Don't Save It All for Christmas Day
"Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" | ||||
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Single by Celine Dion | ||||
from the album These Are Special Times | ||||
Released | 4 December 2000 | |||
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Recorded |
Various
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Genre | ||||
Length | 4:37 | |||
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Ric Wake | |||
Celine Dion singles chronology | ||||
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"Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" is a song by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion. It was written by Peter Zizzo, Ric Wake, and Dion for her first English-language holiday album These Are Special Times (1998), while Wake also served as its producer. The pop ballad was issued as a promotional single on 4 December 2000, two years after album's original release.[1]
The song has also been covered by many artists over the years, including Christian group Avalon, who re-recorded the song for their 2000 album Joy: A Christmas Collection.
Background
"Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" is one out of seven original compositions Dion recorded for These Are Special Times.[2] Aside from "Treat Her Like a Lady", a cover of the Diana King song, that she had partially re-written and recorded for 1997 studio album Let's Talk About Love, "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" marked her first co-writing credit on one of her own recordings.[3] Unaware of the fact that it was not someone else's record she was continually singing to, Dion had the melody and lyrics of the song's pre-chorus ("How many people are crying / people are dying / how many people are asking for love") for nearly two years in her head.[4] While she never finished it as she was "afraid of the reaction",[4] her husband and manager René Angélil suggested that it would make a "great record" after hearing it.[3] At a dinner with frequent collaborator Rick Wake after her performance at the VH1 Divas Live show in New York City in April 1998, Wake convinced Dion to sing her ideas of a verse and a chorus on his home answering machine.[4] While Dion's lines inspired the song and its whole approach, Wake consulted Peter Zizzo to polish Dion's track.[5] Based on her lyrics, the songwriter came up with the chorus lines "Don't save It all for Christmas Day".[5] Lyrically, the ballad is about sharing good-will and love throughout the year, not just during the holiday season.[4]
Critical reception
Billboard editor Paul Verna called this song 'thoughtful produced original composition, her first co-writing credit'.[6]
Formats and track listings
Promo CD single
- "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" (album version) – 4:37
- "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" (radio version) – 4:19
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the These Are Special Times liner notes.[7]
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Charts
Chart (2011–17) | Peak position |
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South Korean Gaon International Chart[8] | 94 |
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[9] | 81 |
References
- ↑ Glatzer, Jenna (2005). Céline Dion: For Keeps. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-5559-5.
- ↑ "Celine Dion Takes Stock of Success". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 17 October 1998. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
- 1 2 "Celine Dion recording Don't Save It All For Christmas Day1". YouTube. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 "Celine Dion takes stock of success". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- 1 2 "For Peter Zizzo, Emotion Is The Key". Billboard. 12 December 1998. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ↑ Billboard
- ↑ These Are Special Times (booklet). Celine Dion. Columbia, Epic. 1998.
- ↑ "South Korean Goan International Single Chart". Gaon Chart. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
- ↑ "Holiday 100". Billboard. Retrieved 31 December 2017.