The Reason (Celine Dion song)
"The Reason" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion, recorded for her fifth English-language studio album, Let's Talk About Love (1997). It was written by Carole King, Mark Hudson and Greg Wells, and produced by Sir George Martin. "The Reason" was released as the second single from the album in selected European countries on 8 December 1997. In France, it was issued as a double A-side single with "My Heart Will Go On".[1]
"The Reason" | ||||
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Single by Celine Dion | ||||
from the album Let's Talk About Love | ||||
B-side | "Be the Man (On This Night)" | |||
Released | 8 December 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1 August 1997 Air Studios | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 5:01 (album version) 4:30 (radio edit) | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
Celine Dion singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Reason" on YouTube |
Background and release
Carole King wrote this song first for the band Aerosmith.
The music video was directed by Scott Lochmus and released in December 1997. It was showing the recording of the song in the studio.
Dion performed "The Reason" during her Let's Talk About Love Tour, and as a duet with Carole King on VH1 Divas and at the 48° Festival di Sanremo on 1998 in Italy. On that occasion she performed also "My Heart Will Go On".
The track was included later on The Collector's Series, Volume One in 2000 and My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection European edition in 2008.
The recording of this song was included as a bonus on the Au cœur du stade DVD.
From 2011–2014, "The Reason" was included in the set list of Dion's Las Vegas show, Celine. The song was also performed in Dion's 2017 tour and 2018 tour. "The Reason" was performed by Dion during her BST Hyde Park concert in London on 5 July 2019. The song was also performed during the first two US shows of Dion's Courage World Tour in 2019.
Carole King recorded also her own version of this song for her 2001 album Love Makes the World, this time with Dion on backing vocals.
Critical reception
Pip Ellwood-Hughes from Entertainment Focus noted that the song "immediately reminds you of why Dion has become such a powerhouse." He added that "it highlights how she can pack power and emotion into everything she sings."[2] The New York Observer editor Jonathan Bernstein reviewed, "It kicks off in time-honored fashion with a bombastic power ballad, "The Reason," co-written by Carole King and produced by Sir George Martin. Thus, straight away, we find the inherent wrongheadedness of this record. Carole King hasn't written a memorable song in many a year and-hello?-didn't George Martin recently announce that he was quitting the producing racket because his hearing was going? The latter affliction was probably incurred by a silent prayer offered up during the recording of "The Reason" to be struck deaf".[3] Øyvin Søraa from Oppland Arbeiderblad called it the best song of the Let's Talk About Love album, describing it as "powerpop" with "clear rock backing".[4] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In said that it celebrate's love "and the affection of a good man".[5] Christopher Smith from TalkAboutPopMusic noted the song as "a typical Celine mid-tempo ballad with plenty of high notes for Celine to hit and re-establish her presence."[6]
Formats and track listings
European CD single
French CD single (double A-side)
UK cssette single
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European/UK CD maxi-single and French 12" single
UK CD maxi-single #2
European/UK promo single
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
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Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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France (SNEP)[18] | Diamond | 1,200,000[A][17] |
United Kingdom | — | 100,000[15] |
Release history
Country | Date | Format |
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United Kingdom[19] | 8 December 1997 |
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Notes
- A ^ Released as a double A-side with "My Heart Will Go On".
References
- Glatzer, Jenna (2005). Céline Dion: For Keeps. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5559-5.
- Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (7 October 2018). "Celine Dion – Let's Talk About Love vinyl review". Entertainment Focus. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- Jonathan Bernstein. "Celine Dion: Is She Cool? Someday, Maybe, but Not Now". The New York Observer. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- Søraa, Øyvin (27 November 1997). "Takk, vi er forsynt". Oppland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 55. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- Waliszewski, Bob. "Let's Talk About Love". Plugged In. Focus on the Family. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- Smith, Christopher (9 November 2019). "REVIEW: 'LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE' – CELINE DION". TalkAboutPopMusic. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- Sam Jaspers (2006). Ultratop 1995–2005. Book & Media Publishing. ISBN 90-5720-232-8.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 14 February 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- "Céline Dion – My Heart Will Go On (chanson)" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (18.12.1997 - 25.12.1997)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Reason". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40-1997 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
- "Tops de l'année - Top Singles 1998" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
- "Les Meilleures Ventes "Tout Temps" de 45 T. / Singles / Téléchargement" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- "French single certifications – Celine Dion – The Reason My Heart Will Go" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
- "Celine Dion – The Reason". Discogs. Retrieved 23 February 2017.