mature and restrained vocal within a lush, urban-angled swing/R&B arrangement." He noted its "contagious chorus".[4] A reviewer from Music & Media said that "the hip hop-shaped beat is more raw than the melody line, reminiscent of Beats International's 'Dub Be Good to Me'. Vintage Houston."[5]

Alan Jones from Music Week viewed it as "a pleasant but unexceptional soul shuffle".[6] James Hunter of Rolling Stone commented that the song "acts out its claim in a penthouse bedroom", and described its production by Narada Michael Walden as "high-end grooves accented by pinballing counterrhythms."[2]

Music video

The music video for "I Belong to You" features some shots from "My Name Is Not Susan", that are extended and/or unreleased in the video to that song.[citation needed] Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was featured in the video and was also featured in "My Name is Not Susan" as well. The video also includes footage from Houston's I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour (1991).

Track listings and formats

Charts

Chart (1991–1992) Peak
position
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 79
UK Singles (OCC)[11] 54
UK Dance (Music Week)[12] 57
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] 10

Personnel

Credits
  • Lead vocals, backing vocals, vocal arrangement — Whitney Houston
  • Producer, arranger — Narada Michael Walden
  • Additional production and remix — John Waddell
  • Post production and remix — Shep Pettibone
  • Executive producer — Clive Davis

References

  1. ^ Ashley, Battel. "Whitney Houston - I'm Your Baby Tonight". Allmusic. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Hunter, James (January 10, 1991). "Album Review: 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' - Whitney Houston". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  3. ^ "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female - The 35th Annual Grammy Awards (1992)". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  4. ^ Flick, Larry (November 2, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 87. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  5. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. October 19, 1991. p. 13. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Jones, Alan (September 28, 1991). "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "Whitney Houston - I Belong to You (1991, Vinyl)".
  8. ^ "Whitney Houston - I Belong to You (CD Single)".
  9. ^ "Whitney Houston - I Belong to You (Vinyl)".
  10. ^ "Whitney Houston – I Belong To You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  11. ^ "Whitney Houston: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  12. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. September 28, 1991. p. 24. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  13. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.