Celine Dion: 20 Years Around The World...

[Andy Man]

Hey all. Happy New Year!

 

So I was thinking that because 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of Celine's debut in the English speaking market and her rise as an international star, we could look back at the amazing albums and moments that have brought us all together. It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since most of us first started to hear of Celine and now I think it's time to celebrate!

 

My goal for this thread is for us to discuss the major professional events in Celine's career over the last two decades. You can share your thoughts and opinions on each album/event and reminisce about all that Celine accomplished (it's been quite a 20 years!)

 

First up, let's start at the beginning with a little album called Unison. If anybody remembers first hearing the songs on radio please recount your memories with us! If you are a bit younger and don't remember the album's release what are your thoughts on the album and the Unison-era 20 years later??? For many this was the album that started it all and I think it's 20th anniversary is a perfect time to reflect on Unison.

 

And away we go...

[patih_barsanti]

I don't remember the album release, but the first time i heard the album, i love it.

The songs are so great and "differents"

Where does my heart beat now and Unison were the songs that marked me most in this album

[minolli]

I love this idea.

 

I don't remember the release of Unison, but it is obviously a significant milestone in Celine's career. Since becoming a fan (almost fifteen years ago...wow!) I have grown to love the album. In fact, I was watching the "Dernière de Céline" concert last night, on the ten-year anniversary, and was thinking about how great it was to hear her perform "Unison." At that point it had only been ten years since the album's release, but it was really exciting to see her delve into her back catalog and perform a song from that album. Hopefully she'll do it again sometime.

 

Upon my first introduction to Unison, probably in 1997 or so, it felt really dated -- almost cheesy. But, since then, I have gotten more and more familiar with it and I've come to love a lot of the songs and can see what a nice job they did of bridging Celine's French and English careers.

[ladylindsey]

Where Does My Heart Beat Now?? It was like..."who is THAT?!?!" I think everyone who heard that song for the first time was speechless.

[dancer105]

my first Unison experience....

let see i was 12 which is like 6 years ago and I walked into Best Buy after I had done some research to learn about albums other that let's talk about love which was the only album i had owned of Céline's for years... so I saved up my money to buy her first album and start at the beginning of her english career of course and I got to the store only to find Unison and about five other albums that I needed so I went to the cashier to pay for them all by myself (haha no pun intended) and she must have thought i was crazy... a 12 year old practically buying out their shelf of Céline albums

[Matias]

My God!! 20 years already!!!!! time sure flies!!

[ladylindsey]

Wow it has been exactly 20 yrs since I first heard her voice and fell in love! Has it really been that long? Am I really that old now? Geez.

[Andy Man]

I love this idea.

 

I don't remember the release of Unison, but it is obviously a significant milestone in Celine's career. Since becoming a fan (almost fifteen years ago...wow!) I have grown to love the album. In fact, I was watching the "Dernière de Céline" concert last night, on the ten-year anniversary, and was thinking about how great it was to hear her perform "Unison." At that point it had only been ten years since the album's release, but it was really exciting to see her delve into her back catalog and perform a song from that album. Hopefully she'll do it again sometime.

 

Upon my first introduction to Unison, probably in 1997 or so, it felt really dated -- almost cheesy. But, since then, I have gotten more and more familiar with it and I've come to love a lot of the songs and can see what a nice job they did of bridging Celine's French and English careers.

 

 

Lol. I have a similar story too. I was around 12 or so when Let's Talk About Love came out and got it for Christmas in 1997. After that I tried to get enough cash to get all the Celine releases. I looked around quite a bit for Unison and when I finally found it I got the next 2 releases as well...I remember the look that the cashier gave me haha. Imagine some 12 year old kid bringing up 3 Celine albums at once...

 

It's taken a while for me to appreciate the Unison album. It's definitely a dated album sound-wise...and there are some weak tracks...but I LOVE the first 3 songs (Any Other Way, ILIOOTQ, and Where Does My Heart Beat...) as well as Unison...especially the single mix (I happened to find the single in a used cd store a while back and it is one of my most cherished Celine purchases)...What I find most interesting about Unison is that it was as if sony wasn't quite sure what type of artist Celine would be... Because Where Does My Heart Beat Now became the big hit I assume that this is why her style became more associated with ballads...but when I listen to the album I can't help but think about the amount of different styles that are present...Had it been the song Unison that made it big I kind of think that Celine's marketing would have been different...considering the single mix has a rap section...To me Unison represents the possibilities that Sony thought Celine represented...In the end, the ballad style won out however the album shows that her team thought that Celine could go in several directions...

