Fine (Whitney Houston song)

Last updated
"Fine"
Whitney Houston - Fine.jpg
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album Whitney: The Greatest Hits
B-side "Love to Infinity Megamix"
ReleasedSeptember 19, 2000 (2000-09-19)
Studio The Record Plant (Los Angeles)
Genre R&B
Length3:34
Label Arista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"If I Told You That"
(2000)
"Fine"
(2000)
"The Star Spangled Banner"
(2001)
Music video
"Fine" on YouTube

"Fine" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston, and was released as the fourth single from her 2000 compilation album, Whitney: The Greatest Hits , in September 2000.

Contents

Composition

Critical reception

Billboard wrote that "Fine" is "perhaps her most convincing crack at urbanized pop music to date. [Houston] seems to have eased into the chilled soul that propels a street-wise track. She wisely does not give into the temptation to belt and wail her way through the song [...]. Instead, Houston works the more sultry lower register of her voice, saving the big, beautiful notes as a dramatic accent toward the end of the cut." [1] LA Weekly in its review for Whitney: The Greatest Hits wrote that "Only on the stellar R&B track 'Fine' does Whitney stand out. [...] 'Fine' is soulful, funky and tight as hell. And the vocal performance ranks among Whitney's best." [3] The Baltimore Sun wrote that of the new tracks on Whitney: The Greatest Hits, "only the sultry, soulful 'Fine' manages to convey any of the strengths that made Houston a star", and that, "hearing [Houston] work the tune's insistent, retro-funk groove, there's no doubting that she still has what it takes to make hits". [4] CANOE reviewer Jane Stevenson felt that the song "falls flat". [5] The Star-Ledger wrote that the song "grows tiresomely repetitious". [2] According to New Nation the song takes Houston "to even greater heights, changing [her] vocals to a much lower tone, with an added hip-hop bassline". [6] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch called it "a wonderful composition". [7]

Chart performance

"Fine" appeared on the singles charts only in the United States, Sweden, and Canada. [8] [9] [10] The song peaked at number 51 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. [8] In Sweden, it debuted and peaked at number 50, but spent only one week on the chart. [9] In Canada, it peaked at number 39 the week after it debuted and spent a total of four weeks on Nielsen SoundScan's Canadian Singles Chart. [11]

Music video

The music video, directed by Kevin Bray, features Houston at a rooftop cocktail party. In the US, a DVD single was released. It includes the videos for "Fine" and the Houston-George Michael duet "If I Told You That", plus behind-the-scenes footage from the "Fine" video shoot. Houston's then-husband Bobby Brown also appears in the video.

Formats and track listings

  1. "Fine" (radio mix) – 3:34
  2. "Fine" (instrumental) – 3:34
  3. "Fine" (call out hook) – 0:40
  1. "Fine" (album version) – 3:34
  2. "Love to Infinity Megamix" (edit) – 5:17
  3. "Heartbreak Hotel" (R.I.P. mix) – 3:40
  4. "Love to Infinity Megamix" – 9:22
  1. "Fine" (radio edit) – 3:34
  2. "Same Script, Different Cast" (Jonathan Peters radio edit) – 4:20
  3. "Same Script, Different Cast" (Friburn & Urik Cover Your Ears mix) – 10:49
  4. "Fine" (instrumental) – 3:34
  1. "Fine" (album version) – 3:34
  2. "Love to Infinity Megamix" (edit) – 5:17
  1. "Fine" (video)
  2. "If I Told You That" (video)
  3. Behind-the-scenes footage of the "Fine" video shoot

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2001)Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) [18] 39
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [9] 50
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [8] 51

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesSeptember 19, 2000 Arista [19]
September 26, 2000 Rhythmic contemporary radio [20] [21]
SwedenDecember 11, 2000CD
[22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ms. Jackson</span> 2000 single by Outkast

"Ms. Jackson" is a song by the American hip hop duo Outkast, consisting of André 3000 and Big Boi. It was released on October 24, 2000, as the second single from Outkast's fourth album, Stankonia. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week on February 17, 2001, and reached number one in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Rolling Stone ranked it 55th on its "100 Best Songs of the 2000s" list in June 2011 and at number 145 on its "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list in 2021. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 81 on its list of the "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Will I Know</span> 1985 single by Whitney Houston

"How Will I Know" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her self-titled debut studio album. It 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, it was originally intended for pop singer Janet Jackson, who passed on it. Houston then recorded the song with altered lyrics and production from Narada Michael Walden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)</span> 1987 single by Whitney Houston

"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, Whitney (1987). It was released as the lead single from the album on April 28, 1987, by Arista Records. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously collaborated with Houston on "How Will I Know". At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" won for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, marking Houston's second win in the category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Star Spangled Banner (Whitney Houston recording)</span> 1991 single by Whitney Houston

"The Star Spangled Banner" is a charity single recorded by American singer Whitney Houston to raise funds for soldiers and families of those involved in the Persian Gulf War. Written by Francis Scott Key and John Stafford Smith, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The musical arrangement for Houston's rendition was by conductor John Clayton. The recording was produced by music coordinator Rickey Minor, along with Houston herself. The recording was included in the 2014 CD/DVD release, Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances and the US edition of the 2000 release, Whitney: The Greatest Hits.

