"These Are Special Times" album - Official Topic

[smw]

 

 

She recorded it in 1994... She also recorded The Christmas Song, released on David Foster's album (and later released on TAST)...

This was the first version of the song I discovered... only years after being a fan I discovered the Chante Noël version from 1981...

The belting of this 94 version is so amazing!

 

I adore her voice on the 94 version. I’ve only known the 1981 version.

[MaiconSC]

No way! Man, I grew up with this! We'd listen to it all the time in the car as kids.

 

When I became a fan I received a CDr with various songs from Celine as a gift, and this one was in the middle...

I listened to it all the time too...

[idroveallnight]

Um were all the AI posts deleted?

[PuraVida]

Um were all the AI posts deleted?

 

They were moved to a separate thread I think

[Davey84]

Um were all the AI posts deleted?

They were moved to a separate thread I think

 

Yes I have moved them here, so we can keep the other threads clean

 

http://www.celinedionforum.com/topic/56551-celine-covers-made-by-ia-artificial-intelligence/

[Derek F.]

Well loyal Celine fans... it's October, and early next month will be the very special, important milestone 25th Anniversary of Celine's classic Christmas album!

 

Do you think "Team Celine" at Sony Music Canada and Legacy Recordings will release a special 25th Anniversary deluxe edition of "These Are Special Times"?? I certainly hope so!!! Many other legacy artists with long music careers have been having special anniversary editions released of albums from their career, such as Barbara Streisand, Mariah Carey, and Cher, just to name a few.

 

Celine's mega successful, iconic "These Are Special Times" Christmas album was originally released on 10/30/98 in Europe, and 11/3/98 in North America, and spent 9 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Top Holiday Albums chart in the U.S.!, reached #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and became the highest-charting holiday album ever by a female artist at that time, and then became the top selling Christmas album in the U.S. and worldwide for 1998! By November 2008, it also became the first holiday album by a female artist to top the five million mark in Nielsen SoundScan history! The timeless album has Celine's iconic recordings of "O Holy Night" and "Happy X-mas (War is Over)" that have both been highly successful with digital downloads and streaming over the years, as well as the amazing duet "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli that has truly became a classic song worldwide!

 

25 years after releasing her iconic Merry Christmas album, Carey released a two disc deluxe anniversary edition, featuring the original album and a bonus disc with rare remixes and unreleased live performances, that was very well thought out, highly promoted and marketed.

 

We can only hope and pray that Celine's team will honor her legacy in music, and the special anniversary of Celine's classic Christmas album this year, and give Celine's fans a treasured gift, the way Mariah's team did for her "Merry Christmas" album for it's 25th anniversary in 2019!

 

I keep checking the news daily hoping for a new announcement!

Edited October 3, 2023 at 05:10 AM by Derek F.

[Chantemoi]

Sorry, but how anyone can anticipate Sony/TC releasing ANYTHING special “for the fans” is purely delusional. If you’re checking the headlines everyday, you’ll notice they haven’t done anything “special” for the fans since René passed away.

 

There is no logical reason to believe they will suddenly jump into action and start releasing special editions for her holiday album, as much as I’d like to be proven wrong.

 

The 25th anniversaries of her two best-selling albums went by with the bare minimum mention (aside from the newly remastered MHWGO video). The 30th anniversary of TCOML and 40th anniversary of her career as a recording artist were also overlooked, and she did not even bother to film a video to promote her first major film role.

 

Relatively substantiated rumors have stated she’s laid off her team, which means the promotion machine has been stopped for the foreseeable future. In other words: it ain’t happening, folks! Time to move on.

 

[ryba]

Maybe she is fed up with show business and it’s enough for her now. No wonder, she is all be herself now and therefore people try to take advantage of her and she can’t handle it alone. It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the reason. Remember the recent court case

[PuraVida]

Makes no sense to pay people to sit around and do nothing, especially when they have their own lives and futures to consider.