Edited January 1, 2010 at 07:05 PM by Andy Man

[Andy Man]

I know we've all seen this before...but I just had to post...the first major American television appearance of Celine...I still can't believe her voice here...simply amazing...

 

Where Does My Heart Beat Now - Live On The Tonight Show 1990

Edited January 1, 2010 at 08:05 PM by Andy Man

[ladylindsey]

wow. She was 22. "la voix du bon dieu" indeed!

[doslon]

I fell in love with Celine the first time I heard "If We Could Start Over Again"....love that song

[Timster]

Any chance of a Unison 20th Anniversary Legacy Edition??

[minolli]

What I find most interesting about Unison is that it was as if sony wasn't quite sure what type of artist Celine would be... Because Where Does My Heart Beat Now became the big hit I assume that this is why her style became more associated with ballads...but when I listen to the album I can't help but think about the amount of different styles that are present...Had it been the song Unison that made it big I kind of think that Celine's marketing would have been different...considering the single mix has a rap section...To me Unison represents the possibilities that Sony thought Celine represented...In the end, the ballad style won out however the album shows that her team thought that Celine could go in several directions...

 

Well said. I agree -- it does feel like Unison was sort of a way of testing the waters to see what direction her career would take.

[Andy Man]

Here's a review of the Unison album, from 1991:

 

Entertainment Weekly

MUSIC REVIEW

Unison (1991)

Celine Dion

Reviewed by Jim Farber | Jan 25, 1991

 

At a time when adult pop singers regularly mistake showing off for true virtuosity (think of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey), Celine Dion comes as a welcome relief with Unison. This 23-year-old Canadian singer isn't obsessed with displaying how many notes she can hit and how hard she can hit them. True, Dion's voice is hefty and her phrasing skilled. But on her first American LP her singing remains tastefully unadorned. Better yet, Dion never attempts to bring off styles that are beyond her. While Whitney and Mariah give us ersatz gospel and supper-club soul, Dion concentrates on mainstream, grown-up pop. Tracks like ''If Love Is Out of the Question'' and ''The Last to Know'' are lush vehicles, filled with routine hooks that Dion's distinctive voice raises to a higher level. Dion does falter when she moves outside of plush ballads (as in the forced dance-club mix of ''I Feel Too Much''). But within her metier, the singer proves an important point: that even the most naturally generous voices can benefit from a little modesty. B

 

Entertainment Weekly Review of Unison

[celinesounds]

Here's a review of the Unison album, from 1991:

 

Entertainment Weekly

MUSIC REVIEW

Unison (1991)

Celine Dion

Reviewed by Jim Farber | Jan 25, 1991

 

At a time when adult pop singers regularly mistake showing off for true virtuosity (think of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey), Celine Dion comes as a welcome relief with Unison. This 23-year-old Canadian singer isn't obsessed with displaying how many notes she can hit and how hard she can hit them. True, Dion's voice is hefty and her phrasing skilled. But on her first American LP her singing remains tastefully unadorned. Better yet, Dion never attempts to bring off styles that are beyond her. While Whitney and Mariah give us ersatz gospel and supper-club soul, Dion concentrates on mainstream, grown-up pop. Tracks like ''If Love Is Out of the Question'' and ''The Last to Know'' are lush vehicles, filled with routine hooks that Dion's distinctive voice raises to a higher level. Dion does falter when she moves outside of plush ballads (as in the forced dance-club mix of ''I Feel Too Much''). But within her metier, the singer proves an important point: that even the most naturally generous voices can benefit from a little modesty. B

 

Entertainment Weekly Review of Unison

 

 

''If Love Is Out of the Question'' is one of my fav songs on the album

[Andy Man]

''If Love Is Out of the Question'' is one of my fav songs on the album

 

 

Mine too!

Edited January 2, 2010 at 04:23 AM by Andy Man

[light_secret]

My top 3 favorites of the album Unison

 

Have A Heart

 

If We Could Start Over

 

Where Does My Heart Beat Now

 

Oh my, this brought back a lot of memories.

[triniguy]

I love that album,....March 26, 1990 was Unison's release date

 

I love all the songs esp Have a Heart

[Andy Man]

Another clip we've all seen, but man does it bring back memories...

 

Celine's very first music video in English:

 

Edited January 2, 2010 at 03:57 PM by Andy Man

[Davey84]

Unison is still one of my most fav albums! I love every song!! her voice is so young then... just amazing!! It's so sad that this masterpiece has been forgotten in her carreer! I love her look from back then too.. the big hair, the jeans, so cool!

