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These Are Special Times

 
Album Review: These Are Special Times
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These Are Special Times

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  • Artist: Celine Dion
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: November 03, 1998
  • Type: Christmas, Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

In the wake of her Titanic success, Celine Dion produced two new albums for the holiday season of 1998. One was a new French album, and the other was These Are Special Times, her first Christmas album. These Are Special Times is an especially successful holiday album since Dion wisely balances popular carols ("The Christmas Song," "Blue Christmas," "Feliz Navidad") with new songs ("Don't Save It All for Christmas," the R. Kelly duet "I'm Your Angel"), hymns ("Ave Maria," "Adeste Fidelis"), and Christmas songs with a distinct religious theme ("O Holy Night," the Andrea Bocelli duet "The Prayer"). At times, the production is too slick, at other times Dion's vocals are a little mannered, but overall, These Are Special Times is very effective, because the songs are good and she's committed to the material. Any fan of Dion, or of '90s adult contemporary pop in general, should find this very enjoyable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
O'Holy Night Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight Celine Dion (5:21)
Don't Save It All for Christmas Day (Lyrics) Celine Dion, Rick Wake, Peter Zizzo Celine Dion (4:37)
Blue Christmas (Lyrics) Bill Hayes, Jay Johnson Celine Dion (3:48)
Another Year Has Gone By Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy Celine Dion (3:24)
The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone) Celine Dion (4:17)
Ave Maria (Lyrics) Franz Schubert Celine Dion (4:55)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Lyrics) Frederick Oakeley, John Francis Wade Celine Dion (4:43)
The Christmas Song Mel Tormé, Robert Wells Celine Dion (4:13)
The Prayer (Lyrics) David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli (4:29)
Brahms' Lullaby (Lyrics) Johannes Brahms Celine Dion (3:32)
Christmas Eve (Lyrics) Maria Christensen, Curt Frasca Celine Dion (4:16)
These Are the Special Times (Lyrics) Diane Warren Celine Dion (4:08)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) John Lennon, Yoko Ono Celine Dion (4:14)
I'm Your Angel (Lyrics) R. Kelly Celine Dion, R. Kelly (5:31)
Feliz Navidad José Feliciano Celine Dion (3:40)
Les Cloches du Hameau Johannes Brahms Celine Dion (3:10)

