My Name Is Not Susan

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"My Name Is Not Susan"
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album I'm Your Baby Tonight
ReleasedJune 17, 1991 (1991-06-17)[1]
StudioElumba (Hollywood, California)[2]
Genre
Length4:39
LabelArista
SongwriterEric Foster White
Producers
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"Miracle"
(1991) 		"My Name Is Not Susan"
(1991) 		"I Belong to You"
(1991)
Music video
"My Name Is Not Susan" on YouTube
Music video
"My Name Is Not Susan (w/out Rap)" on YouTube

"My Name Is Not Susan" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston, released as the fourth single from her third album, I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990). The song was released on June 17, 1991, by Arista Records. It was produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, and written by Eric Foster White.

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 to not reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, ending the singer's consecutive top ten streak,[a] but still reached number 20 on the chart becoming her 15th top 20 hit while continuing Houston's nearly uninterrupted streak of top ten singles on the R&B chart, where it reached number eight. In the UK, it peaked at number 29.[8]

It was also a top 20 hit in Ireland, Luxembourg 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.[9]

Background and recording

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Whitney Houston began working with producers Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds at a Hollywood recording studio in the spring of 1990.

At the time, Houston's previous music had caused criticism for "selling out" to white audiences and neglecting the singer's soul music roots, accusations Houston strongly denied to the press at the time.[10][11][12][13]

Having been motivated by her growing relationship with fellow R&B singer Bobby Brown, Houston opted for a harder and faster R&B sound than in her two previous hit albums.

At the time, new jack swing had gained popularity with R&B audiences thanks to albums such as Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814.

With Reid and Edmonds, Houston recorded four songs, including the jazz and funk-inflected "I'm Your Baby Tonight", which would be the official name of her third album.

"My Name Is Not Susan" was the only Reid/Edmonds production that wasn't penned by the songwriters and was instead composed by Eric Foster White.

At the time, the assertive song differed from Houston's trademark heart-rendering ballads such as "Saving All My Love for You", "Didn't We Almost Have It All" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go".

Critical reception

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"My Name Is Not Susan"
Audio sample of "My Name Is Not Susan", in which Houston reprimands her lover for calling her by his ex-girlfriend's name
Problems playing this file? See media help.

In a retrospective review, Matthew Hocter from Albumism noted the "fresh vibe", describing the song as "thumping".[14] 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."[15] Larry Flick from Billboard magazine commented, "After several ballads, Houston jacks it up on a percolating jam that features one of her more assertive vocals."[16] 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."[17]

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."[18] 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.[19] 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."[20]

Chart performance

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"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[21] and peaked at number 20 on September 7 in its eighth week.[22] 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. After debuting at number 68 on the chart for the week of July 27, it reached its peak of number eight on September 21.[23][24] 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 on that chart (her rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner", which also charted that year, was the lowest at number 48).[25] 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.[26]

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 29 on its official singles chart, while peaking at number 25 on its dance chart while peaking at number three on the UK Airplay 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. It reached the top 30 on the Eurochart Hot 100, peaking at number 26.

Live performances

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Houston performing the song in 1991.

Houston performed the song on her I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour (1991). 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.[27]

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.[28]

At the 19th American Music Awards of 1992, Houston performed the remixed version of the song as a part of the "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. The song was also performed throughout Houston's nine-date Pacific Rim Tour in 1997.

Music video

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The Alfred Hitchcock film, Vertigo, starring Kim Novak (shown as two different characters in the film) inspired the music video for "My Name Is Not Susan".

The song's accompanying music video was directed by American music video director, film director and VJ Lionel C. Martin.[29] Houston is featured playing both herself and a character named "Susan", both of whom are obsessively pursued by a photographer named Martin Diamond, played by G. Rodney Owens.[29]

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 (Kim Novak).[29][30]

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.[30] Later, the rap remix version of the video, which featured Love performing her rap, aired on BET.[30] Outtakes from the video and alternate footage were reused for the video to the follow-up R&B chart single "I Belong to You".[31]

The two versions of the video were uploaded to Houston's YouTube channel, with the "rap remix" version uploaded first in October 2009 and the video in its original "non-rap" version in September 2013.[32][33]

Legacy and accolades

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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.[9]

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."[9]

In their list of forty best Whitney Houston songs, BET ranked it 37th place.[34]

Track listings and formats

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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

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  • Vocal arrangement: L.A. Reid, Babyface and Whitney Houston
  • Background vocals: Whitney Houston
  • Rhythm arrangement: L.A. Reid and Babyface
  • Additional production and remix: John Waddell
  • Donald Parks: keyboard programming
  • Kayo: bass
  • Babyface: keyboards
  • L.A. Reid: drums, percussion

Recording and mixing

  • Recorded at Elumba Recording (Los Angeles, California)
  • Mixed at Studio LaCoCo (Atlanta, Georgia)

Charts

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Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia June 17, 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 Arista [1]
United Kingdom June 24, 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [62]
Japan August 21, 1991 Mini-CD [63]

See also

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  • "Whatta Man", a song that includes the lyric "he knows that my name is not Susan"

