"All By Myself" - Official Discussion Topic

[zuv]

I thought it would be nice to have an official topic on such legendary song.

 

I always had tones of questions about this song. Questions related to the history of the song, the making of, the high note etc.

 

It would be great to read different opinions, reviews or facts about the song. Or tell a personal story related to this song.

 

Post youtube videos, lyrics etc...

[zuv]

Maybe we should start with those

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naPgrhX6rIk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIfIBx23fqM

[Javito]

Of course being spanish, my favourite version is Sola Otra Vez, and I'm so glad that Céline thought of this language to record another version of the song and not any other But I especially remember when I found and saw for the first time the short video of her in the recording studio singing in spanish. It's the only video we have of the 5 songs she has done in my language, and its very very special for me :in_love:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFiJlEk_090

[mariposa24]

I'm not an expert about the history of this song, but i know of someone who is and i'm sure he is going to post a lot on this topic lol. I think it is absolutely fabulous this song was recorded in spanish. I personally think sola otra vez has a little more emotion than the english version though.

 

This video is a great compilation of live ABM performances: http://www.youtube.com/user/CDionLive#p/search/6/1Rx2qBIdK5M

[cdtb]

It is a legendary song for sure.. My comment is that I like the big note more in the spanish version (even though i do not understand a word), because even if they seam really similar, in the spanish version her voice is more scratchy!

I like a lot the ending in the live in Australia..... a lot!

[celinefanonline]

i wonder is celine the first person to make the song this hard to sing??? lol

[celine-rc]

I know that she and René fought because she was scared to do the song and David Foster sort of pushed her to do it... The big note scared her...

[zuv]

When i read My story, My dream theres a part where she speaks about the high note she had to do for the song. It sounded such a big deal. She said that the note hurt her vocal cords. She actually left the studio, not pissed off but almost, and without saying good bye to anyone.

 

So i always wondered after that if she really recorded a new high note for the spanish version or they just mixt the high note from the english into the spanish version. Which wouldnt be surprising since both high notes sound identical to me. idk

[QueenCeline]

So i always wondered after that if she really recorded a new high note for the spanish version or they just mixt the high note from the english into the spanish version. Which wouldnt be surprising since both high notes sound identical to me. idk

 

I've always thought the same thing. In the spanish version, I think she began to sing the first part of the note "sin amor" but then to hold the note as long as the original version, they switched it to the original. You can even hear that she starts a little bit lower in the spanish version, like, just a tiny bit, but then boom it's right on track with the original note, and all of a sudden a lot of vibrato comes too, just like the original. I've always felt they did kind of a stinky job covering it up that it's the same note.

[mariposa24]

So i always wondered after that if she really recorded a new high note for the spanish version or they just mixt the high note from the english into the spanish version. Which wouldnt be surprising since both high notes sound identical to me. idk

 

I've always thought the same thing. In the spanish version, I think she began to sing the first part of the note "sin amor" but then to hold the note as long as the original version, they switched it to the original. You can even hear that she starts a little bit lower in the spanish version, like, just a tiny bit, but then boom it's right on track with the original note, and all of a sudden a lot of vibrato comes too, just like the original. I've always felt they did kind of a stinky job covering it up that it's the same note.

 

Kinda coincidental the 'anymore' and 'amor' have the same sounding ending lol.

[PuraVida]

David foster said about the only time Celine was mad with him was when he had her sing the BIG note 8 times when she got it right the first time...

[mariposa24]

David foster said about the only time Celine was mad with him was when he had her sing the BIG note 8 times when she got it right the first time...

 

Yep, i read about that. I would be mad too if i had to do that chest note 8 times lol lol

[carmGel55]

i love this song. it shows how great celine's vocal is.

 

what do you believe to be the best live version of this song? wanna really know..

 

i reckon, at least for my own judgment, the boston version from TCWT is the best!

 

who's with me?

 

i believe the high note is superb, way better than the ones from the 90's..and it proves that celine can still hit those notes after all this years.

 

the shaky note t the end i think proves the performance honest.

[davidjag79]

Would love to hear someone try and remake All By Myself and top Celine's vocals! I don't think so! Mariah

[mariposa24]

Would love to hear someone try and remake All By Myself and top Celine's vocals! I don't think so! Mariah

 

Umm ya..mariah could've done the chest note in the early 90s but now, definitely not!

[Sofie]

I love this song. I can't decide it the spanish or english version is the best though, since I don't speak spanish I'll have to go with All by myself. It's an amazing song and I understand that she was mad when she had to do the chest note 8 times when she already got it right!

[frana]

I love that song in English and Spanich version

 

[Timster]

Regarding the Spanish high note- like you've said, the very beginning is different but then it quickly fades into the English note.

 

 

The live arrangement for ABM has always been 2 semitones lower than the original version. As the original high note was an F5, Celine should be hitting an Eb5 live. However, in the 90s Celine almost always sang the high note slightly higher, as Memphis and a few others were E5. The other 90s performances were lower, but still higher than the TCWT playback & DVD recordings. When I changed the pitch of an LTAL performance by half a semitone, the notes matched exactly. So most 90s notes were halfway between Eb5 and E5.