Credits

Bryan Adams (Bass), Bryan Adams (Guitar), Bryan Adams (Arranger), Bryan Adams (Producer), Bryan Adams (String Arrangements), Celine Dion (Main Performer), Jeff Hamilton (Drums), Jeremy Lubbock (Arranger), Jeremy Lubbock (String Arrangements), Sharon Bryant (Vocals (Background)), Louis Price (Choir, Chorus), David Foster (Piano), David Foster (Arranger), David Foster (Keyboards), David Foster (Producer), David Foster (?), Carole Bayer Sager (Producer), Tony Black (Programming), Martin Briley (Vocals (Background)), John Chiodini (Guitar), John Chiodini (Guitar (Electric)), Yvonne Gage (Vocals (Background)), David Taylor (Trombone (Bass)), Michael Thompson (Guitar (Electric)), Sue Ann Carwell (Vocals (Background)), Vaneese Thomas (Vocals (Background)), Dennis Collins (Vocals (Background)), Ronn Huff (Arranger), Maria Christensen (Vocals (Background)), R. Kelly (Arranger), R. Kelly (Producer), R. Kelly (Performer), Tawatha Agee (Vocals (Background)), Morgan Ames (Vocals (Background)), Randy Andos (Trombone), Bashiri Johnson (Vocals (Background)), Dick Bolks (Vocals (Background)), Jeff Bova (Programming), Jimmy Bralower (Drum Programming), Alexandra Brown (Choir, Chorus), Bridgette Bryant (Choir, Chorus), Bob Buckley (Conductor), Bob Buckley (String Arrangements), Amick Byram (Vocals (Background)), Bob Cadway (Engineer), Richie Cannata (Saxophone), Richie Cannata (Sax (Tenor)), Johnnie Carl (Arranger), Carmen Carter (Choir, Chorus), Lafayette Carthon, Jr. (Conductor), Lafayette Carthon, Jr. (Keyboards), Lafayette Carthon, Jr. (Vocals (Background)), Barry Danielian (Trumpet), Donna Davidson (Vocals (Background)), Shane Keister (Piano), Shane Keister (Arranger), Shane Keister (Synclavier), Shane Keister (Handbell Arrangement), Chuck Domanico (Bass), Felipe Elgueta (Programming), Felipe Elgueta (Engineer), Gary Falcone (Choir, Chorus), Bob Franceschini (Sax (Alto)), Simon Franglen (Synclavier), Roger Freeland (Vocals (Background)), Humberto Gatica (Engineer), Humberto Gatica (Mixing), Diva Gray (Vocals (Background)), Nikki Gregoroff (Vocals (Background)), Linda Harmon (Vocals (Background)), Loris Holland (Conductor), Loris Holland (Keyboards), Loris Holland (Organ (Hammond)), Loris Holland (Vocals (Background)), Loris Holland (Vocal Arrangement), Jimmy Hoyson (Assistant Engineer), Tony Kadleck (Trumpet), Khris Kellow (Vocals (Background)), Brenda White-King (Vocals (Background)), Curtis King (Vocals (Background)), Darlene Koldenhoven (Vocals (Background)), John Kurlander (Engineer), Rick Logan (Vocals (Background)), Vito Luprano (Executive Producer), Paulette McWilliams (Vocals (Background)), Johnny Mandel (Orchestral Arrangements), Rob Mathes (Conductor), Rob Mathes (Orchestral Arrangements), Ozzie Melendez (Trombone), Chieli Minucci (Guitar), Cindy Mizelle (Vocals (Background)), Jeffrey Morrow (Vocals (Background)), Rafael Padilla (Percussion), Bobbi Page (Choir, Chorus), Shawn Pelton (Drums), Jeffrey Ramsey (Choir, Chorus), Anthony Ransom (Vocals (Background)), Dave Reitzas (Engineer), John "J.R." Robinson (Drums), Olle Romo (Programming), Johnny Rutledge (Vocals (Background)), John Scarpula (Sax (Baritone)), Al Schmitt (Engineer), Don Shelton (Vocals (Background)), Marc Shulman (Guitar), Ira Siegel (Guitar), Steve Skinner (Arranger), Steve Skinner (Drum Programming), Steve Skinner (Keyboard Programming), Ramon Stagnaro (Guitar (Acoustic)), Randy Staub (Engineer), Chris Taylor (Guitar), Fonzi Thornton (Vocals (Background)), Terry Trotter (Piano), Rob Trow (Vocals (Background)), Eric Troyer (Vocals (Background)), Carmen Twillie (Vocals (Background)), Carmen Twillie (Choir, Chorus), Frank Vilardi (Drums), Rick Wake (Arranger), Rick Wake (Producer), Rick Wake (?), Joan Walton (Vocals (Background)), Spencer Washington (Vocals (Background)), John West (Vocals (Background)), George Whitty (Engineer), George Whitty (Keyboard Arrangements), George Whitty (Synthesizer Arrangements), Cheryl Wilson (Vocals (Background)), Elisabeth Withers (Vocals (Background)), Steve Wolf (Drums), Andrea Bocelli (Performer), Diana Krall (Piano), Crystal Cathedral Choir (?), Elin Carlson (Vocals (Background)), John Doelp (Executive Producer), Dan Hetzel (Engineer), Susie Stevens Logan (Vocals (Background)), Robert Moe (Vocals (Background)), Rob Murphy (Assistant Engineer), Rob Murphy (Mixing Assistant), Don Harris (Trumpet), Lisa Lougheed (Vocals (Background)), Stephen George (Programming), Bill Harris (Sax (Alto)), Russ Desalvo (Guitar), Randee Saint Nicholas (Photography), Nancy Donald (Art Direction), Nathan Dean (Mixing Assistant), William Ross (Arranger), William Ross (Orchestral Arrangements), Steve Amerson (Vocals (Background)), Hooshik (Art Direction), Phil Western (Keyboards), Phil Western (Programming), Phil Western (Engineer), Phil Western (String Arrangements), Rick Kerr (Engineer), Stevie Robinson (Vocals (Background)), Nancey Jackson (Vocals (Background)), Juan Bohorquez (Assistant Engineer), Juan Bohorquez (Mixing Assistant), Gary Van Pelt (Engineer), Larry Salzman (Guitar), David Shackney (Engineer), Aya Takemura (Mixing Assistant), Thomas R. Yezzi (Engineer), Terence Dover (Engineer), Don Hachey (Mixing Assistant), Tony Renis (Producer), Tony Renis (Translation), Kamil Rustam (Guitar (Acoustic)), Peter Zizzo (Guitar), Peter Zizzo (Arranger), Peter Zizzo (Drum Programming), Peter Zizzo (Keyboard Programming), Peter Zizzo (Bass Programming), Chris Brooke (Assistant Engineer), Jane Barnett (Vocals (Background)), Alberto Testa (Translation), Andy Haller (Assistant Engineer), Alfred Bosco (Assistant Engineer), Ayuana George (Vocals (Background)), Laura Mercier (Make-Up), Serge Normant (Hair Stylist), Brian Harding (Assistant Engineer), Brian Harding (Mixing Assistant), Jeff Vereb (Mixing Assistant), Robert Bowker (Vocals (Background)), Troy Bright (Vocals (Background)), Vancouver Orchestra (Strings), Cathy Richardson (Vocals (Background)), UB Tirado (Mixing Assistant), Patrick Carroll (Percussion), Patrick Carroll (Guitar (Bass)), Patrick Carroll (Drum Programming), Jake Ninan (Assistant Engineer), Tom Rainer (Synthesizer), David Barratt (Production Coordination), John Scarpulla (Sax (Baritone)), Ethan Mates (Mixing Assistant), Randy Phillips (Choir, Chorus), Robin Robinson (Vocals (Background))
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Wikipedia: These Are Special Times
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
These Are Special Times
Studio album by Céline Dion
Released October 30, 1998 (1998-10-30)
(see release history)
Recorded 1998
Genre Pop
Length 68:27
Label Epic, 550
Producer Bryan Adams, David Foster, Humberto Gatica, R. Kelly, Tony Renis, Carole Bayer Sager, Ric Wake
Professional reviews
Céline Dion chronology
S'il suffisait d'aimer
(1998)		 These Are Special Times
(1998)		 Au cœur du stade
(1999)
Singles from These Are Special Times
  1. "I'm Your Angel"
    Released: November 9, 1998
  2. "The Prayer"
    Released: March 1, 1999
  3. "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day"
    Released: December 4, 2000