Notes

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  1. ^ 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 and in 1991, her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was released as a standalone charity single.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 17/06/91: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 73. June 16, 1991. p. 18.
  2. ^ Whitney Houston (1990). I'm Your Baby Tonight (Liner notes). Arista Records. 261-039.
  3. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (November 11, 1990). "Whitney Houston's 'I'm Your Baby' Strong Voice, Weak Material". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. June 22, 1991. p. 16. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  5. ^ Breihan, Tom (November 8, 2021). "The Number Ones: Whitney Houston's "All The Man That I Need". Stereogum. Retrieved December 20, 2023. ...a stodgy and old-fashioned ballad that shows up after the two dancey R&B tracks that open [I'm Your Baby Tonight].
  6. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
  7. ^ "Billboard 40 Years of the Top 40". 19 September 1998.
  8. ^ "MY NAME IS NOT SUSAN by Whitney Houston". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c "15 powerful, essential Whitney Houston songs (that aren't "I Will Always Love You")". The A.V. Club. December 21, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  10. ^ Janine McAdams (February 23, 1991). "Houston Touches Her R&B Base With New Album" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  11. ^ A History of Soul Music. October 18, 2007. VH1.
  12. ^ Duckett Cain, Joy (December 2003). "The Soul of Whitney". Essence Magazine.
  13. ^ Norment, Lynn (May 1991). "Whitney Houston Talks About The Men In Her Life – And The Rumors, Lies And Insults That Are The High Price Of Fame". Ebony. p. 112. ISSN 0012-9011.
  14. ^ Hocter, Matthew (November 2, 2020). "Whitney Houston's 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' Turns 30: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  15. ^ Considine, J.D. "Whitney Houston's latest release never quite ignites". The Baltimore Sun.
  16. ^ Flick, Larry (July 20, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 72. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  17. ^ Henderson, Alex; DeVaney, Bryan (August 3, 1991). "Music Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Cashbox. p. 5. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  18. ^ Browne, David. "I'm Your Baby Tonight - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
  19. ^ Hunter, James. "I'm Your Baby Tonight". Rolling Stone.
  20. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (May 1, 1991). "My Name Is Not Susan". Smash Hits (Review). p. 43. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020.
  21. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 (week of July 27, 1991)". Billboard. July 27, 1991. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  22. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 (week of September 7, 1991)". Billboard. September 7, 1991. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  23. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (week of July 27, 1991)". Billboard. July 27, 1991. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  24. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (week of September 21, 1991)". Billboard. September 21, 1991. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  25. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  26. ^ "Hi-Five - I Can't Wait Another Minute". Discogs. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  27. ^ Neil McCartney. "Plot Summary for The Simple Truth: A Concert for Kurdish Refugees (1991)". imdb.com. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
  28. ^ Whitney Houston - My Name Is Not Susan (live at Welcome Home Heroes) on YouTube
  29. ^ a b c "'My Name Is Not Susan' Was Released As The Fourth Single From 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' Album". WhitneyHouston.com. July 21, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  30. ^ a b c "Whitney Houston: My Name Is Not Susan". IMDB. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  31. ^ Whitney Houston - I Belong to You (Official Video) on YouTube
  32. ^ Whitney Houston - My Name Is Not Susan (Rap Version) (Official Video) on YouTube
  33. ^ Whitney Houston - My Name Is Not Susan (Official Video) on YouTube
  34. ^ "The 40 Best Whitney Houston Songs". BET. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  35. ^ "My Name Is Not Susan (The Remixes)". Discogs. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  36. ^ "My Name Is Not Susan (CD, Maxi-Single, Reissue)". Discogs. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  37. ^ "My Name Is Not Susan (12", 33 1/3 RPM)". Discogs. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  38. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received September 12, 2016". Imgur.com. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  39. ^ "Whitney Houston – My Name Is Not Susan" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  40. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1636." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  41. ^ Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 135. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  42. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. July 27, 1991. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  43. ^ "European Hit Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. August 3, 1991. p. 23. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  44. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Finland: Otava. p. 161. ISBN 951-1-21053-X.
  45. ^ "Whitney Houston – My Name Is Not Susan" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  46. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Whitney Houston". Irish Singles Chart.
  47. ^ "Radio Luxembourg Singles (week of July 21, 1991)". UMDMusic.com. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  48. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Whitney Houston" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  49. ^ "Whitney Houston – My Name Is Not Susan" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  50. ^ "Whitney Houston – My Name Is Not Susan". Singles Top 100.
  51. ^ "Whitney Houston: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  52. ^ "Playlist Chart" (PDF). Music Week. July 27, 1991. p. 14. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
  53. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 13, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  54. ^ "The Record Mirror Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). July 13, 1991. p. 8. Retrieved September 7, 2025.
  55. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  56. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  57. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  58. ^ "Cashbox Top 100 Singles (week of August 31, 1991)" (PDF). Cashbox. August 31, 1991. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  59. ^ "Cashbox Top 100 Singles (week of August 31, 1991" (PDF). Cashbox. September 28, 1991. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  60. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1706." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  61. ^ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  62. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 22, 1991. p. 19.
  63. ^ "ホイットニー・ヒューストン | マイ・ネーム・イズ・ノット・スーザン" [Whitney Houston | My Name Is Not Susan] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
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