I'm Every Woman



"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan from her debut solo studio album Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside of her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside of the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album Masterjam was released in late 1979.

The track was remixed and re-released in 1989 for Khan's remix album Life Is a Dance: The Remix Project; this mix reached number 8 in the United Kingdom. American singer Whitney Houston would later cover the song in 1992 with production by David Cole and Robert Clivillés and vocals produced by Narada Michael Walden, turning it into a dance hit for a new generation.

Chart performance
In the United States, "I'm Every Woman" reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Hot Soul Singles, and number thirty on the disco chart. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number eleven.

Music video
A music video was produced for Khan's version of "I'm Every Woman" at a time when the value of promotional films was increasing. The video, which features five dancing Chakas dressed in various outfits to represent "every woman," was made a few years before the onset of mainstream coverage of "music promos" through such outlets as MTV, VH1, and BET.

Credits and personnel

 * Lead and background vocals by Chaka Khan
 * Background vocals by Cissy Houston, Will Lee and Hamish Stuart
 * Produced by Arif Mardin

Whitney Houston version
Whitney Houston recorded "I'm Every Woman" for The Bodyguard soundtrack. Houston's version was produced by Narada Michael Walden, with additional production by David Cole and Robert Clivillés. It was released as Houston's second single from the soundtrack in January 1993. Her version adds the introduction "Whatever you want, whatever you need..." where Houston contributed to the song. A live performance was included in the 1999 release Divas Live '99 as a duet with Chaka Khan. A 1994 performance was included on the 2014 CD and DVD release, Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances.

Release
When "I'm Every Woman" was released, Houston's preceding single, "I Will Always Love You," was still at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 (it remained there for eight more weeks). Houston's version of "I'm Every Woman" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in just its seventh and eighth week of release; remaining in the top 40 for nineteen weeks. The song became number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, reached number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and cracked the top 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. Houston's cover was also a bigger international hit than the original version as it peaked within the top 5 in the UK and several other countries, and the top 20 in France, Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. Contrary to popular belief, Houston did not perform backing vocals on Khan's original 1978 version. Chaka Khan confirmed this in an interview with Lester Holt in 2012.

As a tribute to Chaka Khan, Houston proclaims Khan's name towards the end of the song.

Critical reception
Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote: "Though not as exuberantly sexy as the original, her version of Chaka Khan's 1978 hit, "I'm Every Woman," is a respectable imitation." AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the song: "especially her cover of "I'm Every Woman" are all first-rate urban pop songs that skillfully capture Houston at her best." Entertainment Weekly's Amy Linden praised the cover: "Just as triumphant is her tackling of Chaka Khan's signature tune, I'm Every Woman. To take on another diva's material requires the female equivalent of cojones, and Houston (wisely) doesn't muck around with the original's overall tone or arrangement. But she sure does it justice, even adding a sly Chaka shout-out as the cut fades." Rolling Stone called this rendition overwrought remake and that Whitney underminded her soul roots. A review on CD Universe is also a positive one: "Houston continues to mine her rich vein of ornate balladry and pop-flavored dance workouts on the Ashford & Simpson original "I'm Every Woman." USA Today praised the song too: "She adds surprises: Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman becomes sweaty house music."

Music video
The music video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas, and features a very pregnant Houston performing the song, while scenes from The Bodyguard are intercut into the clip. The video also features cameo appearances by Houston's mother Cissy Houston as well as by Chaka Khan, Valerie Simpson, Martha Wash and labelmates TLC. The song won Houston a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video, and received a Grammy Award nomination in 1994 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Formats and track listings

 * CD single
 * 1) "I'm Every Woman" – 4:45
 * 2) "Who Do You Love" – 3:55


 * European CD maxi-single
 * 1) "I'm Every Woman" (7" single) – 4:44
 * 2) "I'm Every Woman" (Clivillés & Cole House Mix I) – 10:37
 * 3) "I'm Every Woman" (a cappella Mix) – 4:27


 * UK CD maxi-single
 * 1) "I'm Every Woman" (7" single) – 4:44
 * 2) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's House/Club Mix Radio Edit) – 4:40
 * 3) "I'm Every Woman" (Clivillés & Cole House Mix I) – 10:37
 * 4) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's House/Club Mix) – 10:14
 * 5) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's Beat) – 4:11
 * 6) "I'm Every Woman" (a cappella Mix) – 4:27


 * US CD maxi-single
 * 1) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's House/Club Mix Radio Edit) – 4:40
 * 2) "I'm Every Woman" (album version) – 4:45
 * 3) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's House/Club Mix) – 10:14
 * 4) "I'm Every Woman" (Clivillés & Cole House Mix I) – 10:37
 * 5) "I'm Every Woman" (Clivillés & Cole House Mix II) – 10:54
 * 6) "Who Do You Love" – 3:55

US 12" maxi-single
 * 1) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's House/Club Mix) – 10:14
 * 2) "I'm Every Woman" (Every Woman's Beat) – 4:11
 * 3) "I'm Every Woman" (Clivillés & Cole House Mix I) – 10:37
 * 4) "I'm Every Woman" (Clivillés & Cole House Mix II) – 10:54
 * 5) "I'm Every Woman" (The C & C Dub) – 10:03
 * 6) "I'm Every Woman" (a cappella Mix) – 4:27

Credits and personnel

 * Performed by Whitney Houston
 * Produced by Narada Michael Walden
 * Additional production and remix by Robert Clivilles and David Cole
 * Vocal arrangement inspired by Chaka Khan
 * Additional vocal arrangement and production by Robert Clivilles and David Cole
 * Programming by Louis Biancaniello, James Alfano and Chauncey Mahan
 * Recording engineers – Matt Rohr, Marc Reyburn
 * Additional production recording engineers – Acar S. Key, Richard Joseph
 * Mixing engineer – Bob Rosa

Other versions
After the popularity of the Whitney Houston version, The Oprah Winfrey Show unveiled its "I'm Every Woman" campaign in the 1993–94 season, using a cover version with remade lyrics in promos and an instrumental rendition used as the theme song. In 2006, it was recorded in the fifth season of American Idol by Mandisa, and put on the album American Idol Season 5: Encores. From 2012–13, the song was covered by Heather Headley in The Bodyguard Musical. Country pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift also recorded the song when she was trying to get a record label.