It's magnificent and a perfect lead single because, as Jark says, it introduced THE VOICE.
I disagree with my learned friend slightly about the verses "shitting on" the chorus. It was PRECISELY that flip that made it interesting.
It was also a massive cultural moment in the US. It was around my peak era of being obsessed with the US Charts, reading Billboard magazine (illegally) and watching Casey Kasem's America's Top Ten. It was a masterclass in launching her as a new act. Over here, we were mostly obsessed with the "There's a new Whitney in town" pitting of the two against each other.