Celine Dion is the eleventh studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion and her second English-language album. It was released by Columbia Records and Epic Records on March 30, 1992 and features the Grammy and Academy Award-winning song "Beauty and the Beast" and other hits, such as "If You Asked Me To" and "Love Can Move Mountains". The album was produced by Walter Afanasieff, Ric Wake, Guy Roche, and Humberto Gatica. It reached numbers one in Quebec and three in Canada, where it was certified Diamond for shipments of over one million copies. At the 35th Annual Grammy Awards, Celine Dion was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The album has sold over five million copies worldwide.

Celine Dion
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 30, 1992 (1992-03-30)
RecordedOctober 1991 – February 1992
Studio
  • Bunny Hop Studios (Sherman Oaks, California)
  • Criterion Studios
  • Encore Studios (Burbank, California)
  • Lighthouse Recorders (N. Hollywood, California)
  • Mad Hatter Studios (Los Angeles, California)
  • Music Grinder
  • Oceanway Recording Studio (Hollywood, California)
  • Plant Recording Studios (Sausalito, California)
  • Red Zone Studios (Burbank, California)
  • Right Track Recording Studios (New York)
  • Studio Morin Heights, Morin Heights (Quebec, Canada)
  • The Plant Recording Studios (Sausalito, California)
  • The Power Station (New York)
  • Village Records
GenrePop
Length61:04
Label
Producer
Celine Dion chronology
Dion chante Plamondon
(1991)
Celine Dion
(1992)
The Colour of My Love
(1993)
Singles from Celine Dion
  1. "If You Asked Me To"
    Released: April 13, 1992
  2. "Nothing Broken but My Heart"
    Released: August 3, 1992
  3. "Love Can Move Mountains"
    Released: October 19, 1992
  4. "Water from the Moon"
    Released: March 1, 1993

Background and content

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Dion's real international breakthrough came when she paired up with Peabo Bryson to record the title track to Walt Disney Pictures animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). The song captured a musical style that Dion would utilize in the future: sweeping, classical and soft rock influenced ballads with soft instrumentation. Both a critical and commercial smash, the song became her second United States top 10 hit and also won many awards. As with Dion's earlier releases, the album had an overtone of love.

Dion worked with a new team of writers and producers on her eponymous album. Five songs were written by Diane Warren. "With This Tear" was a gift from Prince, who wrote the song especially for Dion.[1] The tracks were produced mainly by Walter Afanasieff, Ric Wake, and Guy Roche.

By 1992, the release of her previous English-language album Unison (1990) and Celine Dion, as well as various media appearances, had propelled Dion to superstardom in North America. She had achieved one of her main objectives: wedging her way into the anglophone market and establishing fame. Apart from her rising success, there were also changes in Dion's personal life, as René Angélil made the transition from manager to lover. However, the relationship was kept a secret as both feared that the public would find the twenty-six-year difference between their ages incongruous.

The European version of Celine Dion includes "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" as a bonus track. The album was re-released on 7 September 1992 in Australia with a bonus disc containing four songs which had been previously released as singles from Unison.

"Send Me a Lover" was a "leftover" from the recording sessions of the Celine Dion album, and it was released in 1994 on the charity compilation Kumbaya Album 1994.

To support the album, Dion toured as the opening act for Michael Bolton on his "Time, Love and Tenderness Tour" in the summer of 1992 through the United States. From August 1992 till March 1993, she toured Canada with her Celine Dion in Concert tour.

Singles

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Because of the success of "Beauty and the Beast", the song was included on Celine Dion. The first proper single from the album was "If You Asked Me To", a cover of Patti LaBelle song. It became a hit in Canada and the United States, reaching number one on the Canadian Top Singles chart and number four on the US Billboard Hot 100. The next single, "Nothing Broken but My Heart". peaked at number 3 in Canada and 29 in the US. The third single, "Love Can Move Mountains". reached number two in Canada and 36 in the United States. The next single, "Water from the Moon". reached number seven in Canada. In July 1993, a promotional single. "Did You Give Enough Love". was released in Canada with accompanying music video and peaked at number 17.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
Calgary HeraldC+[3]
Chicago Tribune    [4]
Robert ChristgauD+[5]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[6]
Orlando Sentinel   [7]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide     [8]