 

But I doubt anything has changed in what Celine told us in her announcement: 'I am trying everything to get better, and I hope to see you all really soon." Like any normal person, health is her #1 priority...but I don't doubt that she wishes to go back on stage one day. Whether that's what the fates will allow is another question...

 

Regarding TAST, at the very least Sony better update her sales.

[Zofia]

she did not even bother to film a video to promote her first major film role.

 

Maybe she is fed up with show business and it's enough for her now.

 

Yet we remember that her illness isn't a cold? we remember the physical and psychological symptoms and side effects of the standard treatment?

 

If it were up to me, I'd much rather she'd become lazy and show-business-weary than unable to record a short video because of her condition.

 

Unfortunately, it seems to me that compared to the fans hoping for her imminent return to the stage and those accusing her of not getting into promotion, she's much more realistic, firing - if that's the case - her team. Although she's probably doing everything to get better, she's too responsible to hold her team hostage to a hope she knows has little basis in fact. That's her thing: don't confuse life with dreams.

[comingback]

. Edited October 3, 2023 at 01:15 PM by comingback

[comingback]

Sorry, but how anyone can anticipate Sony/TC releasing ANYTHING special “for the fans” is purely delusional. If you’re checking the headlines everyday, you’ll notice they haven’t done anything “special” for the fans since René passed away.

 

There is no logical reason to believe they will suddenly jump into action and start releasing special editions for her holiday album, as much as I’d like to be proven wrong.

 

The 25th anniversaries of her two best-selling albums went by with the bare minimum mention (aside from the newly remastered MHWGO video). The 30th anniversary of TCOML and 40th anniversary of her career as a recording artist were also overlooked, and she did not even bother to film a video to promote her first major film role.

 

Relatively substantiated rumors have stated she’s laid off her team, which means the promotion machine has been stopped for the foreseeable future. In other words: it ain’t happening, folks! Time to move on.

 

They already released a Special Edition of TAST in 2008. And for TCOML, the 30th anniversary will be in November 2023. Keep emailing Sony Canada, maybe they will upload/release some goodies for the fans: concert from 1994, 4k video of TPOL, Making ofs etc.

Edited October 3, 2023 at 01:17 PM by comingback

[celinesounds]

They took of her best song,

Why do not release a solo version of IMYA, I’m sure they have the whole thing

 

I like IMAOXD but doesn’t feat the album concept

 

Anyway…

 

[KyleVan41]

They will do nothing. Full stop.

[MaiconSC]

They took of her best song,

Why do not release a solo version of IMYA, I'm sure they have the whole thing

 

I like IMAOXD but doesn't feat the album concept

 

Anyway…

 

or they could release any of the live versions... with Barnev, or the Millenium Concert...

[smw]

or they could release any of the live versions... with Barnev, or the Millenium Concert...

 

That would be great... but unfortunately R Kelly wrote/produced the song. So I think the song is in the past now.

 

It's a shame because that was the big #1 hit from her Christmas album. Fortunately, she has many other iconic songs on the album. Like The Prayer, O Holy Night, etc. It's a beautiful album with amazing vocals at the peak of her popularity. Very grateful they made this holiday album a priority. I wish Whitney had done the same in her prime.

Edited October 3, 2023 at 05:26 PM by smw

[celinesounds]

 

 

That would be great... but unfortunately R Kelly wrote/produced the song. So I think the song is in the past now.

 

It's a shame because that was the big #1 hit from her Christmas album. Fortunately, she has many other iconic songs on the album. Like The Prayer, O Holy Night, etc. It's a beautiful album with amazing vocals at the peak of her popularity. Very grateful they made this holiday album a priority. I wish Whitney had done the same in her prime.

 

Looking at that point she should never sing RDMH

 

Gaga had rereleased her R Kelly song with XTina instead

[smw]

 

 

Looking at that point she should never sing RDMH

 

Gaga had rereleased her R Kelly song with XTina instead

 

Yeah the list is probably bigger than we realize… producers / songwriters / performers who’ve done bad things. It’s a slippery slope.

[smw]

 

This is hauntingly beautiful. She was in such a tough place during this time… with Rene in decline, you can feel her sadness.

