The song is an uptempo new jack swing number in which Houston harshly tells off a lover who has mistakenly called her by his ex-girlfriend's name "Susan". She lets him know that if he cannot get over Susan,then their relationship is over.
The music video for the song was directed by Lionel C. Martin and inspired by the 1958 film Vertigo. At the time,the song's modest chart reception made it the first leading Houston single in her career to not reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100[a],but still reached number 20 on the chart while continuing Houston's nearly interrupted streak of top ten singles on the R&B chart,where it reached number eight. In the UK,it peaked at number 29.[6] It was also a top 20 hit in Ireland and Finland.
A remix featuring British rapper Monie Love was also released,becoming one of the first times a pop/R&B artist had included a rapper in a remix,following Janet Jackson's "Alright",which remix featured Heavy D the year previous.[7]
In a retrospective review, Matthew Hocter from Albumism noted the "fresh vibe", describing the song as "thumping".[8] Upon the release, J.D. Considine of The Baltimore Sun felt it was "emotionless", adding, "(Whitney) has no trouble navigating a state-of-the-art funk groove (as with the new jack "My Name Is Not Susan"), she's mainly going through the motions; there's absolutely nothing in her performance to suggest that she was even the slightest bit moved by these songs."[9]Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "After several ballads, Houston jacks it up on a percolating jam that features one of her more assertive vocals."[10] Henderson and DeVaney from Cashbox stated, "This high-tech, funky, L.A. & Babyface-produced cut isn't nearly as pop as some of Houston's material."[11]
Entertainment Weekly editor David Browne panned it, writing that "in what could be seen as an audition for her pending movie career, Houston gets to act angry on My Name Is Not Susan, in which she scolds a bedmate for calling out the name of an ex-flame in his sleep."[12] Pan-European magazine Music & Media described it as a "pacey pop/dance track boasting a snappy chorus."[4]Rolling Stone's James Hunter noted that Houston "stipulates in no uncertain terms" in this song vocally.[13] Caroline Sullivan from Smash Hits commented, "And not only are her lyrics more adult, the music is the toughest she's come up with yet. Of course, being Whitney, that means it's still fairly sugar-sweet, but this is a most enjoyable record."[14]
Chart performance
"My Name Is Not Susan" performed moderately well on the charts in the countries it charted. In the US, it debuted at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of July 27, 1991 and peaked at number 20 on September 7 in its eighth week. It would become Houston's 15th top 20 hit on the chart. It dropped out of the charts after ten cumulative weeks in total, at the time, Houston's shortest showing on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent six of its ten weeks inside the top 40. It fared better on the Hot R&B Singles chart, where it reached its peak of number eight on September 21. Its tenure on the R&B chart lasted 14 cumulative weeks. On the Cash Box charts, its peaks there were number 27 and 9 on their pop and R&B charts respectively. The song also briefly charted on the Adult Contemporary Singles chart, peaking at number 44, Houston's second lowest peak in that chart's history (her rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner", which also charted that year, was the lowest at number 48).[15] It was among one of writer Eric Foster White's first chart hits. Around the same time, he had also made the charts with R&B group Hi-Five's pop-soul ballad, "I Can't Wait Another Minute", to which he also produced.
Globally, the song received an even more modest reception. In Canada, the song missed the top 40 entirely, reaching number 43, becoming Houston's lowest-charting single at the time. In Australia, it peaked at number 118. The song fared better in European countries: besides a peak of 43 in Belgium, it peaked at number 14 each in Finland and Ireland, in Luxembourg, it peaked at number 18. The song barely missed the top 20 on the Netherlands' Dutch Top 40 at number 22 while its peak on the country's Single Top 100 was number 28. In the UK, it also performed modestly well, peaking at number 25 on its official singles chart, while peaking at number 25 on its dance chart. It charted twice in Germany, initially peaking at number 57. Seven years later, in 1998, a remixed version of the song (remixed by Snap! in 1991 as the '70s Flange Mix), sent the song to a new peak at number 52.
Live performances
Houston performed the song on her 1991 I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour. Three different performances of the song were taped; in Yokohama, Japan on March 15, 1991; Oakland, California on May 11, 1991; and A Coruña, Spain on September 29, 1991. The Yokohama concert was broadcast on a Japanese TV channel and the show in Oakland was aired during The Simple Truth: A Concert for Kurdish Refugees, a telethon held to aid the Kurds on May 12, 1991.[16] She also performed the song on Welcome Home Heroes, broadcast live on HBO, March 31, 1991. This performance can be found on the video: Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston ― Live in Concert. (check the performance on YouTube) At the 19th American Music Awards of 1992, Houston performed the remixed version of the song as a part of "I'm Your Baby Tonight Medley," along with "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "Who Do You Love." In addition, she performed the song on The Concert for a New South Africa, the first of three concerts was aired live on HBO in November 1994, and on a private gig to celebrate for the wedding of Princess Rashidah, the eldest daughter of the Sultan of Brunei on August 24, 1996.
