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Tell Him (Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion song)

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"Tell Him"
Single by Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion
from the album Higher Ground and Let's Talk About Love
ReleasedNovember 3, 1997 (1997-11-03)
RecordedSeptember 30, 1997
StudioWallyworld, Record Plant, The Hit Factory, Chartmarker, Paramount, Masterphonics
Length
  • 4:51 (album version)
  • 4:53 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • David Foster
  • Walter Afanasieff
Barbra Streisand singles chronology
"I Finally Found Someone"
(1996) 		"Tell Him"
(1997) 		"I've Dreamed of You"
(1999)
Celine Dion singles chronology
"Make You Happy"
(1997) 		"Tell Him"
(1997) 		"Be the Man"
(1997)
Music video
"Tell Him" on YouTube

"Tell Him" is a song written by Linda Thompson and producers Walter Afanasieff and David Foster. It was recorded as a duet between American singer Barbra Streisand and Canadian singer Celine Dion for their 1997 albums, Higher Ground and Let's Talk About Love, and released as the lead single from these albums on November 3, 1997.

The song was a top-10 commercial success across Europe and Australia. It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards. Later, "Tell Him" was included on both singers' greatest hits albums: Streisand's The Essential (2002), Duets (2002) and The Ultimate Collection (2010), and Dion's The Collector's Series, Volume One (2000), My Love: Essential Collection (2008) and The Best of Celine Dion & David Foster (2012).

Background

On March 24, 1997, Dion became the first artist ever to perform twice on the same Academy Awards night. In addition to singing "Because You Loved Me," she also sang "I Finally Found Someone" from the movie The Mirror Has Two Faces, recorded by Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams. Streisand preferred not to perform that night, and Natalie Cole had been scheduled to sing her song instead. But Cole pulled out, so only two days before the Oscar night, Dion was asked if she could do it. Although nervous, she accepted and managed to perform on the night.

A few days later, Streisand sent Dion flowers and a note: "I watched the tape afterwards, you sang my song beautifully and I regret I wasn't in the room to hear you, next time let's make one together. I really wish your song would have won, you are a wonderful singer". That note wasn't left without an answer, and René Angélil called up David Foster to write a song for them, and the result was "Tell Him".[1] Citing Streisand as one of her most prominent idols, Dion had always wanted to sing with her but feared getting too close to her idol, explaining, "It takes practically nothing to destroy your image of them. And just as little to crush you".[2]

A radio version of the song was commissioned. It is also under the same clock length as the album version. The radio edit features a high-frequency flute playing during Dion's bridge.

Streisand was first introduced to Dion's music several years earlier, by tennis player Andre Agassi.[3]

Critical reception

This song received positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, in his review for Let's Talk About Love, that this song "shines the most brilliantly".[4] In his review for Higher Ground he highlighted it and wrote, "Higher Ground comprises both traditional religious songs and new material (even "Tell Him," an overblown duet with Celine Dion, vaguely touches on that theme)".[5] AllMusic editor Matthew Greenwald in a single review wrote, "Their voices blend together extremely well on this song, with both singers trading off and joining together with a wonderful reassurance. Musically, the song is dominated by what is, unfortunately, a somewhat bombastic arrangement. This tends to get in the way of the very pretty melody. The overall arrangement seems to come out of the 1980s school of over-production, and it is a bit cloying. However, the vocalists take the song to a higher place with their performance, and the song and recording have aged fairly well despite of this".[6]

Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "Talk about an event. Two of pop music's best voices are united on a grand, wonderfully over-the-top ballad that will melt the heart of even the most jaded listener. No one will be able to resist the electricity resulting from the blend of their voices on what will likely become a quintessential "girlfriend" anthem. Dion denizens who have long touted the Canadian diva as a likely successor to the Streisand throne will find validation in a recording that shows how equally matched their performances are. Who else but David Foster and Walter Afanasieff could preside over such a monumental production? No one — as evidenced in an arrangement that sparks with orchestral flourishes. No need to predict the hit potential of this gem. Just start monitoring its chart progressions."[7]

Entertainment Weekly editor David Browne wrote, "Streisand glides like buttah into the duet Tell Him — making Dion sound like margarine in the process — but the song is an uberschlock ode to subservience".[8] British magazine Music Week rated the song three out of five, adding that "Streisand and Dion's vocals blend effortlessly on this powerful ballad, showcasing the pair's remarkable ranges."[9] The New York Observer editor Jonathan Bernstein stated that "the centerpiece of Let's Talk About Love is "Tell Him", a duet with Barbra Streisand. Anyone who's witnessed, through the cracks of his or her fingers, the video for "Tell Him" in which Ms. Dion relates to Ms. Streisand like a newly born fawn nuzzling up against its mother, will sense that this is no diva face-off. The two singers give each other room to emote, restraining themselves until the final choruses before transforming into something akin to a pair of drunks wrestling over the microphone on karaoke night".[10] However, the duet received its fair share of unfavorable reviews as well.[11]