These Are Special Times is a Christmas album by Canadian singer Céline Dion, released on October 30, 1998. It's her 1st English-language Christmas album, 6th English album and 25th in total. These Are Special Times is one of the best selling Christmas albums, with sales of over 15 million copies worldwide.[1]

The album was re-released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in September 2007, under the title Ihre Schönsten Weihnachtslieder, including the same tracklist as the original version, but a different cover picture. These Are Special Times was also re-released worldwide between October and December 2007 as a collector's edition. This 2-disc digipak contains the original CD and previously unreleased DVD of Dion's 1998 CBS TV special. The CD/DVD Tin Box Gold Edition was also released between October and November 2008 in Australia and selected European countries. On October 6, 2009 the Yule Edition of These Are Special Times was released on DVD. It includes classic holiday scenes with the music from the album in the background.[2]

Contents

Album information

On These Are Special Times Dion balances popular carols ("The Christmas Song", "Blue Christmas", "Feliz Navidad") with new songs ("Don't Save It All for Christmas Day", the R. Kelly duet "I'm Your Angel"), hymns ("Ave Maria", "Adeste Fideles"), and Christmas songs with a distinct religious theme ("O Holy Night", the Andrea Bocelli duet "The Prayer"). Dion is joined by her family on "Feliz Navidad" and "Les cloches du hameau". The album was produced mostly by singer's longtime partners: David Foster and Ric Wake. One of the songs, called "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" was co-written by Céline Dion.

These Are Special Times was recorded with help of few other artists, including Diana Krall (piano on "Blue Christmas") and Bryan Adams (guitars, bass and backing vocals on "Another Year Has Gone By").

Two songs from These Are Special Times were previously available: "The Christmas Song" (recorded in 1993 for The Christmas Album by David Foster) and "Brahms' Lullaby" (recorded in 1996 for the compilation For Our Children Too to benefit Pediatric AIDS Foundation). French version of "The Christmas Song" appeared on Dion's first two Christmas albums: Céline Dion chante Noël (1981) and Chants et contes de Noël (1983).

On November 25, 1998, one-hour CBS TV special, dedicated to Céline Dion's Christmas album, was broadcasted all across the United States. Dion performed songs from These Are Special Times, as well as few other tracks, including duet with Rosie O'Donnell on "Do You Hear What I Hear?". The TV special received two Emmy Award nominations. One year later, O'Donnell added her vocals to Dion's song "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)," and included this duet version on her A Rosie Christmas album.

Céline Dion was nominated for two Grammy Awards in Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category for "I'm Your Angel" (1999) and "The Prayer" (2000). The last one was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song from the Quest for Camelot movie in 1999. Dion performed it with Andrea Bocelli at the Grammys and Oscars.

