Christopher Neil | |
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Birth name | Christopher Neil |
Born | 1948 (age 74–75) |
Origin | Athy, Ireland |
Genres | Pop rock, soft rock, adult contemporary |
Occupation(s) | Producer, songwriter, actor |
Years active | 1972–present |
Labels | Rak |
Christopher Neil (born 1948) is an Irish-born British record producer, songwriter, singer, and actor.
He has produced records for A-ha, Amazulu, Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion, Cher, Dollar, Edyta Górniak, Gerry Rafferty, Jennifer Rush, José Carreras, Leo Sayer, Marillion, Mike + The Mechanics, Morten Harket, Paul Carrack, Paul Young, Rod Stewart, Shakin' Stevens, Sheena Easton, the Moody Blues, Ian Thomas, Wax and Toyah Willcox.
In 1973, his song "Help It Along" finished third in the BBC's annual A Song for Europe contest, performed by Cliff Richard. The track was a hit single later in the year for Cliff and the title of his 1974 live album.
Neil started in the mid-sixties as a singer with Manchester group the Chuckles. In 1972 he released a solo album Where I Belong on RAK Records. [1]
He worked as an actor during the 1970s playing Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Ginger in Leaping Ginger at the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester before working full-time as a record producer. In 1976, he performed the role of the Eva Peron Fund Manager on the original studio album of the musical Evita. His song "And the Money Kept Rolling In (And Out)" was given to the character Che in subsequent stage productions.
His film roles included The Sex Thief (1973), Eskimo Nell (1975), and Three for All (1975), and in 1976 he starred in the British TV series Rock Follies . In 1977 and 1978 he starred in two of the three 'Adventures of...' British sex comedy films: Adventures of a Private Eye and the final film in the trilogy, Adventures of a Plumber's Mate . In addition to taking the lead role, he wrote and sang the theme songs to the two films. From 1976, Neil was the host of the BBC children's programme You and Me . [2]
Year | Album |
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1972 | Where I Belong |
Christopher Neil has produced many songs that reached the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart or the US Billboard Hot 100:
Sheena Shirley Easton is a Scottish singer and actress. She came into the public eye in an episode of the first British musical reality television series The Big Time: Pop Singer, which recorded her attempts to gain a record deal and her eventual signing with the EMI label. Easton's first two singles, "Modern Girl" and "9 to 5", both entered the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart simultaneously. She became one of the most successful British female recording artists of the 1980s.
"My Heart Will Go On" is a song recorded by the Canadian singer Celine Dion as the theme for the film Titanic. It was composed by James Horner, with lyrics by Will Jennings. It was produced by Horner, Walter Afanasieff and Simon Franglen. "My Heart Will Go On" was released as a single internationally by Columbia and Epic on November 24, 1997, and was included on Dion's fifth English-language album, Let's Talk About Love (1997), and the Titanic soundtrack.
The Colour of My Love is the third English-language album and twelfth studio album overall by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was released by Columbia and 550 Music on 9 November 1993, in Canada and the United States, followed by an early 1994 release in the rest of the world. The songs on the album were produced mainly by Ric Wake, David Foster and Christopher Neil, and four of them were written by Diane Warren, including the album's fifth and final single "Next Plane Out". The Colour of My Love features cover versions of Jennifer Rush's 1984 single "The Power of Love", which was released as the album's lead single, and the pop standard "When I Fall in Love", recorded as a duet with British vocalist Clive Griffin and originally appearing on the soundtrack to the 1993 film Sleepless in Seattle.
"I'm Your Angel" is a duet by Celine Dion and R. Kelly from Dion's These Are Special Times album and Kelly's R. album. It was released on 13 October 1998. The song was written and produced by R. Kelly. The single was very successful, reaching number one in the United States and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The single also reached the top five in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
"When I Fall in Love" is a popular song, written by Victor Young (music) and Edward Heyman (lyrics). It was introduced in Howard Hughes' last film One Minute to Zero as the instrumental titled "Theme from One Minute to Zero". Jeri Southern sang on the first vocal recording released in April 1952 with the song's composer, Victor Young, handling the arranging and conducting duties. The song has become a standard, with many artists recording it; the first hit version was sung by Doris Day released in July 1952.
Unison is the first English-language album and ninth studio album overall by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was originally released by Columbia Records on 2 April 1990 in Canada, and by Epic Records on 11 September 1990 in the United States, followed by a 1991 release in the rest of the world. The album features a mix of uptempo songs influenced by dance-pop and freestyle music, and ballads influenced by 1980s soft rock. The songs on the album were produced mainly by Christopher Neil and David Foster. Upon its release, Unison received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented Dion's voice and technique, as well as the album's content.