<i>I Have Nothing</i> 1993 single by Whitney Houston

"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer and actress Whitney Houston, released on February 20, 1993 as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album (1992) by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wifey (song)</span> 2000 single by Next

"Wifey" is a song by American R&B trio Next. The song was written by Eddie Berkeley, Keir Gist, band member Robert "RL" Huggar, and singer Lil' Mo for the group's second studio album, Welcome II Nextasy (2000). The song was released as the album's lead single on May 8, 2000. "Wifey" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart while reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. It also entered the top 20 in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In 2001, the song won an AWARD Rhythm & Soul Award for in the Award-Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Songs category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Give Good Love</span> 1985 single by Whitney Houston

"You Give Good Love" is the debut solo single by American singer Whitney Houston for her 1985 eponymous debut studio album. It was written by La Forrest 'La La' Cope and produced by Kashif. When La La sent Kashif a copy of the song, originally offered to Roberta Flack, he thought it would be a better fit for Houston and told Arista Records he would be interested in recording with her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Girls</span> 1999 single by LFO

"Summer Girls" is a song by American pop group LFO. It was released on June 29, 1999, as the lead single from their debut album, LFO (1999). "Summer Girls" reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 2010, Billboard magazine named it the 14th-biggest summer song of all time. In 2019, Billboard also ranked the song the 43rd-greatest song of 1999. This was the band's first single to feature Devin Lima as a member of the group after original member Brian "Brizz" Gillis left the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth (Santana song)</span> 1999 single by Santana

"Smooth" is a song performed by American rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, who sings the lead vocals. It was released on June 15, 1999, as the lead single from Santana's 1999 studio album, Supernatural. It was written by Itaal Shur and Thomas, who re-wrote Shur's original melody and lyrics, and produced by Matt Serletic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Most Girls (Pink song)</span> 2000 single by Pink

"Most Girls" is a song by American singer Pink, released as the second single from her debut album, Can't Take Me Home (2000). It was released on June 6, 2000, and, after spending 16 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaked at number four on November 25. The song also reached number one in Australia, where it was certified platinum, number two in Canada and New Zealand, and number five in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dear Lie</span> 1999 single by TLC

"Dear Lie" is a song by American group TLC. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and band member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins for the trio's third studio album FanMail (1999), featuring production by Edmonds. The song was released as the album's third and final single on December 6, 1999, peaking at number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching the top 40 in several other countries. "Dear Lie" is included on the group's 2009 compilation album, We Love TLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Love Is Your Love (song)</span> 1999 single by Whitney Houston

"My Love Is Your Love" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. It was written and produced by Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis for Houston’s fourth studio album of the same name (1998). Released on May 31, 1999, as the album's fourth single, it received positive reviews and was successful worldwide, hitting the top 10 in 23 international markets. The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two in the United Kingdom, and number one in New Zealand and Poland. It was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One of Those Days</span> 2002 single by Whitney Houston

"One of Those Days" is a song by American recording artist Whitney Houston, from her fifth studio album Just Whitney (2002). Written by Whitney Houston herself, Kevin Briggs, Dwight Renolds, Patrice Stewart, Ernest Isley, Marvin Isley, Christopher Jasper, Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, and Rudolph Isley, and produced by Briggs, the song was released as the second single from the album, following the lead single "Whatchulookinat", on October 29, 2002 through Arista Records. A mid-tempo R&B track, "One of Those Days" samples The Isley Brothers' song "Between the Sheets" (1983), and its lyrics speak about getting away from the stress of daily life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartbreak Hotel (Whitney Houston song)</span> 1998 single by Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price

"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. Originally written for inclusion on TLC's third studio album FanMail, it was later recorded by Houston after TLC rejected the song. The song was written by Carsten Schack, Kenneth Karlin and Tamara Savage, and produced by Soulshock & Karlin. It was released on December 15, 1998, by Arista Records, as the second single from Houston's 1998 album My Love Is Your Love. The song prominently features R&B singers Faith Evans and Kelly Price during the choruses and bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Here with Me (Dido song)</span> 1999 single by Dido

