My Heart Is Calling

"My Heart Is Calling" is a song recorded by the American recording artist Whitney Houston for the 1996 film The Preacher's Wife. It was released on June 10, 1997, as the third and final single from the accompanying soundtrack. The song was written and produced solely by Babyface. Musically, the song is an R&B ballad, with gospel music and funk influences, and the lyrics speak about meeting someone special. "My Heart Is Calling" received mainly positive reviews from music critics, who commended Houston's soulful performance. It peaked at number 77 on the United States Billboard Hot 100, and number 35 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

"My Heart Is Calling"
Single by Whitney Houston
from the album The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album
B-side"I Go to the Rock"
ReleasedJune 10, 1997 (1997-06-10)
Recorded1996
Genre
Length4:15
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)Babyface
Producer(s)Babyface
Whitney Houston singles chronology
"Step by Step"
(1996)		 "My Heart Is Calling"
(1997)		 "When You Believe"
(1998)

Composition

"My Heart Is Calling" was written and produced solely by Babyface.[1] It is a moderately paced R&B ballad, composed with "a beat".[2] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is written in the key of G major.[2] The beat of the song is set in common time, and moves at a tempo of 104 beats per minute.[2] It has the sequence of Em7–D/F♯–G–Am7 as its chord progression.[2] Houston's vocals in the song span from the note of D3 to the high note of E5.[2] According to Ted Cox, the author of the book Whitney Houston, the song sees Houston developing the low end of her range.[3] Lyrically, "My Heart Is Calling" is a love song.

Critical reception

"My Heart Is Calling" garnered mostly positive reviews from music critics. Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly viewed the song as a "dance-floor" ballad,[4] while Elysa Gardner of Los Angeles Times noted that the song was influenced by both gospel music and funk genres.[5] She also wrote that the song explores Houston's more soulful side.[5] Billboard magazine also noted the song has an "unusually saucy groove".[6] According to Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In, "Houston exuberantly captures the joy of meeting a special someone" through the song.[7]

Billboard reviewed the song favorably, writing that it is "a wonderfully refreshing release that smartly side-steps her tried-and-true balladry in favor of a credible foray into jeep-funk territory."[6] Steve Jones of USA Today wrote that "[the] Babyface-produced My Heart Is Calling; [...] have a spiritual feel. [They] help maintain a thematic cohesiveness that most soundtracks lack these days."[8] Similarly, Elysa Gardner of Los Angeles Times also reviewed the song favorably, writing that "Houston shows her soulful side with equal panache, even if she has a tendency to overdo the obligatory vocal gymnastics at times."[5]

Chart performance

"My Heart Is Calling" debuted at number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100, issue dated July 5, 1997.[9] Two weeks later, the song peaked at number 77 on the chart.[10] The following week, it dropped out of the chart. On the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, the song debuted at number 43, on the week dated June 28, 1997.[11] The following week, the song ascended to number 35, a position which became its peak.[9]

Track listing
US CD single[12]
No.TitleLength
1."My Heart Is Calling"4:15
2."I Go to the Rock"4:05

Credits and personnel

Charts
Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 77
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[14] 35
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References
  1. The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album (CD album). Whitney Houston. Arista. 1996. 07822-18951-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds (Composer and Lyricist) (1996). "My Heart Is Calling: Whitney Houston – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. MN0059801 (Product Number).
  3. Cox, Ted: Whitney Houston, p. 91. Chelsea House Publishers. 1998. ISBN 978-0-7910-4456-8
  4. Willman, Chris (1996-11-29). "Diva la Différence". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  5. Gardner, Elysa. "Oh, Whitney – for Heaven's Sake". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  6. Flick, Larry (1997-05-17). "Billboard Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 109 (20): 63. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
  7. Waliszewski, Bob. "The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack – Plugged In Online Album Reviews". Plugged In. Focus on the Family. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  8. Jones, Steve (1996-11-26). "'Preacher's Wife' steeped in the spirit". USA Today. Gannett Company, Inc. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  9. "Billboard Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 109 (27): 92. 1997-07-05. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  10. "Billboard Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 109 (29): 102. 1997-07-19. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  11. "Billboard Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 109 (26): 17. 1997-07-28. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  12. My Heart Is Calling (US CD Single liner notes). Whitney Houston. Arista. 1997. 07822-13362-4.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  14. "Whitney Houston Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
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