The album has received varied reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that "Celine Dion's self-titled follow-up to her successful American debut is even stronger and more accomplished."[2] Arion Berger from Entertainment Weekly commented, "She hits all the notes on Prince's graceful, desperate "With This Tear", but clearly she has more voice than heart".[6] Music critic Robert Christgau called it the "worst album of the year—that I can remember".[5] Jan DeKnock of Chicago Tribune said that the album "is even better, because the young singer-only 24-has developed enough confidence in her second language to really deliver the emotional nuances of a lyric, especially in the ballads that dominate this album. [...] Dion has clearly joined Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston as one of the premier voices on the pop scene".[4] Parry Gettelman from the Orlando Sentinel felt that Dion "really excels" on the three dance tracks "in the Lisa Stansfield mold"; "Love Can Move Mountains", "Did You Give Enough Love" and "Little Bit of Love".[7]

Commercial performance

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The album has sold over five million copies worldwide.[9][10] As of May 2016, Celine Dion has sold 2,400,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan,[11] with an additional 624,000 units sold at BMG Music Club.[12] SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[13] It was certified 2× Platinum in the United States and reached number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart.[14] Dion's popularity was also showing in Canada where the album topped the chart in Quebec for six weeks, peaked at number three on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified Diamond for one million copies sold.[15][16]

In other regions of the world, Celine Dion peaked at number 15 in Australia, number 31 in New Zealand, number 59 in Japan, and number 70 in the United Kingdom. It was also certified Platinum in Australia and Gold in the UK and Japan.[17] Dion received her first World Music Award for Best Selling Canadian Female Recording Artist of the Year.

The most successful single from the album was "Beauty and the Beast," which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold in the United States.[14] Other singles, which reached the US top 40 included: "If You Asked Me To" (number four), "Nothing Broken but My Heart" (number 29) and "Love Can Move Mountains" (number 36). "Water from the Moon" peaked at number 11 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. "Did You Give Enough Love" was released as a promotional single in Canada and a music video was also filmed. The song reached number 17 on the RPM Top Singles chart.

Industry awards

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Celine Dion was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female and Juno Award for Album of the Year. She also won the Female Vocalist of the Year and was nominated for the Canadian Entertainer of the Year. Dion also won the Billboard International Creative Achievement Award and was nominated for the Billboard Music Award for Hot Adult Contemporary Artist. She won the Félix Award for the Artist of the Year Achieving the Most Success in a Language Other Than French and Artist of the Year Achieving the Most Success Outside Quebec. Dion won the World Music Award for World's Best Selling Canadian Female Artist of the Year and Governor General's Award (Medal of Recognition for the Contribution to Canadian Culture).

"Beauty and the Beast" won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, Juno Award for Single of the Year, ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Most Performed Song from Motion Picture and ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song.

"If You Asked Me To" won the ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song and was nominated for the Juno Award for Single of the Year and Billboard Music Award for Hot Adult Contemporary Single of the Year. "Nothing Broken but My Heart” won the ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song. "Love Can Move Mountains" won the Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year and was nominated for the Single of the Year. The performance of "Love Can Move Mountains" at the Juno Awards of 1993 was nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Variety Program or Series.

Track listing

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Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Introduction"Walter AfanasieffAfanasieff1:14
2."Love Can Move Mountains"Diane WarrenRic Wake4:53
3."Show Some Emotion"
Afanasieff4:29
4."If You Asked Me To"WarrenGuy Roche3:55
5."If You Could See Me Now"
Afanasieff5:07
6."Halfway to Heaven"Afanasieff5:05
7."Did You Give Enough Love"
Wake4:22
8."If I Were You"Wake5:07
9."Beauty and the Beast" (duet with Peabo Bryson)Afanasieff4:04
10."I Love You, Goodbye"WarrenRoche3:34
11."Little Bit of Love"
  • Claude Gaudette
  • Andy Scott
Humberto Gatica4:27
12."Water from the Moon"Warren
  • Roche
  • Afanasieff[a]
4:40
13."With This Tear"PrinceAfanasieff4:12
14."Nothing Broken but My Heart"WarrenAfanasieff5:55
Total length:61:04
European second edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Where Does My Heart Beat Now"Christopher Neil4:33
Total length:65:37
Australian second edition bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Where Does My Heart Beat Now"
  • Johnson
  • Rhodes
Neil4:33
2."(If There Was) Any Other Way"Paul BlissNeil3:59
3."Unison"
Goldmark4:12
4."The Last to Know"
  • Walsh
  • Phil Galdston
Neil4:34
Total length:14:18

