I Learned from the Best explained

I Learned from the Best
Cover:Whitney Houston - I Learned From The Best.png
Border:yes
Caption:International CD single cover
Type:single
Artist:Whitney Houston
Album:My Love Is Your Love
B-Side:You'll Never Stand Alone
Genre:
Length:
  • 4:20
  • 3:56 (radio edit)
Label:Arista
Producer:David Foster
Prev Title:My Love Is Your Love
Prev Year:1999
Next Title:Same Script, Different Cast
Next Year:2000

"I Learned from the Best" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston. The ballad, written by Diane Warren, was released as the fifth and final single from Houston's fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love (1998), in November 1999. When released, it peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Dance remixes of the song by Hex Hector and Junior Vasquez topped the US dance chart for three weeks. Houston gained another top 20 hit on the UK Singles Chart with this song, where it peaked at number 19. The song also topped the charts in Romania.

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from music critics. Nekesa Mumbi Moody from Associated Press said it "sound decent with her pipes".[1] Billboard constated that it is "a song that has most-added stamped all over it," writing further, "Written by the ultimate pop/R&B scribe of the 1990s, Diane Warren, this gorgeous ballad will take fans old and new to that sacred territory that Whitney established back in the years of classics like "Saving All My Love for You" and "All the Man That I Need". But make no mistake; the Houston of today is a fully seasoned, well-traveled diva, leaving the wannabes in scattered remains with this spine-chilling performance. You'll be throwing your hands in the air over the wisdom she's gained in this tale of the strong woman who's breaking bad with her lessons about heartbreak. Producer/arranger David Foster, meanwhile, puts forth all that he's learned in the past two decades with a forceful instrumental package that borrows from his days of commandeering the horns-heavy Chicago through its comeback in the early 1980s. The three together—Houston, Warren, and Foster—simply can't miss in this stellar effort that brings together the best of their talents".[2]

Sonia Murray from Cox News Service viewed the song as a "by-the-numbers big ballad".[3] Henrik Bæk from Danish Gaffa noted it as a "typical Whitney ballad".[4] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel described it as a "classy David Foster-produced" song, and added that Houston is "predictably stately".[5] Christopher Tkaczyk from The Michigan Daily said in his review of My Love Is Your Love, that the song a "heart-racing R&B track".[6] Sun-Sentinel picked the song as the "one truly satisfying song" on the album, noting it as "an unassuming ballad".[7]

Release and chart performance

"I Learned from the Best" became the fifth and final single to be released from the album. In the United Kingdom, it was issued on November 29, 1999,[8] while in the United States, it was released in 2000. The song debuted at number eighty-three on the Hot 100 and peaked at number twenty-seven.[9] [10] It reached the number thirteen on the Hot R&B Singles & Tracks.[11] According to the Nielsen SoundScan, the single sold 500,000 units in the United States and certified Gold. Outside the US, it was not as successful as the previous singles from the album. The single reached the number three in Iceland, the number six in Finland, the number eight in Spain,[12] the number ten in Hungary and the number nineteen in the United Kingdom with 95,000 copies sold.[13] [14] Besides, it went to the top forty in the Netherlands,[15] Sweden,[16] and Switzerland.[17]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "I Learned from the Best", directed by Kevin Bray, features Houston giving a concert performance of the song to a small intimate audience, as a man—presumably the ex-lover referenced in the song—watches with regret. It was filmed in Cologne, Germany, Oct. 1999, during the end of Houston’s My Love Is Your Love World Tour[18] and was featured in the first season of MTV's Making the Video.

Formats and track listings

  1. "I Learned from the Best" (Radio Edit) – 3:55
  2. "I Will Always Love You" (Hex Hector Club Mix) – 9:52
  3. "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" (Thunderpuss Radio Mix) – 4:26
  1. "I Learned from the Best" (Album Version) – 4:20
  2. "I Learned from the Best" (HQ2 Uptempo Radio Mix) – 4:23
  3. "I Learned from the Best" (Junior Vasquez UK Club Mix) – 11:37
  1. "I Learned from the Best" (Album Version) – 4:20
  2. "I Learned from the Best" (HQ2 Uptempo Radio Mix) – 4:23
  3. "I Learned from the Best" (Junior Vasquez Disco Radio Mix) – 4:22
  1. "I Learned from the Best" (HQ2 Uptempo Radio Mix) – 4:23
  2. "I Learned from the Best" (Junior Vasquez Disco Radio Mix) – 4:22
  3. "I Learned from the Best" (HQ2 Club Mix) – 10:37
  4. "I Learned from the Best" (Junior Vasquez USA Millennium Mix) – 11:37
  5. "I Learned from the Best" (Junior Vasquez Disco Club Mix) – 9:21
  6. "I Learned from the Best" (HQ2 Dub) – 8:56
  7. "I Learned from the Best" (Junior Vasquez UK Radio Mix) – 4:59
  8. "I Learned from the Best" (Original Version) – 4:09

Note: The Junior Vasquez Disco mix is unique in that Houston re-recorded her vocals for this version.[19]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999–2000)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 116
Czech Republic (IFPI)[21] 15
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[22] 41
Hungary (MAHASZ)[23] 10
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[24] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[25] 18
Poland (LP3)[26] 48
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[27] 1
Scotland (OCC)[28] 27
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[29] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (2000)Position
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[31] 24
Romania (Romanian Top 100)9
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)[32] 3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)[33] 82
US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[34] 19

