Of the many selections from Whitney Houston‘s discography, “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” is far from my favorite. My quibble with the Babyface-penned and produced track remains the same now as when it was released in 1995: “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” just shuffles along, never really going anywhere except for the all-too brief bridge.

But surveying tributes to the late singer, who unexpectedly passed away on February 11, Robin Thicke‘s heartfelt cover of “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” is stellar. The R&B star and current Duets judge first performed the song on Ellen in March, a rendition that was so well received that he recorded a studio version, released about a month later.

Now Thicke has debuted a music video for his cover of “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” filmed in Los Angeles. Largely lensed in black and white, he traverses the city’s grittier streets and pauses to treat passersby to a sidewalk performance of the song. Appropriately subdued, Thicke’s clip offers us all another chance to pause and say a proper goodbye to The Voice.

Robin Thicke isn’t the only Duets judge to have covered “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” in the wake of Houston’s death. During a concert stop in Atlanta on February 23, Kelly Clarkson performed the song with fellow former American Idol contestant Tamyra Gray.

Purchase Robin Thicke – “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” (Whitney Houston cover) via iTunes, Amazon MP3.