about fate and how it has played a major role in Shakira's romance. It starts with a guitar, similar to the 4-note riff from Pink Floyd's "Shine On, You Crazy Diamond," leading, beginning with baritone-range panpipes, to the explosive melody. Then, Shakira talks that she would follow her boyfriend to the top of the highest mountain, risking life and limb to be intimate with him. In the chorus, she sings, "Whenever, wherever/We're meant to be together/I'll be there and you'll be near/And that's the deal my dear." Critical reception "Whenever, Wherever" received mainly positive reviews from music critics. Alex Henderson of AllMusic picked the song as a highlight, writing that it's "infectious" and "it's to Shakira what 'Livin' la Vida Loca' was to Ricky Martin: the major hit that brought her to English-speaking audiences in a big way." Lisa Oliver of Yahoo! Music called it "the top track from the album by miles," writing that, "Despite such bemusement-inducing lyrics as 'lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains,' it still manages to make you sit up and fancy the synthetic-fiber trousers off her." The phrase was praised by The Guardians Alexis Petridis, who called it "the most thought-provoking line of recent memory." The website Bland Is Out There also enjoyed the phrase, writing that "it's the most clever, self-confident couplet to hit radio in the long time." The review also wrote that the Spanish version, "Suerte", was far superior, explaining, "In English, Shakira's vocals are breathy and nasal. But in her native tongue, she's commanding and willowy." For David Browne of Entertainment Weekly, the song has a "shameless Latin-pop hook." In 2020, Billboard included Whenever, Wherever among the 50 best Latin songs of all time, stating that "with its touches of South American folklore married to a rousing, unforgettable chorus and a danceable beat, "Whenever, Wherever" is still an anthem for love that knows no boundaries." Commercial performance "Whenever, Wherever" was Shakira's most successful single at the time, which it stayed until "Hips Don't Lie" was released in five years. In the United States, "Whenever, Wherever" debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while it peaked at number 6. In doing so, it became her first top 10 single on the chart. Additionally, the track respectively peaked at numbers 1, 3, and 4 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, Latin