Love That Man

"Love That Man"
The Remixes Cover
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album Just Whitney
ReleasedMay 20, 2003
Studio
  • Brandon's Way Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA)[1]
  • Silent Sound Studios (Atlanta, GA)[1]
Length3:28
LabelArista
Songwriters
Producers
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"Try It on My Own"
(2003)		 "Love That Man"
(2003)		 "One Wish (for Christmas)"
(2003)
Audio sample
"Love That Man"
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"Love That Man" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Rob Fusari, Calvin Gaines, Eritza Laues, Bill Lee, and Balewa Muhammad for her fifth studio album Just Whitney (2002), with production helmed by Edmonds and Fusari. The song was released as the album's fourth and final single on May 20, 2003 by Arista Records. Commissioned as a remix single in the United States, Peter Rauhofer and The Pound Boys produced remixes of the song. "Love That Man" became Houston's 12th number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Background

"Love That Man" was written by Babyface, Rob Fusari, Calvin Gaines, Eritza Laues, Bill Lee, Balewa Muhammad, while production was helmed by Babyface and Fusari. Having previously worked with Houston, Babyface was approached by L.A. Reid to contribute to the album,[2] while Fusari, who was then primarily known for his contribution on Destiny's Child's Survivor (2001), became involved became involved after a demo of "Love That Man" reached executives at Houston's label, Arista Records.[3] Commenting on his involvement with Just Whitney, Fusari said: "Arista liked my song "Love That Man," and they wanted me to produce it on Whitney's new album [...] They flew me down to Miami to work with Whitney on this song. I ended up co-producing this song with Babyface."[3]

Critical reception

Critics offered mixed assessments of "Love That Man," with several praising its retro-inspired R&B sound and Houston's vocal performance. Dom Phillips of Heat named it the album's best track, describing it as a "bass-snappin' 80s-style groover,"[4] while Blues & Soul called it a "sublimely soulful" R&B track and praised Houston's vocals and the song's production.[5] Ernest Hardy of LA Weekly described the song as a "giddily disposable" track that recalled Houston's earlier pop hits "How Will I Know" and "So Emotional,"[6] while Dan Aquilante of the New York Post characterized it as an "up-tempo devotional."[7]

Keysha Davids of BBC Music viewed the song as an apparent ode to Bobby Brown, praising Houston as "soulful and sincere" and noting its mid-tempo arrangement, simple bass line and restrained production.[8] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian similarly regarded it as a throwback to the crossover pop-soul of Houston's earlier work, particularly "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."[9] Less favorable, Dallas Morning News likened the song to "second-rate" Michael Jackson and describing its subject as Houston's devotion to her husband.[10] Joan Anderman of The Boston Globe reduced the song to Houston "stand[ing] by her bad boy,"[11] while Music Week characterized it as "dull pop-funk."[12]

Commercial performance

Released as a single in North America only, "Love That Man" became Houston's 12th number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.[13]

Track listings

All tracks written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Rob Fusari, Calvin Gaines, Eritza Laues, Bill Lee, and Balewa Muhammad.

Remix single[14]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Love That Man" (Peter Rauhofer New NYC Mix)
  • Babyface
  • Rob Fusari
  • Peter Rauhofer[a]
10:11
2."Love That Man" (Peter Rauhofer Retro Mix)
  • Babyface
  • Fusari
  • Rauhofer[a]
8:20
3."Love That Man" (Pound Boys Love That Mix)
  • Babyface
  • Fusari
  • Pound Boys[a]
7:45
4."Love That Man" (Pound Boys Love That Dub)
  • Babyface
  • Fusari
  • Pound Boys[a]
7:16

Notes

  • ^[a] denotes additional producer

Credits and personnel

Credits lifted from the liner notes of Just Whitney.[1]

Charts

Release history

"Love That Man" release history
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
United States May 20, 2003 Digital download Arista [16]
June 3, 2003 Digital download – Remix single [14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Just Whitney (booklet). Whitney Houston. Arista Records. 2002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ↑ Rocco, Andi (October 18, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Carole Bayer Sager Recalls How Whitney Houston Was 'Lost' in Her Own Addiction". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Kawashima, Dale (4 December 2013). "Rob Fusari Co-Writes & Produces Top Hits For Destiny's Child, Will Smith And Other Artists". songwriteruniverse.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  4. ↑ Phillips, Dom (December 6, 2002). "Whitney Houston - Just Whitney...". Heat.
  5. ↑ "Whitney Houston - Just Whitney...". Blues & Soul. November 19, 2002.
  6. ↑ Hardy, Ernest (January 23, 2003). "The Diva in Ms. Houston". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  7. ↑ Aquilante, Dan (December 10, 2002). "Don't Talk, Just Sing". New York Post. Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  8. ↑ Davids, Keysha l (2002). "Just Whitney". BBC. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  9. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (November 22, 2002). "Whitney Houston: Just Whitney (Arista)". The Guardian. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  10. ↑ Christensen, Thor (December 22, 2002). "Whitney Answers Her". Dallas Morning News.
  11. ↑ Houston, We Still Have a Problem.Boston News
  12. ↑ "Just Whitney... (Arista 74321973062)". Music Week. November 16, 2002.
  13. 1 2 "Whitney Houston Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  14. 1 2 "Whitney Houston – Love That Man". Spotify. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  15. ↑ "2003 Year-end Charts - Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play Titles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 27, 2003. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Whitney Houston – Love That Man". Amazon. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
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