[mariposa24]

Regarding the Spanish high note- like you've said, the very beginning is different but then it quickly fades into the English note.

 

 

The live arrangement for ABM has always been 2 semitones lower than the original version. As the original high note was an F5, Celine should be hitting an Eb5 live. However, in the 90s Celine almost always sang the high note slightly higher, as Memphis and a few others were E5. The other 90s performances were lower, but still higher than the TCWT playback & DVD recordings. When I changed the pitch of an LTAL performance by half a semitone, the notes matched exactly. So most 90s notes were halfway between Eb5 and E5.

 

Thanks for the info.! That's really interesting!

[davidjag79]

1st time i have heard the spanish verison of ABMS because i do not speak or understand it.... But all i can say is WOW WOW WOW Celine is a gift from God himself!!!

[mariposa24]

1st time i have heard the spanish verison of ABMS because i do not speak or understand it.... But all i can say is WOW WOW WOW Celine is a gift from God himself!!!

 

Imagine if she did a french version! I don't know if that would phonetically work, but it would be awesome!

[zuv]

Regarding the Spanish high note- like you've said, the very beginning is different but then it quickly fades into the English note.

 

 

The live arrangement for ABM has always been 2 semitones lower than the original version. As the original high note was an F5, Celine should be hitting an Eb5 live. However, in the 90s Celine almost always sang the high note slightly higher, as Memphis and a few others were E5. The other 90s performances were lower, but still higher than the TCWT playback & DVD recordings. When I changed the pitch of an LTAL performance by half a semitone, the notes matched exactly. So most 90s notes were halfway between Eb5 and E5.

 

So we've never heard an F5 high note live from Celine? Do you think at 42 she could still hit such powerful note? for like future albums?

 

1st time i have heard the spanish verison of ABMS because i do not speak or understand it.... But all i can say is WOW WOW WOW Celine is a gift from God himself!!!

 

Imagine if she did a french version! I don't know if that would phonetically work, but it would be awesome!

 

first time you've heard the spanish version? Really? Lucky you, new song for you to listen to.

 

I've been thinking about a French version of that song for years now, it would be so amazing!

[RomualdlovesCeline]

i wonder is celine the first person to make the song this hard to sing??? lol

 

Actually, in one of the interviews, I remember that Celine was having trouble hitting the Anymore! note, so David Foster told Celine that Whitney Houston was in Sony Music studios recording as well, so if she couldn't hit the note, he would call Whitney to sing the note instead.

 

BTW, in 1992, IWALY was created and it was a tuff song to sing. and IMO, many of Mariah's songs are tuff to sing too because of her ability to switch from high to low notes and becoz of her squeaky voice that is very Mariah, and hard to emulate; all Whitney songs are hard as well for the same reasons; all divas singers leave their own mark on each song they sing. Unless, you are Charice Tempengo and you sing the song without expressing any feeling; just a like a robotic-train-wreck vocalist that show no emotions but has a loud voice ...

[GoldenLeaf]

So we've never heard an F5 high note live from Celine? Do you think at 42 she could still hit such powerful note? for like future albums?

She belted out many higher notes than F5 during her Taking Chances Tour. These are a few examples :

 

Bb5 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiP-SkQR0zU

 

Belts Above F5 :

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

Edited October 29, 2010 at 07:09 PM by Calypso

[zuv]

Really? does are higher than ABM studio version?

 

I didnt think any of those were as great as the original ABM high note.

 

The notes from its a man's man's world were really high pitch notes. But not strong, long and powerful, orgasmic like ABM original note.

[Javito]

I would say that the high note in ABM is a beautiful, controlled and strong high note, but those high notes during the tour are just "out of control"

[mariposa24]

i wonder is celine the first person to make the song this hard to sing??? lol

 

Actually, in one of the interviews, I remember that Celine was having trouble hitting the Anymore! note, so David Foster told Celine that Whitney Houston was in Sony Music studios recording as well, so if she couldn't hit the note, he would call Whitney to sing the note instead.

 

BTW, in 1992, IWALY was created and it was a tuff song to sing. and IMO, many of Mariah's songs are tuff to sing too because of her ability to switch from high to low notes and becoz of her squeaky voice that is very Mariah, and hard to emulate; all Whitney songs are hard as well for the same reasons; all divas singers leave their own mark on each song they sing. Unless, you are Charice Tempengo and you sing the song without expressing any feeling; just a like a robotic-train-wreck vocalist that show no emotions but has a loud voice ...

 

Yep. I concur with everything you said (lol regarding Charice comment). But, in all respect to the OLD Whitney, if she did get to record that song I don't think it would have been as good as Celine's. Argueably, her chest voice was good, but not as strong as Celine's.

[RLAAMJR.]

i've already heard the spansh version of All By Myself. It was on the collectors edition but i lost it somehow.

 

i haven't heard other language versions of it. Perhaps somebody has a link?

[maceta_biloxi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YowZQlPAT7k

[mariposa24]

Really? does are higher than ABM studio version?

 

I didnt think any of those were as great as the original ABM high note.

 

The notes from its a man's man's world were really high pitch notes. But not strong, long and powerful, orgasmic like ABM original note.

 

Yes, because man's world notes weren't full chest voice. ABM note is full chest voice.