Notes

  • ^a signifies an additional producer

Personnel

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Adapted from AllMusic.[18]

  • Walter Afanasieff – arranger, bass, guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, orchestral arrangements, organ, hammond organ, producer, programming, synclavier, synthesizer, synthesizer bass, vocal arrangement, vocal producer
  • Ken Allardyce – engineer
  • René Angélil – management
  • Israel Baker – violin
  • Marilyn Baker – viola
  • Mickey Baker – viola
  • Greg Bannan – production coordination
  • David Barratt – production coordination
  • Kitty Beethoven – background vocals
  • Fred "Re-Run" Berry – flugelhorn
  • Frederick Berry – flugelhorn, soloist
  • Kyle Bess – engineer
  • David Betancourt – engineer
  • Rick Bieder – engineer
  • Teruko Brooks – violin
  • Peabo Bryson – guest artist, performer, vocals
  • Robbie Buchanan – arranger, keyboards, piano
  • Bob Cadway – engineer, mixing, tracking
  • Bruce Calder – engineer
  • Russ Cantor – violin
  • Dana Jon Chappelle – engineer, mixing
  • Gary Cirimelli – programming, synclavier, background vocals
  • Ronald Clark – violin
  • Liz Constantine – background vocals
  • Van Coppock – assistant engineer
  • Orion Crawford – copyist
  • Joey Diggs – background vocals
  • Céline Dion – primary artist, spoken word, vocals, background vocals
  • John Doelp – executive producer
  • Nancy Donald – art direction
  • Bruce Dukov – violin
  • Felipe Elgueta – engineer
  • Paul Ericksen – engineer
  • Clare Fischer – arranger, conductor, string arrangements
  • Chris Fogel – assistant engineer
  • Arne Frager – string engineer
  • Kenny G – guest artist, soprano sax
  • Bruce Gaitsch – guitar
  • Pamela Gates – violin
  • Humberto Gatica – engineer, mixing, producer
  • Claude Gaudette – arranger, keyboards, programming
  • Gary Gertzweig – violin
  • Michael Gilbert – engineer
  • Edward Green – violin
  • Sandy Griffith – background vocals
  • Noel Hazen – assistant engineer
  • Mark Hensley – engineer
  • Dan Hetzel – engineer
  • Jim Hughart – contrabass
  • Larry Jacobs – background vocals
  • Davida Johnson – violin
  • Jimmy Johnson – bass
  • Jude Johnson – cello
  • Melisa Kary – background vocals
  • Neill King – engineer
  • Ren Klyce – programming, sampling, synclavier
  • Dave Koz – guest artist, saxophone
  • Matthew "Boomer" La Monica – engineer
  • Manny Lacarrubba – engineer
  • Michael Landau – guitar
  • Norma Leonard – violin
  • Mario Lucy – assistant engineer, engineer
  • Vito Luprano – executive producer
  • Patrick MacDougall – mixing
  • Margot MacLaine – viola
  • Earl Madison – celli, cello
  • Larry Mah – engineer
  • Brian Malouf – mixing
  • Jean McClain – background vocals
  • Casey McMackin – assistant engineer
  • Vladimir Meller – mastering
  • Betty Moor – violin
  • Jorge Moraga – viola
  • Ralph Morrison III – violin
  • Michael Nowak – viola
  • Nils Oliver – celli, cello
  • Rafael Padilla – percussion
  • Victoria Pearson – photography
  • Joel Peskin – oboe, synthesizer
  • Ken Phillips – production coordination
  • Brian Pollack – assistant engineer, engineer
  • Simon Pressey – engineer
  • Vicki Randle – background vocals
  • Claytoven Richardson – background vocals
  • John "J.R." Robinson – drums
  • Guy Roche – arranger, engineer, keyboards, producer, synthesizer
  • Alejandro Rodríguez – engineer
  • Harry Scorzo – violin
  • Frederick Seykora – celli, cello
  • Dan Shea – keyboards, programming
  • David Shea – keyboards, synthesizer
  • Paul Shure – violin
  • David Stenske – viola
  • Mick Stern – engineer
  • Robert Stone – contrabass
  • Robert Jeffrey Stone – double bass
  • Barbara Stout – production coordination
  • Rich Tancredi – arranger
  • Pamela Thompkins – violin
  • Michael Thompson – guitar
  • Jeanie Tracy – background vocals
  • Jeffrey "C.J." Vanston – keyboards
  • Alan de Veritch – viola
  • Ric Wake – arranger, producer
  • Francine Walsh – violin
  • Diane Warren – background vocals
  • Frank Wolf – engineer
  • Terry Wood – background vocals
  • Thomas R. Yezzi – engineer
  • Richard Zuckerman – executive producer