Decade-end charts

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
SwedenNovember 15, 1999CD[36]
United StatesNovember 22, 1999Arista[37] [38]
November 23, 1999Urban adult contemporary radio
United KingdomNovember 29, 1999[39]
December 6, 1999CD2[40]
United StatesDecember 7, 1999Urban radioArista[41]
January 11, 2000Rhythmic contemporary radio[42]
February 29, 2000Contemporary hit radio[43] [44]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Nekesa. Mumbi Moody. Singer's new albumis a savvy retort. Daily News. December 20, 1998. March 15, 2020.
  2. Web site: www.classicwhitney.com - Billboard Singles Reviews . 2023-02-02 . www.classicwhitney.com.
  3. Sonia. Murray. Whitney Houston: pleasing familiarity. The Day. November 22, 1998. March 15, 2020.
  4. Henrik. Bæk. Whitney Houston: My Love Is Your Love. Gaffa. September 21, 2001. March 22, 2020. da.
  5. Chuck. Campbell. Carey tops charts, but falls short with '1s'. Daily News. December 9, 1998. March 15, 2020.
  6. Christopher. Tkaczyk. THERE COULD BE MIRACLES.... The Michigan Daily. January 12, 1999. March 15, 2020.
  7. "A HOUSTON MASQUERADE". Sun-Sentinel. November 18, 1998. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  8. New Releases – For Week Starting 29 November, 1999: Singles. Music Week. 23. November 27, 1999.
  9. Billboard Hot 100 chart listing for the week of February 19, 2000 . . February 19, 2000 . October 7, 2010.
  10. Billboard Hot 100 chart listing for the week of March 25, 2000 . . March 25, 2000 . October 7, 2010.
  11. Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart listing for the week of March 11, 2000 . . March 11, 2000 . October 7, 2010.
  12. "I Learned from the Best" on the Spanish Singles Chart, Hits of the World . . January 22, 2000 . October 8, 2010.
  13. Web site: The Official UK Countdowns – Whitney Houston Official Top 20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111016094046/http://www.mtv.co.uk/music/charts/official-uk-countdowns/whitney-houston-official-top-20 . dead . October 16, 2011 . . January 6, 2011.
  14. Web site: "I Learned from the Best" on the UK Singles Chart . . December 11, 1999 . October 8, 2010 .
  15. Web site: "I Learned from the Best" on the Dutch Singles Chart . dutchcharts.nl . January 8, 2000 . October 8, 2010.
  16. Web site: "I Learned from the Best" on the Swedish Singles Chart . swedishcharts.com . January 13, 2000 . October 8, 2010.
  17. Web site: "I Learned from the Best" on the Swiss Singles Chart . hitparade.ch . December 26, 1999 . October 8, 2010.
  18. https://books.google.com/books?id=iggEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Mariah+Carey+%22Thank+God+I+Found+You%22+remix&pg=PA93 Billboard
  19. Web site: Whitney Phones It in for Enrique Duet, Remix of New Single. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107154118/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430165/whitney-phones-it-enrique-duet-remix-new-single.jhtml. dead. November 7, 2012. MTV.
  20. Web site: Part of Whitney Houston's ARIA chart history. Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). December 3, 2023.
  21. Web site: Oficiální Česká Hitparáda - Pro týden. IFPI ČR. cs. March 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20000303224417/http://www.ifpicr.cz/radio.htm. March 3, 2000. dead.
  22. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. December 18, 1999. June 26, 2018.
  23. Top National Sellers. Music & Media. January 1, 2000. June 27, 2018.
  24. News: Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (Vikuna 21.1. - 27.1. 2000). Dagblaðið Vísir. July 5, 2018. is.
  25. Web site: Archived copy . October 30, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110514063919/http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1 . May 14, 2011 .
  26. Web site: Whitney Houston – dorobek wykonawcy na LP3. LP3. August 9, 2024. pl.
  27. Web site: Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 2000. ro. Romanian Top 100. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050122081829/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-2000.html. January 22, 2005.
  28. Web site: Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company. June 10, 2018.
  29. Hits of the World: Spanish AFYVE Singles Chart for "I Learned from the Best" . . January 22, 1999 . April 9, 2011.
  30. Web site: Jaarlijsten 1999. nl. Dutch Top 40. May 12, 2022.
  31. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. 2006. Otava. Finland. 951-1-21053-X. 68.
  32. The Year in Music 2000: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles. Billboard. 112. 53. YE-59. December 30, 2000. July 21, 2022.
  33. The Year in Music 2000: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Billboard. 112. 53. YE-56. December 30, 2000. July 21, 2022.
  34. The Year in Music 2000: Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales. Billboard. 112. 53. YE-60. December 30, 2000. February 4, 2024.
  35. Decade End Charts – Dance/Club-Play Songs . . July 10, 2011.
  36. Web site: Whitney Houston: I Learned from the Best. click2music.se. sv. https://web.archive.org/web/20030318042512/http://www.click2music.se/product.asp?prd=512&art=1. March 18, 2003. November 29, 2023.
  37. Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1326. 101, 123. November 19, 1999.
  38. Gavin Report AC/Hot AC: Impact Dates. Gavin Report. 2281. 30. November 19, 1999.
  39. New Releases – For Week Starting 29 November, 1999: Singles. Music Week. 23. November 27, 1999.
  40. New Releases – For Week Starting 6 December, 1999: Singles. Music Week. 25. December 4, 1999.
  41. AddVance Notice. Radio & Records. 1328. 56. December 3, 1999.
  42. Gavin Report Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates. Gavin Report. 2286. 7. January 7, 2000.
  43. CHR/Pop: Going for Adds. Radio & Records. 1339. 71. February 25, 2000.
  44. Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates. Gavin Report. 2293. 8. February 25, 2000.