 

Such a beautiful performance.

 

It must’ve been so hard for Celine to return to her Vegas shows in 2015 while Rene was in such a bad state. She was incredibly brave, and I know she did it for him. I can only imagine it took a big toll on her mental & physical health.

 

Edited October 3, 2023 at 10:43 PM by smw

[Derek F.]

OK, I'm not a huge gambler, but I can absolutely bet...

 

#1. that Celine did NOT fire her entire, whole team. Yes, she may have laid off some of her team, or so called "fired" a portion of her team,

but for sure not her entire team, that wouldn't make sense. Since Celine is sadly struggling with her health, and had to cancel her Courage world tour, it makes since that she would let go of the portion of her touring team, which would be a lot of people. But... there are STILL people on Celine's team that are working at Sony Music Canada, and Legacy Recordings, that without any doubt should be working on creative ways to celebrate Celine's incredible, iconic legacy and can release NEW anniversary or special edition albums or DVD's and Blu Rays of songs and videos and tours that would not require ANY new efforts or recordings from Celine as she is battling her awful health condition.

 

#2. It would not require Celine herself to record ANY new songs, videos, promotion, marketing, NOTHING... if members of Celine's team at Sony Music Canada released any Special Deluxe Anniversary releases to honor some of Celine's most loved, best selling, classic albums or songs!!! Her team has the means and ability to release deluxe anniversary albums on vinyl, CD, and digitally that can include new anniversary remixes, demos, a couple accapella versions of songs from those albums, and Celines best live recordings of songs from the albums, as extra album tracks. I'm sure Celine would happily approve of that. Many other record label teams with legacy artists are having deluxe anniversary albums released on vinyl and CD's and digitally with those extra treats, for their artists fans, and to keep their career legacy going and growing!

 

#3. "These Are Special Times" was not released as a "special edition" in 2008. There was a collectors edition released in 2007 (16 years ago now), that had the same album released in 1998, and the ONLY reason that it was a collectors edition was because the album was packaged with a DVD of the CBS TV special recorded in 1998.

 

#4. As an example... here are some ideas that Sony Music Canada and Team Celine could release for a 25th Anniversary Deluxe edition this year for "These Are Special Times"-

- an extra album track with an accapella version of "O Holy Night" (how incredible would that sound!), and an extra track of the live performance Celine sang on the Michael Buble Christmas TV Special from 2015

- an extra track on the deluxe album of Celine's live performance of "Blue Christmas" on the Today Show in 1998

- an extra track on the deluxe album of Celine's live performance of "Another Year Has Gone By" on the Rosie O'Donnell Show in 1998

- an extra track on the deluxe album of an accapella version of "Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)

- an extra track on the deluxe album of a live performance of "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli (such as the one recorded in Central Park in New York with David Foster)

- a new 25th anniversary remix of "Christmas Eve" with just very slight new changes to the music/production (not Celine's vocal), and the new anniversary version could be released to AC radio! Most AC radio stations play all Christmas music from Nov. 1st through Christmas Day, and it could be a huge radio success on the Holiday songs chart!

- a new extra track on the deluxe album of one of Celine's best live performances of "The Christmas Song"

- an extra track on the deluxe album of Celine's live performance with Michael Buble of "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in 2015!

 

These extra album tracks, along with possibly any unreleased previously recorded Christmas songs that Celine has made over the years, would make for a true, exciting 25th Anniversary deluxe special edition album!, similar to what Mariah's team released in 2019 for the 25th anniversary of Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" album

 

With Celine focusing on her health, of course I wouldn't want Celine, or ever even in a million years expect Celine to promote or market a new 25th Anniversary edition of "These Are Special Times", but... the members of her team that are still working at Sony Music Canada could (if they want to make the effort) create, promote, and market a 25th Anniversary release this year to give a gift to Celine's fans, and to honor this incredible albums special anniversary!

 

I rest my case.

Edited October 7, 2023 at 04:55 AM by Derek F.

[jpatdeleon09]

This is new to me...