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Certifications and sales for Celine Dion
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[17] Platinum 70,000
Canada (Music Canada)[16] Diamond 1,000,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[30] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[14] 2× Platinum 3,024,000[A]
Summaries
Worldwide 5,000,000[9][10]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release history for Celine Dion
Region Date Label Format Catalog Edition
Canada[32] March 30, 1992 Columbia 52473 Standard with 14 tracks
United States[33] March 31, 1992 Epic
Japan[34] May 21, 1992 SMEJ CD ESCA-5587
United Kingdom[35] June 8, 1992 Epic
  • CD
  • LP
  • cassette
471508
Australia[36][37] June 22, 1992
  • CD
  • cassette
September 7, 1992 Includes bonus CD/cassette with 4 tracks
Germany[38] December 3, 1992 Columbia
  • CD
  • LP
  • cassette
United Kingdom[39] January 4, 1993 Epic 4715089 Includes bonus track

Notes

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  1. ^ As of May 2016, Celine Dion has sold 2,400,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan,[11] with an additional 624,000 units sold at BMG Music Club.[12] SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "14 Popular Songs You Didn't Know Prince Wrote". CW33 Dallas / Ft. Worth. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Celine Dion - Celine Dion". Rovi Corporation. AllMusic.
  3. ^ Obee, Dave (5 April 1992). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald.
  4. ^ a b DeKnock, Jan (21 May 1992). "Celine Dion Celine Dion (Epic)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG céline dion". Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  6. ^ a b Berger, Arion (17 April 1992). "Celine Dion (1992) Celine Dion". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  7. ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (10 April 1992). "Celine Dion". Orlando Sentinel.
  8. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (28 November 2004). Céline Dion. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved 13 December 2016. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  9. ^ a b David Ball. "This Week in History: December 12 to 18". Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  10. ^ a b Archives de Radio-Canada (18 November 2019). "Céline Dion : l'envol d'une carrière internationale". Site des archives de Radio-Canada (in French). Radio-Canada. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  11. ^ a b Gary Trust (22 May 2016). "Ask Billboard: Celine Dion's Career Sales & Biggest Hot 100 Hits". Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  12. ^ a b Barry David (18 February 2003). "Shania, Backstreet, Britney, Eminem and Janet Top All Time Sellers". Music Industry News Network. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  13. ^ a b Keith Caulfield (25 January 2008). "Ask Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  14. ^ a b c "American album certifications – Celine Dion – Celine Dion". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  15. ^ "Compilation des ventes d'albums par ordre alphabétique d'interprètes" (PDF) (in French). BAnQ. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Canadian album certifications – Celine Dion – Celine Dion". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  17. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Celine Dion > Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Céline Dion – Celine Dion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  20. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2136". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  21. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 30 May 1992. p. 42. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. ^ セリーヌ・ディオンのアルバム売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  23. ^ "Charts.nz – Céline Dion – Celine Dion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  24. ^ "Palmarès des ventes d'albums au Québec" (in French). BAnQ. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  25. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  26. ^ "Celine Dion Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  27. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Albums of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. 19 December 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  28. ^ "1992: Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  29. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Albums of 1993". RPM. 18 December 1993. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  30. ^ "Japanese album certifications – セリーヌ・ディオン – セリーヌ・ディオン" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 8 December 2019. Select 1996年8月 on the drop-down menu
  31. ^ "British album certifications – Celine Dion – Celine Dion". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  32. ^ "Celine Dion: Music - Celine Dion". celinedion.com. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  33. ^ "Sonymusicstore.com: Celine Dion: Celine Dion". Sony Music. Archived from the original on 13 September 2003. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  34. ^ "セリーヌ・ディオン" (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  35. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 6 June 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  36. ^ Larry LeBlanc and Susan Nunziata (16 May 1992). "Dion's Language Is Universal" (PDF). Billboard. p. 40. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  37. ^ "Celine Dion (Album)". Discogs. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  38. ^ "Celine Dion - Releases - Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH". Sony Music. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  39. ^ "New Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 26 December 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
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