Music video
In the song's accompanying music video directed by American music video director, film director and VJ Lionel C. Martin, Houston is featured playing both herself and a character named "Susan".
The video is inspired by several elements in the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo, both containing a man involved with an obsessive love for both a glamorous blonde and down-to-earth brunette played by the same actress.
Several specific scenes that are parallel include a visit to a park, dining in a restaurant, and the photographer's buying clothes for the girl, having her hair also dyed blonde, and the way she emerges from the bathroom. The boyfriend, who is a photographer may have been suggested by another Hitchcock film, Rear Window. The video featured guest appearances by heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, who was a friend of Houston's, and British rapper Monie Love. Later, the rap remix version of the video, which featured Love performing her rap, aired on BET. Outtakes from the video and alternate footage were reused for the video to the follow-up single "I Belong to You".
The video was uploaded to Houston's YouTube channel twice, first in its "rap remix" version in October 2009 and in its original "non-rap" version in September 2013. Both videos accumulated a combined 5.8 million views on the platform becoming her second lowest-viewed music video in the I'm Your Baby Tonight era.[17]
Legacy and accolades
The remix of the single featuring British female rapper Monie Love marked one of the earliest examples of a contemporary pop and R&B artist adding a remix with a rapper before the practice became commonplace. [7] In their list of 15 essential Whitney Houston songs, the A.V. Club ranked the song tenth place, writing that Houston was "blending genres and breaking new ground in the project."[7]
In their list of forty best Whitney Houston songs, BET ranked it 37th place.[18]
Track listings and formats
UK, CD maxi-single
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell 7") — 4:08
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Breakthrough Mix) — 7:45
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Album Edit) — 4:37
Germany, CD maxi-single (The Remixes)
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell Alternate Mix) — 7:40
"My Name Is Not Susan" (L.A. Reid & Babyface Remix) — 5:56
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell Straight Mix) — 6:17
UK, Germany, CD maxi-single
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell 7") — 4:08
"My Name Is Not Susan" ('70's Flange Mix) — 5:34
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Logic Remix Extended) — 5:39
"My Name Is Not Susan" (Ambiente Mix) — 5:08
US, 12" vinyl
A1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Extended Mix) — 5:56
A2: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Dub) — 4:28
B1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Extended U.K. Mix) — 6:16
B2: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Alternate U.K. Mix) — 7:40
Germany, 12" vinyl maxi-single
A1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell Straight Mix) — 6:17
A2: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell Alternate Mix) — 7:40
B1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (L.A. Reid & Babyface Remix) — 5:56
B2: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Instrumental Edit) — 5:19
B3: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Dub) — 4:28
UK, 12" vinyl
A: "My Name Is Not Susan" (The Breakthrough Mix)
B1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (The Upbeat Cut Mix)
B2: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Waddell 7" Mix)
Australia, 12" vinyl maxi-single
A1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Logic Remix Extended)
A2: "My Name Is Not Susan" ('70's Flange Mix)
B1: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Album Edit)
B2: "My Name Is Not Susan" (Ambiente Mix)
Notes "Logic Remix" is named the "Bellydance Mix" on some vinyl releases. "Waddell Straight Mix", "Extended U.K. Mix" and "The Upbeat Cut Mix" are the same mix with alternate names. "Waddell Alternate Mix" , "Breakthrough Mix" and "Alternate U.K. Mix" are the same mix.
Credits and personnel
Vocal arrangement: L.A. Reid, Babyface and Whitney Houston
Background vocals: Whitney Houston
Donald Parks: Keyboard programming
Kayo: Bass
Rhythm arrangement: L.A. Reid and Babyface
Additional production and remix: John Waddell
Babyface: Keyboards
L.A. Reid: Drums, percussion
Recording and mixing
Recorded at Elumba Recording (Los Angeles, California)
"Whatta Man", a song that includes the lyric "he knows that my name is not Susan"
Notes
↑ Houston was a featured duet partner in songs performed by Teddy Pendergrass and Aretha Franklin that charted below the top 40 in 1984 and 1989 respectively.
References
↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 22, 1991. p.19.
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