 

 

Oh my! This is also my first time hearing this song! That 1994 vocals. Heaven!

 

Thanks for sharing!

[Fanxiaoqiang]

OK, I'm not a huge gambler, but I can absolutely bet...

 

#1. that Celine did NOT fire her entire, whole team. Yes, she may have laid off some of her team, or so called "fired" a portion of her team,

but for sure not her entire team, that wouldn't make sense. Since Celine is sadly struggling with her health, and had to cancel her Courage world tour, it makes since that she would let go of the portion of her touring team, which would be a lot of people. But... there are STILL people on Celine's team that are working at Sony Music Canada, and Legacy Recordings, that without any doubt should be working on creative ways to celebrate Celine's incredible, iconic legacy and can release NEW anniversary or special edition albums or DVD's and Blu Rays of songs and videos and tours that would not require ANY new efforts or recordings from Celine as she is battling her awful health condition.

 

#2. It would not require Celine herself to record ANY new songs, videos, promotion, marketing, NOTHING... if members of Celine's team at Sony Music Canada released any Special Deluxe Anniversary releases to honor some of Celine's most loved, best selling, classic albums or songs!!! Her team has the means and ability to release deluxe anniversary albums on vinyl, CD, and digitally that can include new anniversary remixes, demos, a couple accapella versions of songs from those albums, and Celines best live recordings of songs from the albums, as extra album tracks. I'm sure Celine would happily approve of that. Many other record label teams with legacy artists are having deluxe anniversary albums released on vinyl and CD's and digitally with those extra treats, for their artists fans, and to keep their career legacy going and growing!

 

#3. "These Are Special Times" was not released as a "special edition" in 2008. There was a collectors edition released in 2007 (16 years ago now), that had the same album released in 1998, and the ONLY reason that it was a collectors edition was because the album was packaged with a DVD of the CBS TV special recorded in 1998.

 

#4. As an example... here are some ideas that Sony Music Canada and Team Celine could release for a 25th Anniversary Deluxe edition this year for "These Are Special Times"-

- an extra album track with an accapella version of "O Holy Night" (how incredible would that sound!), and an extra track of the live performance Celine sang on the Michael Buble Christmas TV Special from 2015

- an extra track on the deluxe album of Celine's live performance of "Blue Christmas" on the Today Show in 1998

- an extra track on the deluxe album of Celine's live performance of "Another Year Has Gone By" on the Rosie O'Donnell Show in 1998

- an extra track on the deluxe album of an accapella version of "Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)

- an extra track on the deluxe album of a live performance of "The Prayer" with Andrea Bocelli (such as the one recorded in Central Park in New York with David Foster)

- a new 25th anniversary remix of "Christmas Eve" with just very slight new changes to the music/production (not Celine's vocal), and the new anniversary version could be released to AC radio! Most AC radio stations play all Christmas music from Nov. 1st through Christmas Day, and it could be a huge radio success on the Holiday songs chart!

- a new extra track on the deluxe album of one of Celine's best live performances of "The Christmas Song"

- an extra track on the deluxe album of Celine's live performance with Michael Buble of "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in 2015!

 

These extra album tracks, along with possibly any unreleased previously recorded Christmas songs that Celine has made over the years, would make for a true, exciting 25th Anniversary deluxe special edition album!, similar to what Mariah's team released in 2019 for the 25th anniversary of Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas" album

 

With Celine focusing on her health, of course I wouldn't want Celine, or ever even in a million years expect Celine to promote or market a new 25th Anniversary edition of "These Are Special Times", but... the members of her team that are still working at Sony Music Canada could (if they want to make the effort) create, promote, and market a 25th Anniversary release this year to give a gift to Celine's fans, and to honor this incredible albums special anniversary!

 

I rest my case.

 

Totally agree

These Are Special Times should have been more than what we can expect

It should have been the most classic Xmas album ever

TC has never cared shout this album over the years

no vedios on YouTube (except holy night years ago, only this one)

[Chantemoi]

 

I rest my case.