The album has spawned two international top 10 hits with the duets "I'm Your Angel" and "The Prayer". Other unreleased songs have proven to become highly popular later on, notably the title song "These Are the Special Times" which was covered in 2000 by Christina Aguilera for her album My Kind of Christmas, "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" which appeared in the multi-million selling 2001 collection Now That's What I Call Christmas! and was covered in 2000 by Avalon for their album Joy: A Christmas Collection and in 2004 by Clay Aiken for his album Merry Christmas with Love, and Dion's version of "O Holy Night" which was voted as the 3rd favourite Christmas song of all time in a 2004 poll.[3]

Over the years, Céline Dion recorded few other Christmas songs, not included on These Are Special Times. In December 1994, A Very Merry Chipmunk by The Chipmunks was released, containing "Petit Papa Noël" with Céline Dion on lead vocal. The latter recorded her own version of this song back in 1981 on Céline Dion chante Noël.

In December 1999, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was used as the lead track to the Target TV special called "And So This Is Christmas". The special featured an instrumental track of the song accompanied by a choir to the introduction to the show and also featured Dion's new Christmas recording "I Met an Angel (On Christmas Day)". The final track of the show used Dion's version of "Happy Xmas" accompanied by Charlotte Church and Gloria Estefan. "I Met an Angel (On Christmas Day)" was included as a B-side to the "That's the Way It Is" single, and appeared on various Christmas compilations in the following years.

Chart success

These Are Special Times is one of the best selling Christmas albums in history, with over 15 million copies sold worldwide.[1]

In the U.S., These Are Special Times is the second best-selling Christmas album of the Nielsen SoundScan era, after Kenny G's Miracles: The Holiday Album. It became the first holiday album by a female artist to top the 5 million mark in Nielsen SoundScan history,[4] and has sold 5,077,000 copies through August 23, 2009 (5x platinum certification).[5] These Are Special Times is also the highest selling Christmas album by an artist born outside the U.S.[6]

In Canada, These Are Special Times has sold over 1 million copies and was certified diamond. After selling over 1 million copies in Europe, the album was certified 1x platinum by the IFPI.

These Are Special Times went to number 1 for two weeks in Canada, and for four weeks in Switzerland and Norway, and reached top 10 all over the world. Although number 2 on the Billboard 200, These Are Special Times reached number 1 for nine consecutive weeks on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart. The next year it went also to number 1 for seven consecutive weeks on the Top Pop Catalog Albums.

Track listing

  1. "O Holy Night" (Traditional) – 5:21
  2. "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" (Peter Zizzo, Ric Wake, Céline Dion) – 4:37
  3. "Blue Christmas" (Jay Johnson, Bill Hayes) – 3:48
  4. "Another Year Has Gone By" (Bryan Adams, Eliot Kennedy) – 3:24
  5. "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)" (Dee Snider) – 4:17
  6. "Ave Maria" (Franz Schubert) – 4:55
  7. "Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)" (Traditional) – 4:43
  8. "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) – 4:13
  9. "The Prayer" (with Andrea Bocelli) (David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa, Tony Renis) – 4:29
  10. "Brahms' Lullaby" (Johannes Brahms) – 3:32
  11. "Christmas Eve" (Maria Christensen, Curt Frasca) – 4:16
  12. "These Are the Special Times" (Diane Warren) – 4:08
  13. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (John Lennon, Yoko Ono) – 4:14
  14. "I'm Your Angel" (with R. Kelly) (R. Kelly) – 5:31
  15. "Feliz Navidad" (Jose Feliciano) – 3:40
  16. "Les cloches du hameau" (Brahms) – 3:10
  17. "My Heart Will Go On" (no lead vocals) (James Horner, Will Jennings) – 4:40 (Japanese bonus track)

2007 collector's edition bonus DVD

  1. "The Power of Love" (Candy DeRouge, Gunther Mende, Mary Susan Applegate, Jennifer Rush)
  2. "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (with Rosie O'Donnell) (Noël Regney, Gloria Shayne Baker)
  3. "O Holy Night" (Traditional)
  4. "Because You Loved Me" (Warren)
  5. "Let's Talk About Love" (Adams, Jean-Jacques Goldman, Kennedy)
  6. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (Ewan MacColl)
  7. "My Heart Will Go On" (Horner, Jennings)
  8. "The Prayer" (with Andrea Bocelli) (Foster, Bayer Sager, Testa, Renis)
  9. "Ave Maria" (performed by Andrea Bocelli) (Schubert)
  10. End credits (featuring "Feliz Navidad" and "These Are the Special Times")