Streisand and Dion were scheduled to perform their duet at the ceremony for the 40th Grammy Awards, at which the song was nominated; this was intended to be the song's first live performance.[11] However, the performance was canceled due to Streisand contracting the flu once again.[12] The ailment prevented Streisand from attending the rehearsal with Dion prior,[13] although Streisand claims that she had originally intended to attend to performance nonetheless.[11] Streisand's spokesperson said that the singer is "extremely disappointed that she won't be able to sing because of her continuing flu and fever".[12]

Release and commercial reception

On October 7, 1997, "Tell Him" had its first runs on the United States radio waves.[14] The song was originally scheduled for a US retail release on November 4, 1997, but this was canceled despite the single having already been mass-produced. Theda Sandiford-Waller of Billboard attributed this cancelation to the track's failure at top 40 radio.[15]

In the United States, the song peaked at number five on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number 58 on the Billboard Radio Songs chart. The song was a commercial success outside the US. It became the 33rd best-selling single of 1997 in the UK.[16] It was a top 10 hit in over 15 countries around the world including UK (number three), Ireland (number two), Italy (number four), France (number four) and Australia (number nine). It also peaked at number three on European Hot 100 Singles chart and entered multiple year-end charts in 1997 and 1998. The single has received platinum awards in the Netherlands (75,000) and Belgium (50,000), and gold discs in the United Kingdom (400,000), France (400,000), Australia (35,000), Switzerland (25,000) and Norway.

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by American producer and director Scott Lochmus, and premiered on VH1, on October 24, 1997. It was included as a bonus on the Au cœur du stade DVD.

Formats and track listings

  • European CD single
  1. "Tell Him" (radio edit) – 4:51
  2. "Tell Him" (album version) – 4:51
  • European, Australian, and Japanese CD maxi-single
  1. "Tell Him" (radio edit) – 4:51
  2. "Everything Must Change" – 4:03
  3. "Where Is the Love" – 4:59
  • European 12-inch single
  1. "Tell Him" (radio edit) – 4:51
  2. "Everything Must Change" – 4:03
  3. "Tell Him" (album version) – 4:51
  4. "Where Is the Love" – 4:59

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[64] Platinum 70,000‡
Belgium (BEA)[65] Platinum 50,000*
France (SNEP)[66] Gold 250,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[67] Platinum 75,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[68] Gold  
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[69] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] Gold 436,000[70]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 7, 1997 Radio
[14]
Belgium November 3, 1997
  • CD
  • maxi CD
 Sony [72]
United Kingdom
  • CD
  • cassette
[73]

See also

References

  1. ^ Glatzer, Jenna (2005). Céline Dion: For Keeps. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5559-5.
  2. ^ "Article: Celine Dion tells about working with David". Metro Olografix. April 3, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  3. ^ Agassi, Andre (2009). Open. New York: Knopf. pp. 174. ISBN 978-0307268198.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Let's Talk About Love - Céline Dion - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Higher Ground - Barbra Streisand - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "Tell Him - Barbra Streisand - Song Info - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  7. ^ Flick, Larry (October 18, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Browne, David (November 21, 1997). "Celine Dion and Michael Bolton: yawn".
  9. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. October 25, 1997. p. 25. Retrieved September 19, 2022.
  10. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (December 8, 1997). "Celine Dion: Is She Cool? Someday, Maybe, but Not Now".
  11. ^ a b c Blickley, Leigh (January 27, 2018). "That Time Barbra Streisand Called In Sick To The Grammys And Celine Dion Saved The Day". HuffPost. Retrieved January 27, 2019. they'd received a few unfavorable reviews of the duet
  12. ^ a b "Streisand Has a Bad Case of Flu, Will Miss Grammys". Chicago Tribune. February 25, 1998. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  13. ^ "Ailing Streisand May Miss Grammys". Sun-Sentinel. February 24, 1998. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  14. ^ a b "A 'Reason' to Wait Six Weeks". Radio & Records. No. 1217. October 3, 1997. p. 34. ['Tell Him'] arrives at radio on October 7.
  15. ^ Sandiford-Waller, Theda (November 8, 1997). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 45. p. 96.
  16. ^ "Official Top 40 best-selling singles of 1997". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "Barbra Streisand & Céline Dion – Tell Him". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
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  21. ^ a b "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. December 13, 1997. pp. 50–51. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
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  24. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. December 13, 1997. p. 17. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
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  26. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Barbra Streisand". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 248. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
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  29. ^ "Top National Sellers: Greece" (PDF). Music & Media. February 21, 1998. p. 16. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
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  31. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Tell Him". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
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  67. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Celine Dion – Tell Him" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved October 11, 2006. Enter Tell Him in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1997 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
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  69. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Tell Him')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
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