Maps of Music

These Are Special Times (1998)

Where the lyrics of These Are Special Times take you, and where it was really made.

Dion's first English-language Christmas album peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200, yet it has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

Key places

Avatar Studios, New York City (1998)

Recording site Power Station Studio — Avatar Studios in New York City is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Right Track Recording, New York City (1998)

Recording site MSR Studios — Right Track Recording in New York City is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Chartmaker, Los Angeles (1998)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Chartmaker in Los Angeles is listed among the recording locations for this album, shown at city-center accuracy. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Cove City Sound, Glen Cove (1998)

Recording site Cove City Sound Studios — Cove City Sound in Glen Cove is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Criteria Studios, Miami (1998)

Recording site Criteria Studios — Criteria Studios in Miami is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove (1998)

Recording site Crystal Cathedral — The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Le Studio, Morin-Heights (1998)

Recording site Le Studio — Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Quebec is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver (1998)

Recording site Warehouse Studios — The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver is listed among the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• These Are Special Times: 17th studio album and sixth English-language release by Canadian singer Celine Dion
• Her first English-language Christmas album
• Released in Europe on 30 October 1998 by Columbia Records; in the United States on 3 November 1998 by Epic Records
• Mixes renditions of established Christmas songs with several original recordings
• Original recordings include "I'm Your Angel" and "The Prayer"
• Follows the commercial success of the earlier English-language albums Falling into You (1996) and Let's Talk About Love (1997)

Background

• Dion released two French-language Christmas albums early in her career: Céline Dion chante Noël (1981) and Chants et contes de Noël (1983)
• In 1993 she recorded "The Christmas Song" for David Foster's The Christmas Album
• In 1996 she recorded "Brahms' Lullaby" for the charity compilation For Our Children Too
• Both songs were later included on this album in 1998

Recording

• Worked mainly with longtime collaborators David Foster and Ric Wake, who produced most of the album
• Includes seven original songs, among them "Another Year Has Gone By", written and produced by Bryan Adams
• "I'm Your Angel" is a duet with R. Kelly, written and produced by Kelly
• "The Prayer" is a duet with Andrea Bocelli
• "Feliz Navidad" and "Les cloches du hameau" feature members of Dion's family

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · 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

• Billboard critic Paul Verna praised Dion's vocal maturity and the album's polished production
• Verna called the release "a grade-A effort" and highlighted Dion's ease and creativity throughout the material
• Billboard critic Chuck Taylor responded positively, particularly to "I'm Your Angel"
• Taylor called "The Prayer" "breathtaking" and "one of Dion's most radiant performances"
• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine found the album "very effective" due to its strong material and Dion's commitment to the songs, though he felt the production could be "too slick" at times

Reappraisal

• Reviewers at Yahoo Music UK awarded the album 7 out of 10 and praised its song selection and Dion's assured vocals
• Billboard's 2021 list placed the album eighth among the greatest holiday albums of all time

Records

• US Billboard 200 debut at number four, peak at number two
• Number one in Canada and Quebec
• Number one in Switzerland and Norway; Japan peak number four with over 500,000 copies sold
• US: RIAA six-times platinum for six million shipped copies, certified 3 November 2022
• Canada: one million shipped, CRIA diamond
• Worldwide sales over 12 million copies
• Best-selling holiday album of 1998 in both the United States and worldwide
• Japan Gold Disc Award for International Pop Album of the Year, 1999
• "The Prayer" won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song (56th Golden Globe Awards)
• "I'm Your Angel" and "The Prayer" nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The special that promoted the album drew more than sixteen million viewers and ranked number one for its night.
• Dion and Andrea Bocelli performed "The Prayer" together at the 41st Grammy Awards on 24 February 1999.
• The album's 2022 vinyl edition replaced "I'm Your Angel" with "I Met an Angel (On Christmas Day)" because of R. Kelly's legal issues.
• Christina Aguilera later recorded "These Are the Special Times", and Patti Labelle performed a widely noted version of "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day".
• Carrie Underwood cited Dion's interpretation of "O Holy Night" as an influence while recording her own version in 2020.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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