In 1993, Celine Dion hit the big time with her album The Colour Of My Love. The album featured the massive breakthrough No.1 hit The Power Of Love, and the huge UK No.1 single Think Twice, which sold more than 1 million copies and spent a staggering 31 weeks on the chart. Expectations were high for Celine's follow-up album. Released in the spring of 1996, Falling Into You did not disappoint. The album has sold near to 30 million copies worldwide, and features some of the biggest songs of that particular decade. Celine Dion was now an international superstar, whose incredible vocal talents stunned the world. In comparison to her previous album, Falling Into You is somewhat more uptempo and joyous. The songs have more of a melody, and this works well for Celine.
Falling Into You opens with the fabulous hit single, "It's All Coming Back To Me Now.". The song peaked at No.3 in the UK in October 1996, and is one of Celine's most memorable compositions. The song runs for almost eight minutes, but it doesn't seem that long because once this powerful ballad gets going, you just fall back and enjoy every moment of it. "Because You Loved Me" was another big US No.1 for Celine in June 1996, while it peaked at No.5 in the UK. The song is the theme from the film Up Close And Personal, and it is literally perfect. The lyrical arrangements are beautifully crafted, and Celine's vocals are gorgeous - truly the voice of an angel. "Falling Into You," the album's title track, is another superb song. This mid-tempo classic has a soft touch to it, and a feeling of ambiguity and mysticism as it opens with African drums. The song simply sways with simplicity, and Celine's vocals are awesome once more. The song rises and falls in the middle when Celine sings, "Catch me, don't let me drop. Love me, don't ever stop." We are then treated to a sensual saxophone which really spices things up. Excellent. "Make You Happy" is perhaps the best up-tempo song on the album. Celine sings about making her lover happy in this happy pop number. All these silly pop bands that crave attention in today's music terms should take a listen to this - it's truly pop perfection.
"Seduces Me" is a staggering love ballad. Celine performs this classy song to her optimum best with vocal supremacy when she sings, "And if I should die tomorrow, I'd go down with a smile on my face." Great lyrics, even if she doesn't write them herself. "All By Myself" is...well, wow. This cover-version really does need no introduction. Celine sings for three minutes in a rather subdued tone about how she hates being all alone. Then the song rises, and Celine belts the song out from the bottom of her heart, practically smashing your CD speakers. Her voice is absolutely amazing, and I don't think I've ever heard anything so god-damn wonderful before in my life! Classic ballad. "Declaration Of Love" is another great pop song. This has a sort of old pop sound to it. It sounds very vintage with its (rather) corny vocal arrangements, but this is Celine Dion we're talking about and she can pull anything off. Celine's cover of "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" is not quite as good as the original, but her vocals rival even those of Aretha, not quite pulling it off, but very close. "Dreamin' Of You" is definitely an album highlight. This is pure pop personified, but Celine does it so well. The music is so relaxing and chilled out, and the backing singers highlight this. The verses are co-ordinated well, and Celine's vocals are rather average. This isn't a bad thing, however, as this is the kind of song that one desires to relax to - not to be distracted by epic vocals.
"I Love You" is a great mid-tempo song. The song is more of a ballad, but it contains so many different musical styles that it makes it hard to decipher. Whatever it is, you're sure to love this wonderful love song. "If That's What It Takes" is not a very good song. This is basically a filler, but Celine's vocals save it from being terrible. "I Don't Know" is a spine-tingling chiller of a rock ballad. Celine's vocals echo, and you get the impression that she's singing it as she stands on the top of a mountain with the world at her feet. A saxophone and an electric guitar enhance the epic feel of this song. Definite highlight. "River Deep, Mountain High" is a good cover-version of Tina Turner's classic. This version is not as good, and Celine seems to try desperately to beat Tina in the vocal stakes. Besides this, the song has a modern feel to it, which is rather interesting. "Your Light" is a great pop song. This song is sung in a sort of country style, in which Celine's vocals seem forced to sounds traditionally American. Not bad, but not an album highlight. This album closes with "Call The Man" and "Fly." The former was the fifth and final single to released from the album in the UK, and it's not really one of my favourites. A bit too slow and moody. The latter is a short and sweet diamond in which Celine's vocals stay low and in a whispering tone. The song is about Celine's close relative, Karine, who died of Cystic Fibrosis.
OVERALL GRADE: 9/10
Falling Into You is a definite highlight album of the 1990's, and one of the biggest selling! There are only a few female albums of the 1990's that top Falling Into You in terms of sales, and these are Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill," Whitney Houston's "The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack," Celine's own "Let's Talk About Love" and Shania Twain's mammoth "Come On Over." It's quite an achievement when thinking of what Celine Dion has achieved in the past decade. She is a 150-million-selling, Grammy-award winning international superstar, with the talent, the family, the wealth and the looks to add to this. She is truly one in a million, and Falling Into You is essential for all fans of ballads, and even just for those who are interested in very good music.
The Album That Made Celine Dion An International Superstar!
Celine's voice drives the album
16 tracks
15 tracks
