B-side "For the Love of You" Recorded February 1987 Length 4:36 | Released October 12, 1987 Genre Dance-rock
R&B | |
Format CD single
cassette single
7" single | ||
"So Emotional" is a song written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, and recorded by American singer Whitney Houston. The song was the third single from her second album Whitney, and was released in October 1987.
Contents
- Composition
- Critical reception
- Chart performance
- Music video
- Track listings and formats
- Personnel
- References
Commercially, it peaked at number five in the UK and number one in the Billboard Hot 100, where it became her sixth consecutive number one, and a dance chart hit. It would go and finish as the sixth best selling song of the year and the fourth most played in clubs; it is her sixth biggest hit on the Hot 100 chart.
Composition
"So Emotional" was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who also penned Madonna's "Like a Virgin," Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors," Heart's "Alone," and The Bangles "Eternal Flame," all of which reached #1 on the charts. The song centers on Houston loving being in love, singing, "I get so emotional baby / Every time I think of you / I get so emotional baby / Ain't it shocking what love can do."
Critical reception
Allmusic editor Ron Wynn highlighted this track. Vince Aletti of Rolling Stone wrote: "Walden covers all these bases, out-hopping Kashif (but not Jellybean) with "So Emotional." St. Petersburg Times Eric Snider and Annelise Wamsley wrote: "`So Emotional,`` the record's token rock offering, is hollow and contrived, as if the trumped-up power guitars are supposed to give the song some guts."
Chart performance
At this time Houston already had a string of five consecutive number-one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "So Emotional" went to the #1 position as well, giving her six consecutive number-one singles; putting her in a three-way tie with The Beatles and The Bee Gees. It made its debut at number forty four on November 28, 1987 and after seven weeks became the first number-one of 1988, eventually receiving gold certification. The single remained in the Top 40 for 14 weeks, and also reached number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart. "So Emotional" was ranked sixth on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end charts (1988). It debuted at number forty four on the Hot 100 and seven weeks later reached number one for one week. The song has sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide.
In the United Kingdom and France the song was remixed by Shep Pettibone when released as a single and peaked at #5 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1987, remaining in the chart for 11 weeks. Elsewhere the single performed moderately well reaching 21 in France, 26 in Australia and 30 in Switzerland.
Music video
The music video for "So Emotional", directed by Wayne Isham, features Houston on tour and preparing for the night's concert. It was filmed at Lehigh University's Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania between dates of her 1987-1988 Moment of Truth Tour.
Track listings and formats
- "So Emotional" – 3:46
- "For the Love of You" – 4:29
- "So Emotional" (Edited remix) – 4:20
- "For the Love of You" – 4:32
- "So Emotional" (Extended remix) – 7:51
- "Didn't We Almost Have It All" (live) – 6:28
- "For the Love of You" – 4:32
Track 2: "Didn't We Almost Have It All" (live) is from her September 2, 1987 concert in Saratoga Springs, New York during the Moment of Truth World Tour.