These Are Special Times
Studio album by Céline Dion
Released	October 31, 1998 November 2, 1998 November 3, 1998 November 9, 1998
Recorded	1998
Genre	Pop
Length	68:27
Label	Columbia, Epic
Producer(s)	David Foster, Ric Wake, Bryan Adams, Humberto Gatica, R. Kelly, Tony Renis, Carole Bayer Sager
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Céline Dion chronology
S'il Suffisait d'Aimer (1998)	These Are Special Times (1998)	The Early Singles (1999)

These Are Special Times is Céline Dion's 1998 first English Christmas album and third if counting her French-language releases. It's also her 6th English album and 25th in total. It was released on October 31, 1998. Image File history File links This image is of a music album or single cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the album or the artist(s) which produced the music in question. ... A Studio Album is an album of regular studio recordings. ... Céline Marie Claudette Dion, OC OQ (born March 30, 1968) is a Canadian Grammy and Juno award winning pop singer and occasional songwriter. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... Image File history File links European_flag. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Canada_(bordered). ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... For popular music (music produced commercially rather than art or folk music), see Popular music. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Epic Records is an American record label, and subsidiary of Sony BMG. // Epic was launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow, black and blue logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ric Wake is a record producer. ... Bryan Guy Adams, OC, OBC (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian rock singer, guitarist and songwriter. ... Robert Sylvester Kelly, born January 8, 1967 in Chicago, IL, is a Grammy Award winning American Urban, R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. ... Carole Bayer Sager (born March 8, 1947 in New York City, New York) is an American lyricist, songwriter and singer best-known for writing the lyrics to many popular songs performed on Broadway and in Hollywood films. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 3_stars. ... Céline Marie Claudette Dion, OC OQ (born March 30, 1968) is a Canadian Grammy and Juno award winning pop singer and occasional songwriter. ... Canadian pop vocalist, Céline Dion, has an extensive discography. ... The Early Singles is a compilation of Céline Dions early French recordings. ... Céline Marie Claudette Dion, OC OQ (born March 30, 1968) is a Canadian Grammy and Juno award winning pop singer and occasional songwriter. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ...

Album information

These Are Special Times is an especially successful holiday album since Dion wisely balances popular carols ("The Christmas Song," "Blue Christmas," "Feliz Navidad") with new songs ("Don't Save It All for Christmas Day," the R. Kelly duet "I'm Your Angel"), hymns ("Ave Maria," "Adeste Fideles"), and Christmas songs with a distinct religious theme ("O Holy Night," the Andrea Bocelli duet "The Prayer"). Dion is joined by her family on "Feliz Navidad," and "Les Cloches du Hameau." The album was produced by her longtime partners David Foster and Ric Wake. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) is the name of a classic Christmas song, written in 1944 by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. ... Blue Christmas is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. ... Feliz Navidad is a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. ... Dont Save It All for Christmas Day is the third and last single from Céline Dions These Are Special Times album. ... Robert Sylvester Kelly, born January 8, 1967 in Chicago, IL, is a Grammy Award winning American Urban, R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. ... Im Your Angel is a duet by R. Kelly and Celine Dion. ... Ave Maria (Latin: Hail, Maria or Hail, Mary) can refer to: The Hail Mary or Ave Maria, a prayer; also the time of day in Italy when the church bells toll. ... Adeste Fideles or O Come All Ye Faithful is a Christmas carol which is commonly believed to have been composed by John Francis Wade in approximately 1743. ... O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël) is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem Minuit, chrétiens by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), an accomplished amateur. ... Andrea Bocelli (born 22 September 1958) is an Italian singer, writer, and music producer. ... The Prayer is a duet between Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ric Wake is a record producer. ...

Céline Dion was nominated for two Grammy Awards in Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category for "I'm Your Angel" (1999) and "The Prayer" (2000). The last one was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song from the Quest for Camelot movie in 1999. Dion performed it with Andrea Bocelli at the Grammys and Oscars. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals has been awarded since 1995. ... The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are songwriters and composers. ... For the main article see Golden Globe Awards. ... Quest for Camelot is an animated feature from Warner Bros. ...

On November 25, 1998 a one-hour CBS Special dedicated to Dion's Christmas album was broadcasted all across the U.S. November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ...