"The Power of Love" is a song co-written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Jennifer Rush in 1984. It was released as the fifth single from her debut album, Jennifer Rush (1984), and has since been covered by Air Supply, Laura Branigan, and Celine Dion.
"Because You Loved Me" is a song performed by Canadian singer Celine Dion on her fourth English-language studio album, Falling into You (1996). It was released on 19 February 1996 as the first single in North America, and as the second single in the United Kingdom on 20 May 1996. "Because You Loved Me" was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, and served as the theme song from the 1996 film Up Close & Personal, starring Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Billboard ranked it as the 14th Top Love Song Of All Time.
"A New Day Has Come" is a song by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion for her seventh English-language album of the same name (2002). The song was written by Aldo Nova and Stephan Moccio and produced by Walter Afanasieff and Nova. It was released as the album's lead single on 11 March 2002. "A New Day Has Come" is a piano-driven ballad in 6
8 time. However, the midtempo radio version, co-produced and remixed by Christian B & Marc Dold of (S.A.F.) along with Ric Wake, converted the song into 4
4 time, added guitars and other electronic elements and was released as the lead single. Both versions are included on the album.
"Alone" is a song composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who recorded it under the name i-Ten on their 1983 album Taking a Cold Look.
"(If There Was) Any Other Way" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion for her first English-language album, and ninth studio album overall, Unison (1990). The song was written by Paul Bliss, while production was handled by Christopher Neil. Columbia Records released "(If There Was) Any Other Way" as the lead single from Unison in Canada on 26 March 1990. It was released the following year as the album's second single in other countries, including the United States.
"Where Does My Heart Beat Now" is a song performed by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion for her ninth studio album and debut English-language album, Unison (1990). It was released by Columbia Records as the third single from Unison in Canada on 1 October 1990. It was also issued as the lead single in the United States in late 1990, and in other parts of the world in early 1991. "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" was written by Robert White Johnson and Taylor Rhodes in 1988, and recorded by Dion one year later. The song was produced by Christopher Neil. Dion premiered the song at the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 in Switzerland, where she performed it along with her 1988 winning song, "Ne partez pas sans moi".
"The Last to Know" is a song recorded by Sheena Easton for her 1987 album, No Sound But a Heart. It was written by Brock Walsh and Phil Galdston and produced by Nick Martinelli. In 1990, it was covered by Celine Dion.
"Think Twice" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released as the third single from her third English-language album, The Colour of My Love (1993) in North America in July 1994, in the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan in October 1994, and in other European countries in 1995. It was written by Andy Hill and Peter Sinfield, and produced by Christopher Neil and Aldo Nova. In this rock-influenced song with a guitar solo, the protagonist is telling her lover to "think twice" before leaving her. The song became one of Dion's most successful hits in Europe and Australia, topping multiple charts, including those of Flemish Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Remaining at the top of the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks, it eventually became the fourth single by a female artist to sell in excess of one million copies in the UK.
"For Your Eyes Only" is the theme to the 12th James Bond movie of the same name, written by Bill Conti and Mick Leeson, and performed by Scottish singer Sheena Easton. The song reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards in 1982.
"Have You Ever Been in Love" is a song by Canadian recording artist Celine Dion, recorded first for her seventh English studio album A New Day Has Come (2002) and was later included on her eight English studio album One Heart (2003). The song is a power ballad, written by Anders Bagge, Peer Åström, Tom Nichols, Daryl Hall and Laila Bagge, while production was handled by Bagge & Peer.
Take My Time is the debut album by UK pop singer Sheena Easton. Released in January 1981, the album reached number 17 in the UK and earned her a Gold Disc. Two months later, a ten track version of the album was released in the US and Canada as Sheena Easton. The album went gold in the US and platinum in Canada.
"You Could Have Been with Me" is a 1981 single by Sheena Easton from her album of the same name. The single reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its Adult Contemporary peak was number 6.
Mary Susan Applegate is an American songwriter, poet and lyricist who lives in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
"Please Don't Sympathise" is a song by Scottish singer Sheena Easton, recorded for her 1982 album, Madness, Money & Music. It was written by Steve Thompson and produced by Christopher Neil. In 1983, Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded the song in French, titled "Ne me plaignez pas". It was included on her album, Les chemins de ma maison and released as a single in 1984.