I'm Every Woman

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"I'm Every Woman"
Standard picture sleeve (US release pictured)
Single by Chaka Khan
from the album Chaka
B-side"A Woman in a Man's World"
ReleasedSeptember 26, 1978
RecordedMay 17, 1978
GenreDisco[1]
Length
  • 4:07 (album version)
  • 3:42 (single edit)
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Arif Mardin
Chaka Khan singles chronology
"I'm Every Woman"
(1978) 		"Life Is a Dance"
(1978)
Music video
"I'm Every Woman" on
YouTube

"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan, released in September 1978 by Warner Bros. as her debut solo single from her first album, Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album, Masterjam, was released in late 1979.

The track was remixed and re-released in 1989 for Khan's remix album

UK Singles Chart
.

Chart performance

In the United States, "I'm Every Woman" reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Hot Soul Singles,[2] and number thirty on the disco chart.[3] In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number eleven.

Music video

A music video was produced for Khan's version of "I'm Every Woman" at a time when the value of promotional films was increasing. The video, which features five dancing Chakas dressed in various outfits to represent "every woman", was made a few years before the onset of mainstream coverage of "

BET
.

Impact and legacy

Rolling Stone ranked "I’m Every Woman" number 27 in their list of "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time" in 2022.[4]

Credits and personnel

  • Lead and background vocals by Chaka Khan
  • Background vocals by Will Lee and Hamish Stuart
  • Produced by Arif Mardin
  • Drums by Steve Ferrone
  • Bass by Will Lee
  • Guitars by Hamish Stuart and Phil Upchurch
  • Piano by Richard Tee
  • Engineer by James Douglass

Charts

Chart (1978–1979) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 27
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 20
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 16
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] 15
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[11]
 11
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 21
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[3] 30
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] 1
Chart (1989) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 20
Europe (
Eurochart Hot 100)[15]
 31
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 9
UK Singles (OCC)[17]
 8

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18]
Sales since November 14, 2004 		Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Whitney Houston version

"I'm Every Woman"
David Cole
  • Robert Clivillés
    • Whitney Houston singles chronology
    "I Will Always Love You"
    (1992)     		"I'm Every Woman"
    (1993)     		"I Have Nothing"
    (1993)
    Music video
    "I'm Every Woman" on
    YouTube

    American singer and actress

    David Cole and Robert Clivillés from C+C Music Factory. It was released as Houston's second single from the soundtrack on January 2, 1993, by Arista Records. Her version adds the introduction "Whatever you want, whatever you need..." where Houston contributed to the song. Randee St. Nicholas directed the music video for the song, featuring a pregnant Houston. A live performance of "I'm Every Woman" was included in the 1999 release Divas Live '99 as a duet with Chaka Khan. A 1994 performance was included on the 2014 CD and DVD release, Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances.[21]

    Release

    When "I'm Every Woman" was released, Houston's preceding single, "

    Hot Dance Club Play chart,[23] reached number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[24] and cracked the top 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. Houston's cover was also a bigger international hit than the original version as it peaked within the top 5 in the UK and several other countries, and the top 20 in France, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. Contrary to popular belief, Houston did not perform backing vocals on Khan's original 1978 version. Chaka Khan confirmed this in an interview with Lester Holt in 2012.[25]
    As a tribute to her, however, Houston proclaims Khan's name towards the end of the song.

    Critical reception

    urban pop song "that skillfully capture[s] Houston at her best."[26] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Utilizing the original version's instantly recognizable vocal arrangement, Houston belts with unbridled confidence and power."[27] Randy Clark from Cash Box declared it as a "dance-inspired tune", noting its "discotheque feel and obvious dance floor appeal". He added, "Although Whitney is the strongest aspect of this song, the combination of her voice and the house jam should launch this track high onto various charts and playlists alike."[28] Entertainment Weekly's Amy Linden praised the cover as "triumphant". She explained, "To take on another diva's material requires the female equivalent of cojones, and Houston (wisely) doesn't muck around with the original's overall tone or arrangement. But she sure does it justice, even adding a sly Chaka shout-out as the cut fades."[29]

    Alan Jones from

    NME said her "Whitney-ed version" is "well over the top and she carries it decently, but lacks the real soul to give it punch."[31] Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote, "Though not as exuberantly sexy as the original, her version [...] is a respectable imitation."[32] A writer from Rolling Stone called it an overwrought remake and added that Whitney undermined her soul roots.[33] USA Today complimented the song, "She adds surprises: Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" becomes sweaty house music."[34]

    Music video

    The accompanying music video for "I'm Every Woman" was directed by Randee St. Nicholas, and features a very pregnant Houston performing the song, while scenes from

    Grammy Award nomination in 1994 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The video was later made available on Houston's official YouTube channel in 2009 and had generated more than 96 million views as of December 2024.[35]

    Track listings and formats

    Credits and personnel

    Charts

    Certifications and sales

    Region Certification Certified units/sales
    Australia (ARIA)[80] Gold 35,000^
    United Kingdom (BPI)[98] Silver 200,000‡
    United States (RIAA)[99] Platinum 1,000,000‡

    ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
    ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

    France + 50.000

    Release history

    Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
    United States January 2, 1993
    • 7-inch vinyl
    • 12-inch vinyl
    • CD
    • cassette
    		 Arista [citation needed]
    Sweden January 11, 1993 CD [100]
    United Kingdom February 8, 1993
    • 7-inch vinyl
    • 12-inch vinyl
    • CD
    • cassette
    		 [101]
    Japan March 24, 1993 Mini-CD [102]

    Other versions

    After the popularity of the Whitney Houston version,

    fifth season of American Idol by Mandisa, and put on the album American Idol Season 5: Encores.[105] Country pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift also recorded the song when she was trying to get a record label.[106]

    See also

    References

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