I'm Your Baby Tonight (song)

"I'm Your Baby Tonight"
Song

"I'm Your Baby Tonight" is the lead single and title track off Whitney Houston's third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight.

Song Information

After Houston had been criticized for having released too much pop material during the Whitney-era, Arista Records commissioned the then hot production team of L.A. Reid and Babyface to interject an edgier and more urban flare into the singers sound for her junior album. "I'm Your Baby Tonight" became one of a handful of tracks that the team crafted for Houston's album of the same title.

Chart Information

After having charted seven consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with her 1987 sophomore album, Houston was faced with pressure to continue her chart momentum and ultimately succeeded. "I'm Your Baby Tonight" would satisfy this by becoming Houston's eighth number one single. Heavy anticipation led to the singles high #42 debut on the singles chart the week of October 20, 1990. Six weeks later, the single hit the top spot, ending Mariah Carey's three-week run at #1 with "Love Takes Time". "I'm Your Baby Tonight" spent only one week in the penthouse, knocked out by Stevie B with "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)". Altogether, the single spent seven weeks in the Top 10, twelve weeks in the Top 20, and fourteen consecutive weeks in the Top 40.

"I'm Your Baby.." also hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay Chart for one week. "I'm Your Baby Tonight" also peaked at number one on the Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for two weeks (her first since since 1986's "How Will I Know.") The single remained in the Top 40 for fourteen weeks and was certified Gold.

Internationally, the song was a success, hitting the Top 10 in several major countries (#4 France), (#4 Switzerland), (#5 UK), (#5 Germany), (#7 Australia). The song became Houston's first internationally successful single since 1988's "One Moment In Time"

Single Track Listing

1. I'm Your Baby Tonight (album version) 5:00
2. I'm Your Baby Tonight (radio edit) 4:16
3. I'm Your Baby Tonight (instrumental)
4. I'm Your Baby Tonight (LA Reid/Babyface Mix)
5. 'I'm Knockin'
6. 'Feels So Good' 4:54

Music video

The music video (directed by Julian Temple) features an edgier, rougher Houston (much different than she was in videos such as "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody") paying homage to the sounds of black music that have helped define her sound, paying tribute in simulation to the Harlem Renessaince (with Houston as Josephine Baker), Motown (most notably The Supremes as Houston uses cloning imagery to create two clones of herself), and Hollywood's Golden Age (with Houston dressed as Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face), finally returning to present day by the video's end.

Comprehensive Charts

"I'm Your Baby Tonight" Debuted at number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100
"I'm Your Baby Tonight" Was Ranked number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 Year End Charts (1991)
"I'm Your Baby Tonight" Remained in the Billboard Hot 100 for nineteen weeks

"I'm Your Baby Tonight" was Whitney's eighth number-one single on The Billboard Hot 100
"I'm Your Baby Tonight" was Whitney's sixth number-one single on The Billboard Hot 100 Airplay
"I'm Your Baby Tonight" was Whitney's fourth number-one single on The Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Hot 100	1
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales	3
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	1
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	1
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	13
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	17
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Billboard Adult Contemporary	7
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	UK Singles Chart	5
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Australian Singles Chart	7
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Germany Singles Chart	5
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	Sweden Top 60 Singles	4
1990	"I'm Your Baby Tonight"	France Singles Chart	4