Additional facts

• "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" was co-written by Céline Dion.
• Diana Krall played piano on "Blue Christmas."
• "Another Year Has Gone By" was written and produced by Bryan Adams. He also played guitars, bass and did the backing vocals.
• "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)" was later recorded as a duet with Rosie O'Donnell for her album A Rosie Christmas (November 1999).
• "The Christmas Song" was recorded in 1993 for The Christmas Album by David Foster. French version of this song appeared on Dion's first two Christmas albums: Céline Dion Chante Noël (1981) and Chants et Contes de Noël (1983).
• "The Prayer" was recorded first as a solo version and appeard on the Quest for Camelot soundtrack (May 1998). Re-recorded solo version (re-named "A Mother's Prayer") appeared also on Dion's 2004 Miracle album. "The Prayer" was covered by Josh Groban and Charlotte Church in 2001. Groban sang it live with Dion at the Concert for World Children's Day (November 2002). "The Prayer" (duet with Andrea Bocelli) was also included on Dion's later compilation The Collector's Series Volume One.
• "Brahms' Lullaby" was recorded in 1996 for the compilation For Our Children Too to benefit Pediatric AIDS Foundation (September 1996).
• "These Are the Special Times" was covered in 2000 by Christina Aguilera for her Christmas album. Dion's version, although not released as a single, peaked at #160 on the Belgian Flandres Airplay chart (December 22, 1998).
• "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was the first John Lennon' song that Dion has recorded. In 2004 she did it again with "Beautiful Boy" for the Miracle album. "Happy Xmas" was performed by Dion at the end of her A New Day... show in December 2004.
• "I'm Your Angel" was performed by Céline Dion and her backup singer during the Let's Talk About Love Tour. Garou joined her on this song at the "Millennium Concert" instead. "I'm Your Angel" was also included on Dion's later greatest hits album All the Way... A Decade of Song.
• At the end of 1999, Dion has recorded another Christmas song called "I Met An Angel (On Christmas Day)." It was included as the B-side to the "That's the Way It Is" single, and appeared on various compilations (but not on Dion's album).
• In December 1994 A Very Merry Chipmunk by The Chipmunks was released, containing "Petit Papa Noël" featuring Céline Dion. The latter recorded her own version of this song in 1981 for Céline Dion Chante Noël album.

Dont Save It All for Christmas Day is the third and last single from Céline Dions These Are Special Times album. ... Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC (born November 16, 1964) is a Grammy award-winning Canadian jazz pianist and singer. ... Blue Christmas is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. ... Bryan Guy Adams, OC, OBC (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian rock singer, guitarist and songwriter. ... Roseann Teresa ODonnell (born March 21, 1962 in Bayside, Queens, New York) is an Emmy-award winning American talk show host, television personality, comedian, film, television, and stage actress. ... The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) is the name of a classic Christmas song, written in 1944 by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Céline Dion Chante Noël (meaning Céline Dion Sings Christmas Songs) is Céline Dions second French album and her first Christmas album, released in Quebec, Canada on November 30, 1981. ... Chants et Contes de Noël (meaning The Christmas Songs and Tales) is Céline Dions fifth French album and second Christmas album released in Quebec, Canada on November 14, 1983. ... This article is about song by Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli, for another song by the same name, see The Prayer (Bloc Party song) . The Prayer is a duet between Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli. ... Miracle is a 2004 concept album credited to singer Céline Dion and photographer Anne Geddes. ... Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is a Grammy-nominated American singer/songwriter known for his mature and lyrical baritone voice. ... Charlotte Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed on February 21, 1986) is a Welsh pop singer and TV presenter who rose to international fame in childhood as a popular classical singer. ... The Collectors Series Volume One is Céline Dions second English compilation album, eight English album and twenty seventh in total (if counting the French ones). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Christina Maria Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop singer-songwriter. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is a song by English singer-songwriter John Lennon with his wife Yoko Ono. ... Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) is a song written by John Lennon. ... Starting on March 25, 2003, Céline Dions A New Day. ... Im Your Angel is a duet by R. Kelly and Celine Dion. ... Starting in August 1998, Céline Dions Lets Talk About Love Tour was a concert tour organised to support the album Lets Talk About Love. ... All the Way. ... Thats the Way It Is is a hit single from Céline Dions All the Way. ... A Very Merry Chipmunk is a 1994 music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by Sony Wonder. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

Chart success

These Are Special Times is one of the best selling Christmas albums ever, topping the charts in four countries. It sold over fifteen million copies worldwide, including five million in the U.S. alone. The album featured very successful single "I'm Your Angel" (#1 in the U.S.), as well as followed-up radio only release "The Prayer" (#8 on the Canadian AC chart). Later, another radio single called "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" was released.