 

We don’t actually know for fact that she still “has” people at Sony Music Canada and Legacy Recordings. Even if she did, then why did they not release anything during the pandemic when people across the globe were bored out of their minds, and other major artists were releasing special edition/unreleased media for their fans? Stuck at home, racking for ways to be useful and productive, why didn’t they come up with the idea to release anything then?

 

Maybe you missed it, but there was an entire campaign (born out of this very forum) dedicated to getting their attention. A petition was made. Detailed video trailers and mock-up promotional material were made. Team Céline, Legacy Recordings and ALL branches of Sony Music involved in her career were tagged in social media posts that ran on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. Emails were sent to all of them. This continued for 6-months and nothing happened. (Heck, most of her fans didn’t even care. A generous estimate would be maybe 2,500 followers, compared to other fan accounts that had followers in the tens -if not hundreds- of thousands. I digress…)

 

Aside from domestic staff, and perhaps someone in charge of the archives, we have no reason to believe Céline’s current staff extends beyond Denis and Dave - who we presume to be “yes men” carrying out orders from the “boss” - and Céline herself is not concerned (for obvious obvious reasons) with staying relevant or presenting fresh ideas. Therefore, based on TC’s inactivity it’s safe to assume that she wants nothing to do with maintaining a career if she’s not able to be on stage.

 

Barring a miraculous change in circumstances, any campaign for special releases (however well intended) is utterly futile. And now I rest my case.

 

Instead of a new release, let’s enjoy this “Official Yule Log” of a video TC posted last winter! :-)

 

 

Edited October 8, 2023 at 04:20 AM by Chantemoi

[ninetales]

It's quite odd that Ave Maria is getting more streams than OHN since "Ber"started.

 

I wish TC gets to push DSAIAFCD, The Magic of Xmas Day and I Met An Angel. Those songs are divine.

[Shaun]

Even on the rare occasion Sony have released something “special” such as the limited edition re-release of “A New Day Has Come” in 2002 they still find a way to mess things up.

 

Putting the new songs on the DVD so you could only listen to them in a DVD player. Why not just put them on the CD like any other normal record company?

 

They always find a way to mess up.

Edited October 8, 2023 at 09:05 AM by Shaun

[Chantemoi]

Even on the rare occasion Sony have released something “special” such as the limited edition re-release of “A New Day Has Come” in 2002 they still find a way to mess things up.

 

Putting the new songs on the DVD so you could only listen to them in a DVD player. Why not just put them on the CD like any other normal record company?

 

They always find a way to mess up.

 

I always found that odd, too. Luckily “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” ended up on the next album, but “All Because of You” never saw the light of day again. Which is a shame, because I think it would’ve been fine on OH or My Love. Not the greatest song she’s ever recorded, but a fine tune nonetheless.

[ryba]

 

 

I always found that odd, too. Luckily “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” ended up on the next album, but “All Because of You” never saw the light of day again. Which is a shame, because I think it would’ve been fine on OH or My Love. Not the greatest song she’s ever recorded, but a fine tune nonetheless.

ABOY was a B side track on the Goodbye’s single

[rfkavanagh]

I always found that odd, too. Luckily "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda" ended up on the next album, but "All Because of You" never saw the light of day again. Which is a shame, because I think it would've been fine on OH or My Love. Not the greatest song she's ever recorded, but a fine tune nonetheless.

 

I've always really liked All Because Of You - it's an unassuming little number that doesn't try to be anything more than it is: a nice, relaxed, enjoyable track. Was happy it showed up as a b-side so I could have a CD version.

[smw]

 

 

I've always really liked All Because Of You - it's an unassuming little number that doesn't try to be anything more than it is: a nice, relaxed, enjoyable track. Was happy it showed up as a b-side so I could have a CD version.

 

She still had her iconic fluid tone on ABOY. Lovely song.

 

Edited October 10, 2023 at 12:17 AM by smw

[PuraVida]

Cher finally coming out with a Christmas album! I find this song very catchy!

 

Can you all imagine Celine singing this song or a similar one? Would you love it?