"Here with Me" is the debut single of English singer-songwriter Dido. It was the first single she released from her 1999 debut studio album, No Angel. The song was written about her then-boyfriend Bob Page. The single was released on 17 May 1999 in the United States but was not released in the United Kingdom until February 2001, serving as Dido's debut single in her home country. In other territories, it was issued as the album's second single, following "Thank You". Shortly after its release, "Here with Me" was used as the theme song for the American science fiction television programme Roswell (1999–2002).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sittin' Up in My Room</span> 1995 single by Brandy

"Sittin' Up in My Room" is a song by American recording artist Brandy. It was written and produced by Babyface and recorded by Norwood for the soundtrack of the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale, starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The song was among five of the album's singles and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, seeing Norwood's furthest commercial success on the chart at that time. The bass intro is similar to that of the riff performed by bassist Larry Graham, of Sly and the Family Stone, on their hit "Thank You ", and its remix featuring LL Cool J contains a sample of "Haven't You Heard" by Patrice Rushen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swear It Again</span> 1999 single by Westlife

"Swear It Again" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. The ballad was released on 19 April 1999 in the United Kingdom as the first single from their debut album, Westlife (1999). The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks, giving Westlife their first of 14 UK number-one singles. "Swear It Again" is Westlife's only single to have charted in the US, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and ranking number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girl on TV</span> 1999 single by LFO

"Girl on TV" is a song written and performed by American boy band LFO. It was released in November 1999 from their debut album, LFO (1999). The song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number six in the United Kingdom, where it is their highest-charting hit. "Girl on TV" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 1999 for the shipment of over 500,000 copies in the US. This was the band's first single to feature Devin Lima on lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Need a Girl (Part One)</span> 2002 single by P. Diddy

"I Need a Girl (Part One)" is a single by American rapper P. Diddy featuring Usher and Loon from the album We Invented the Remix. In 2004, the song was featured on the Bad Boys compilation R&B Hits. Along with "I Need a Girl (Part Two)", P. Diddy achieved a rare occurrence by having two parts of a song become chart hits. Part one peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart. It also charted on the UK Singles Chart at number four. The song was ranked number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart in 2002. The song contains a chord progression played on a Roland JV-1080 sound module, using a patch named "Flying Waltz".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying at the Discoteque</span> 2000 single by Alcazar

"Crying at the Discoteque" is a song by Swedish band Alcazar from their debut studio album, Casino (2000). The track samples Sheila and B. Devotion's 1979 hit "Spacer". Alexander Bard produced the song and can be heard in the middle of this song. Released in April 2000, "Crying at the Discoteque" became Alcazar's first international hit single the following year, reaching number one in Hungary and the top 10 in Flanders, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland.

References

  1. 1 2 "Billboard magazine – Reviews & Previews – p.24". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. September 2, 2000. Retrieved August 13, 2012. (Transcription of original at Classic-Whitney.com)
  2. 1 2 Lustig, Jay (May 16, 2000). "The greatest hits of all, but the remix is just so-so". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 18 April 2014. (Full review available at Classic-Whitney.com)
  3. Hardy, Ernest (Jun 28, 2000). "Saving It". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  4. J. D. Considine (May 25, 2000). "Whitney Houston The Greatest Hits". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  5. Stevenson, Jane. "Album Review: Whitney's greatest hits and misses". CANOE - JAM!. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. "allwhitney.com - Whitney Houston album reviews". Whfan.free.fr. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  7. Johnson, Kevin C. (June 25, 2000). "Whitney Houston "The Greatest Hits," Arista Records". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 19 April 2014. (Full review available at Classic-Whitney.com)
  8. 1 2 3 "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 "Whitney Houston – Fine". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
  10. "Top 50 Singles". Jam! . Archived from the original on March 21, 2001. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  11. "Top 50 Singles". Jam! . Archived from the original on March 21, 2001. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  12. Fine (CD Single). Whitney Houston. US: Arista. 2000. ARPCD-3845.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. Fine (Maxi-Single). Whitney Houston. EU: Arista. 2000. 74321 82188 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Fine (CD-Single). Whitney Houston. EU: Arista. 2001. 74321-84665-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. Fine (Card Sleeve Single). Whitney Houston. EU: Arista. 2000. 74321 82189 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. Fine (DVD). Whitney Houston. US: Arista. 2000. 13920-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. 1 2 Whitney: The Greatest Hits (Album). Whitney Houston. Europe: Arista, BMG. 2000. 74321 75895 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. "Top 50 Singles". Jam! . Archived from the original on March 21, 2001. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  19. "Going for Adds / Advance Notice". Radio & Records . No. 1368. September 15, 2000. pp. 152, 162.
  20. "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report . No. 2322. September 15, 2000. p. 10.
  21. "CHR/Rhythmic: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1369. September 15, 2000. p. 109.
  22. "Whitney Houston: Fine". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on January 13, 2003. Retrieved November 29, 2023.