Track listing

O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël) is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem Minuit, chrétiens by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), an accomplished amateur. ... Dont Save It All for Christmas Day is the third and last single from Céline Dions These Are Special Times album. ... Ric Wake is a record producer. ... Céline Marie Claudette Dion, OC OQ (born March 30, 1968) is a Canadian Grammy and Juno award winning pop singer and occasional songwriter. ... Blue Christmas is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. ... Jay Johnson can refer to: Jay Johnson one term U.S. Democratic congressmman from Wisconsin (1997 - 1999) Jay L. Johnson Jay Kenneth Johnson Jay Johnson (ventriloquist) Category: ... Bill Hayes (born William Foster Hayes III, on 5 June 1925, in Harvey, Illinois) is an American actor, best known for his role as Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives. ... Bryan Guy Adams, OC, OBC (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian rock singer, guitarist and songwriter. ... Ellens dritter Gesang (Ellens Gesang III, D839, Op 52 no 6, 1825), Ellens third song in English, composed by Franz Schubert in 1825, is one of Schuberts most popular works for over a century after the composers death, although some misconceptions exist around it. ... Franz Peter Schubert (January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828) was an Austrian composer. ... Adeste Fideles or O Come All Ye Faithful is a Christmas carol which is commonly believed to have been composed by John Francis Wade in approximately 1743. ... The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) is the name of a classic Christmas song, written in 1944 by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. ... Mel Tormé (September 13, 1925 - June 5, 1999) was a jazz singer with a light, velvety, high-tenor voice. ... Robert Wells (b. ... The Prayer is a duet between Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli. ... Andrea Bocelli (born 22 September 1958) is an Italian singer, writer, and music producer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Carole Bayer Sager (born March 8, 1947 in New York City, New York) is an American lyricist, songwriter and singer best-known for writing the lyrics to many popular songs performed on Broadway and in Hollywood films. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Curt Frasca (born August 29, 1972 in New York) is an award winning Record Producer, Songwriter, Multi Instrumentalist, Engineer residing in New York City along with wife songwriter Sabelle Breer and daughter Hanna. ... Diane Warren (born Diane Eve Warren on September 7, 1956 in Van Nuys, California) is an American songwriter. ... Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is a song by English singer-songwriter John Lennon with his wife Yoko Ono. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... Yoko Ono Lennon (born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese musician and artist best known as the widow of John Lennon of The Beatles. ... Im Your Angel is a duet by R. Kelly and Celine Dion. ... Robert Sylvester Kelly, born January 8, 1967 in Chicago, IL, is a Grammy Award winning American Urban, R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. ... Feliz Navidad is a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. ... José Montserrate Feliciano (born September 10, 1945 in Lares, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican singer. ... My Heart Will Go On is the theme song of the highly popular 1997 film Titanic. ... James Horner James Roy Horner (born August 14, 1953 in Los Angeles, California) is an American composer of orchestral music. ... Will Jennings (born 1944 in Texas) is a prolific and highly successful American songwriter. ...

Chart performance

These Are Special Times is undercertified in one country: Top Pop Catalog Albums is a weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine which ranks the best selling catalog titles, regardless of genre. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ... Billboard Comprehensive Albums is a weekly albums chart produced by Billboard magazine that ranks the biggest selling albums in the United States regardless of the products age or method of sales. ...

• Italy - should be certified 2x Platinum (200,000)

Awards

Céline Dion was also nominated for one Academy Award: The Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and television programs, given out each year during a formal dinner. ... For the main article see Golden Globe Awards. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ...

• Best Song – "The Prayer" (1999)

Céline Dion was also nominated for two Grammy Awards: The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are songwriters and composers. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

• Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals – "I'm Your Angel" (1999)
• Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals – "The Prayer" (2000)

Céline Dion was also nominated for three Juno Awards: The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals has been awarded since 1995. ... The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals has been awarded since 1995. ... The Juno Awards are awards of achievement presented to Canadian musical artists and bands. ...

• Best Female Artist (2000)
• Best Album – These Are Special Times (2000)
• Best-Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic) – These Are Special Times (2000)

See also

• List of best-selling albums worldwide

The worlds best-selling album cannot be listed officially, since there is no international body to count global record sales. ...

References

• Céline Dion - official website
• Céline Dion - chart history