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Chants et contes de Noël (1983)

Where the lyrics of Chants et contes de Noël take you, and where it was really made.

The cover shows Dion with her nephews and nieces, and the album also includes a French version of a UK number-one single.

Key places

Recording location: Montmartre, Paris (1983)

Recording site Montmartre — The source lists Montmartre in Paris as a recording location for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location: St‑Charles, Longueuil (1983)

Recording site St-Charles — The source lists St‑Charles in Longueuil as a recording location for this album. The point is placed at the city center. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Chants et contes de Noël (lit. 'Christmas songs and tales'): fifth studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion
• Second Christmas release by Dion
• Issued in Quebec on 3 December 1983 by Saisons
• Distributed by Trans-Canada Disques
• Combines traditional holiday songs with spoken stories for children
• Includes "À quatre pas d'ici", a French adaptation of Bucks Fizz's UK number-one single "The Land of Make Believe"

Background

• Released only three months after Les chemins de ma maison
• Developed as a family-oriented holiday project
• Three narrated stories: "Pourquoi je crois encore au Père Noël", "Céline et Pinotte", "Le conte de Karine"
• Three Christmas songs previously issued on Céline Dion chante Noël (1981): "Promenade en traîneau", "Joyeux Noël", "Glory Alleluia"
• Other selections: Jacques Brel's "Un enfant" and the pop-oriented "À quatre pas d'ici"

Cover

• Cover photograph shows Dion with her nephews and nieces
• The photograph reinforces the album's family character

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born 30 March 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada, the youngest of 14 children.
• Discovered by future manager and husband René Angélil after her brother sent him a demo recording of her first song "Ce n'était qu'un rêve".
• Angélil mortgaged his home in 1981 to fund her first record, La voix du bon Dieu, which became a No. 1 hit in Quebec.
• Won the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo in 1982.
• Won the Eurovision Song Contest 1988 for Switzerland with "Ne partez pas sans moi".

Career

• Debuted in the Anglophone market with Unison (1990), followed by Celine Dion (1992).
• Breakthrough with "Beauty and the Beast" (1991) with Peabo Bryson, winning her first Grammy.
• The Colour of My Love (1993) and Falling into You (1996) became major international successes.
• "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic (1997) became her signature song and one of the best-selling singles.
• D'eux (1995) became the best-selling French-language album.
• Held the A New Day... residency at Caesars Palace (2003–2007), the highest-grossing concert residency; the Los Angeles Times ranked her the top-earning artist of the 2000s.
• Announced in 2022 a diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, cancelling tours; returned to performing at the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.

Members

• Solo artist; manager and husband René Angélil (died 2016) guided her career.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released in Quebec on 3 December 1983 by Saisons, distributed by Trans-Canada Disques
• Released only three months after Les chemins de ma maison
• Upon release, the album reached number 17 on the Quebec chart
• Album combines traditional holiday songs with spoken stories for children
• Its family-oriented holiday character is reinforced by the cover photograph

Reappraisal

• No critical review is given in the source

Records

• Quebec chart: number 17 upon release
• Second Christmas release by Celine Dion, following Céline Dion chante Noël (1981)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album includes "À quatre pas d'ici", a French adaptation of Bucks Fizz's UK number-one single "The Land of Make Believe"
• The cover photograph shows Dion with her nephews and nieces
• Three Christmas songs were carried over from Céline Dion chante Noël (1981)
• The album includes Jacques Brel's "Un enfant"
• The album opens with three narrated children's stories alongside its songs

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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