Chart performance

Chart Peak
position		 Certification Sales/shipments
Australian Albums Chart[7] 6 2x platinum 140,000[8]
Austrian Albums Chart[9] 2 Platinum 50,000[10]
Belgian Flanders Albums Chart[11] 16 Platinum 50,000[12]
Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart[13] 12
Canadian Albums Chart[14] 1 Diamond 1,000,000[15]
Danish Albums Chart[16] 6 n/a n/a
Dutch Albums Chart[17] 3 Gold 50,000[18]
European Albums Chart[19] 3 Platinum 1,000,000[20]
Finnish Albums Chart[21] 4 Gold 30,000[22]
French Albums Chart[23] 23 — 60,000[24]
German Albums Chart[25] 3 Gold 250,000[26]
Hungarian Albums Chart[27] 14 n/a n/a
Italian Albums Chart[28] 7 Platinum1 250,000[29]
Japanese Albums Chart[30] 4 2x platinum 510,000[31]
New Zealand Albums Chart[32] 4 2x platinum 30,000[33]
Norwegian Albums Chart[34] 1 2x platinum 100,000[35]
Portuguese Albums Chart[36] n/a Gold 20,000[37]
Swedish Albums Chart[38] 3 Platinum 80,000[39]
Swiss Albums Chart[40] 1 2x platinum 100,000[41]
UK Albums Chart[42] 20 Gold 200,000[43]
U.S. Billboard 200[44] 2 5x platinum 5,100,000[45]
U.S. Billboard Top Holiday Albums[46] 1

1 should be certified 2x platinum (200,000)

Awards

Year Award show Award
1999 Golden Globe Awards Best Original Song – "The Prayer"
1999 Japan Gold Disc Awards International Pop Album of the Year – These Are Special Times

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
Europe October 30, 1998 Sony Music, Columbia CD 4927302
Japan October 31, 1998 Sony Music Japan, Epic, 550 ESCA 7390
United States November 3, 1998 Epic, 550 69523
Canada Sony Music, Columbia
Australia November 6, 1998 Sony Music, Epic, 550 4926512
Europe September 28, 2007 Sony Music, Columbia 82876860572
United States October 2, 2007 Epic, 550 CD/DVD 88697155752
Canada Sony Music, Columbia
Europe November 2, 2007 Sony Music, Columbia
Japan November 21, 2007 Sony Music Japan, Epic, 550
Australia December 8, 2007 Sony Music, Epic, 550
Europe October 10, 2008 Sony Music, Columbia CD/DVD (Tin Box) 88697336312
United States October 6, 2009 Legacy Recordings DVD 88697557469

References

  1. ^ a b "SuperiorPics". My Heart Will Go On. http://www.superiorpics.com/celine_dion/. Retrieved September 7, 2009. 
  2. ^ These Are Special Times (Christmas Classics-The Yule Edition)
  3. ^ NAT KING COLE - COLE'S CHRISTMAS SONG TOPS POLL
  4. ^ Queen Celine
  5. ^ Ask Billboard: Battle of the Divas, Round 3
  6. ^ Chart Watch Extra: The Top 40 Christmas Albums
  7. ^ Australian Albums Chart
  8. ^ ARIA
  9. ^ Austrian Albums Chart
  10. ^ IFPI Austria
  11. ^ Belgian Flanders Albums Chart
  12. ^ IFPI Belgium
  13. ^ Belgian Wallonia Albums Chart
  14. ^ Canadian Albums Chart
  15. ^ CRIA
  16. ^ Danish Albums Chart
  17. ^ Dutch Albums Chart
  18. ^ NVPI
  19. ^ European Albums Chart
  20. ^ IFPI
  21. ^ Finnish Albums Chart
  22. ^ IFPI Finland
  23. ^ French Albums Chart
  24. ^ SNEP
  25. ^ German Albums Chart
  26. ^ IFPI Germany
  27. ^ Hungarian Albums Chart
  28. ^ Italian Albums Chart
  29. ^ FIMI
  30. ^ Japanese Albums Chart
  31. ^ RIAJ
  32. ^ New Zealand Albums Chart
  33. ^ RIANZ
  34. ^ Norwegian Albums Chart
  35. ^ IFPI Norway
  36. ^ Portuguese Albums Chart
  37. ^ AFP
  38. ^ Swedish Albums Chart
  39. ^ IFPI Sweden
  40. ^ Swiss Albums Chart
  41. ^ IFPI Switzerland
  42. ^ UK Albums Chart
  43. ^ BPI
  44. ^ Billboard 200
  45. ^ RIAA
  46. ^ Top Holiday Albums
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Celine Dion
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