If I Told You That

"If I Told You That" is a 2000 duet by American singer Whitney Houston and British singer George Michael. The song was released as the first UK single and the second US single from Houston's Whitney: The Greatest Hits album. The song first appeared on Houston's 1998 multi-Platinum My Love Is Your Love album, where she sang it solo. George Michael's vocals were later recorded and added to the song when it was being included on Houston's greatest hits package. In addition to adding Michael's vocals to the newer version of the song, the arrangement of the song was also modified, albeit only very slightly. The song was originally to feature Michael Jackson.[1] "If I Told You That" peaked at number 1 in Iceland and Poland.

"If I Told You That"
Single by Whitney Houston and George Michael
from the album My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
B-side"Fine"
ReleasedAugust 8, 2000
RecordedMarch 2000[1]
GenreR&B
Length4:33 (album version)
4:04 (radio edit)
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"Could I Have This Kiss Forever"
(2000)		 "If I Told You That"
(2000)		 "Same Script, Different Cast"
(2000)
George Michael singles chronology
"As"
(1999)		 "If I Told You That"
(2000)		 "Freeek!"
(2002)
Music video
"If I Told You That" on YouTube

While Houston performed the song in concert, the two never collaborated on a live version. Michael never performed the song live at any of his concerts. Although "If I Told You That" was a hit, it did not appear on Michael's compilation album Twenty Five.

Critical reception

Billboard wrote that "whatever magic might be found in this effort most certainly is going to come from the fine vocal performances. Houston scats and offers shout-outs that give "If I Told You That" a spontaneity and energy [...], while Michael still stands tall as one of the finer soul men to step in front of the mike. This pairing is mightily inspired[.], adding that "the track's instrumental palette is definitely of the moment, with a driving shuffle beat and layered vocals[.] The hook is catchy enough, with a chorus that's simple and easy to sing along with."[2] J. D. Considine of The Baltimore Sun felt that "If I Told You That" is a song on which Houston is "faking attraction with George Michael".[3] LA Weekly in its review for Whitney: The Greatest Hits commented that "[o]n paper, the Houston-Michael coupling is inspired[.] But Michael simply adds his pinched, nasal vocals to the track [...], the result of which is two people singing at one another and daring the listener to care".[4] The Baltimore Sun wrote: "when she sings in "If I Told You That" about giving in to temptation and having a fling with a friend, we shouldn't suppose she's thinking of any friend in particular."[5]

Music video

The music video directed by Kevin Bray[6] features Houston and Michael in a nightclub, eventually meeting on the dance floor, similar to that of Mary J. Blige and Michael's UK hit "As". The US DVD single for Houston's song "Fine" includes the music video for "If I Told You That".[7] The video is also included on George Michael's video compilation Twenty Five.

The music video on YouTube has 32 million views as of January 2020.

Live versions

Track listings and formats
  • Australian maxi single[8]
  1. "If I Told You That" (album version) — 4:33
  2. "Fine" (album version) — 3:35
  3. "If I Told You That" (Johnny Douglas Mix) — 4:48
  4. "I'm Your Baby Tonight" (Dronez Mix) — 5:05
  • European maxi single[9]
  1. "If I Told You That" (album version) — 4:33
  2. "If I Told You That" (Johnny Douglas Mix) — 4:48
  3. "Fine" (album version) — 3:35
  1. "If I Told You That" (radio edit) — 4:05
  2. "If I Told You That" (album version) — 4:38

Personnel
  • Produced by Rodney Jerkins for Darkchild Entertainment Inc.
  • Additional production: George Michael
  • Remix recorded by Dexter Simmons at The Hit Factory, Miami, FL
  • Mixed by Jon Douglas
  • Mix engineer: Ren Swan
  • All instruments: Rodney Jerkins

Charts
Chart (2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 37
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 41
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 25
Denmark (IFPI)[14] 16
Germany (Media Control Charts)[15] 58
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[16] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[17] 25
Italy (FIMI)[18] 9
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 31
Poland (Polish Singles Chart)[21] 1
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[22] 18
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 44
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 33
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[25] 9
Chart (2012) Peak
position
UK (Official Charts Company)[26] 152

Covers
  • Filipino R&B Band Freestyle covered their version of their song from their 2000 live album, "Freestyle Live".
gollark: That's just 9^9.
gollark: That is obviously wrong.
gollark: 1.9662705047555292e+77, if you like.
gollark: 196627050475552913618075908526912116283103450944214766927315415537966391196809 is also what I get if I do it left-associatively.
gollark: Hmm. I'm sure it should be longer than that. Perhaps associativity beeoids.

References
  1. "Whitney, George Michael To Team For Duet".
  2. "www.classicwhitney.com - Billboard Singles Reviews".
  3. J. D. Considine (May 25, 2000). "Whitney Houston The Greatest Hits". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  4. Ernest Hardy (Jun 28, 2000). "Saving It". LA Weekly. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  5. "Talent is true, if lyrics are not Review: Whitney Houston finds a gritty, funky balance on 'My Love.' But don't put any words in her mouth".
  6. Company, Johnson Publishing (June 26, 2000). Jet Magazine - Whitney Houston celebrates 15-year career with greatest hits collection - p.61. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  7. "Whitney Houston: Fine/If I Told You That/I Will Always Love You (2000)". The New York Times. 13 March 2016.
  8. "Whitney Houston & George Michael - If I Told You That".
  9. "Whitney Houston & George Michael - If I Told You That".
  10. "Whitney Houston & George Michael - If I Told You That".
  11. "Australian-charts.com – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  14. Danish Singles Chart 9 June 2000
  15. Single-Chartverfolgung. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  16. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (Vikuna 17.6. - 24.6. 2000 24. Vika)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved July 14, 2018. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  17. The Irish Charts Archived 2010-01-05 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  18. "Italiancharts.com – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That". Top Digital Download.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Whitney Houston & George Michael" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on 2007-05-12.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  23. "Swedishcharts.com – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That". Singles Top 100.
  24. "Swisscharts.com – Whitney Houston & George Michael – If I Told You That". Swiss Singles Chart.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  26. Lauren Kreisler (February 14, 2012). "27 Whitney Houston tracks on course to re-enter Official Singles Chart". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
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