 

 

Another clip we've all seen, but man does it bring back memories...

 

Celine's very first music video in English:

 

 

here is the second version, I think for the USA market, I like the first version much more!

 

 

 

and AOW wasn't her first english video btw...

 

this was her first in english...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4k8TpRDn6o

 

and when was this released, I think even before Unison??

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imup7CLH4SQ

[Andy Man]

Any chance of a Unison 20th Anniversary Legacy Edition??

 

 

That would be pretty sweet. But I doubt Sony is generous enough to give us that haha.

[Davey84]

Any chance of a Unison 20th Anniversary Legacy Edition??

 

 

Remastered CD

+ Can't live with you, can't live without you (Bonus)

+ Unison Mix with rap (Bonus)

+ glossy booklet with a lot of pictures from the Unison shoot

 

Bonus DVD including

clips:

Any other way Version 1

Any other way Version 2

Where does my heart beat now Version 1

Where does my heart beat now Version 2

Where does my heart beat now Version 3

Unison

The Last to know

 

The recording sessions + Unison tape interview

 

Wintergarden Concert

 

 

 

I'd pay 50 bucks for this SONY!! HELLOOOO SONY!!! ARE YOU AWAKE?!?!?!

[Andy Man]

Any chance of a Unison 20th Anniversary Legacy Edition??

 

 

Remastered CD

+ Can't live with you, can't live without you (Bonus)

+ Unison Mix with rap (Bonus)

+ glossy booklet with a lot of pictures from the Unison shoot

 

Bonus DVD including

clips:

Any other way Version 1

Any other way Version 2

Where does my heart beat now Version 1

Where does my heart beat now Version 2

Where does my heart beat now Version 3

Unison

The Last to know

 

The recording sessions + Unison tape interview

 

Wintergarden Concert

 

 

 

I'd pay 50 bucks for this SONY!! HELLOOOO SONY!!! ARE YOU AWAKE?!?!?!

 

As would I...

 

I'd love to have it remastered...although I must say that compared to other albums released at the time, Unison's sound quality is pretty good..it's even better than some of her later releases...

Edited January 2, 2010 at 05:15 PM by Andy Man

[Andy Man]

One of her first interviews on American television...man she seems soooo young here!!!

 

 

Interview & Performance - Regis & Kathy Lee 1990

[Jacqui]

I was listening to Unison yesterday But 20 years...wow. I can't believe 1990 was 20 years ago. I can't believe I have 20 year old memories...I don't remember Celine back then, but I remember other things.

[Claudette]

I think I was about 5 when this album came out. So I don't remember it... I got my first Celine album when I was about twelve - ''Falling Into You''. I actually only bought this album last year. I knew ''Unison'' and ''Where does My Heart Beat Now'' because they play it on the radio and stuff, but didn't know the other songs on it. I love ''If We Could Start Over'' Edited January 2, 2010 at 10:36 PM by Claudette

[Timster]

Any chance of a Unison 20th Anniversary Legacy Edition??

 

 

Remastered CD

+ Can't live with you, can't live without you (Bonus)

+ Unison Mix with rap (Bonus)

+ glossy booklet with a lot of pictures from the Unison shoot

 

Bonus DVD including

clips:

Any other way Version 1

Any other way Version 2

Where does my heart beat now Version 1

Where does my heart beat now Version 2

Where does my heart beat now Version 3

Unison

The Last to know

 

The recording sessions + Unison tape interview

 

Wintergarden Concert

 

 

 

I'd pay 50 bucks for this SONY!! HELLOOOO SONY!!! ARE YOU AWAKE?!?!?!

 

Great tracklisting Davey! If only Sony would do this. If I was in charge of Sony I'd re-release the Legacy Edition of TAST with the full CBS special, and D'eux with the original quality booklet photos- not scans!, and ANDHC with the 2002 CBS Special and more recording session footage. Why isn't any release perfect? Based on the experience of the past 3, I'd say we might get the music videos, and maybe some new photos in the booklet for Unison.

Edited January 2, 2010 at 10:57 PM by Timster

[Nmj]

what a historic milestone

[Andy Man]

I've always thought that Unison was one of the best album titles Celine has had. I don't know what it is, but it seems to grab your attention and has an ambiguous quality about it (the word could be referring to music, people, etc.) I know some have said that it's pretty unexciting, but I've always thought it was a cool album title - especially for a debut...

[I Love You]

I can't believe its been 20 years, since Unison was made and came out. I was 2 years old when it came out.