The Prayer (Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli song)

Last updated

"The Prayer"
The Prayer promo.jpg
Promotional single by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli
from the album These Are Special Times
ReleasedMarch 1999 (1999-03)
Recorded1998 Chartmarker Studios, Sony Sound Stage, Criteria Recording Studios
Genre Operatic pop
Length4:29
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • David Foster
  • Carole Bayer Sager
  • Tony Renis
Audio
"Céline Dion, Andrea Bocelli - The Prayer (Official Audio)" on YouTube

"The Prayer" is a song performed by Canadian singer Celine Dion and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. It was song written by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Tony Renis and Alberto Testa.

Contents

"The Prayer" was originally recorded in two solo versions for the Warner Bros.' 1998 musical animated feature film Quest for Camelot , in English by Dion and in Italian by Bocelli. A duet between Dion and Bocelli later appeared on their respective studio albums, These Are Special Times (1998) and Sogno (1999), and was released as a promotional single in March 1999. "The Prayer" won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1999 and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2000. It received highly positive reviews from music critics and entered adult contemporary charts in Canada and the United States in 1999.

In 2008, Dion released a live version of "The Prayer" as a duet with Josh Groban. This music download entered the Canadian Hot 100 at number 37 and the Billboard Hot 100 at number 70.

History

Originally "The Prayer" was recorded as two separate solo versions, Dion's in English and Bocelli's in Italian. They appeared on the Quest for Camelot soundtrack in May 1998. The duet was included on albums by both artists, released a few months later on Sogno and These Are Special Times. Bocelli sang original Italian while Dion translated into English. The song won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song from the 1998 film Quest for Camelot, the second win in a row for a Celine Dion song. In that film, Dion sang it as a solo with slightly different lyrics. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1999 and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2000. Dion performed it with Bocelli at both ceremonies.

It was also featured on Dion's compilation The Collector's Series, Volume One (2000) and greatest hits My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection (2008). A re-recorded solo version by Celine Dion (renamed "A Mother's Prayer") appeared on her 2004 album Miracle . Dion performed "The Prayer" live during her Taking Chances Tour as a virtual duet with Bocelli on the screen; the performance was released in the Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert CD/DVD. The song appeared also on Bocelli's 2007 compilation The Best of Andrea Bocelli: Vivere . Dion joined Bocelli to perform the song in his Concerto: One Night in Central Park concert in 2011; the performance was subsequently released on CD and DVD. Both Dion and Bocelli have sung the song with other duet partners, and various other artists have recorded the song, either as a duet or a solo.

The original version of "The Prayer" failed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, but reached number 6 and number 22 on the adult contemporary charts in Canada and the United States, respectively. It has also become popular during Christmas, weddings and, in some cases, funerals and religious services.

Critical reception

Paul Verna from Billboard called this song a "gorgeous duet". [1] Chuck Taylor from Billboard reviewed "The Prayer", calling it "a breathtaking, ultra-lush song, and the tour de force combination of Dion and Bocelli [which] will send a half-dozen chills up your spine". Although he felt that the song is "an unorthodox track for the radio," Taylor called it "affecting," "heartwarming," "absolutely exquisite" and "one of Dion's most radiant performances ever." [2]

Track listing

US promotional CD single

  1. "The Prayer" (Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli) – 4:29
  2. "The Prayer" (Celine Dion) – 2:48
  3. "The Prayer" (Andrea Bocelli) – 4:10

Personnel

Charts

Celine Dion and Josh Groban version

  1. Verna, Paul, ed. (14 November 1998). "Albums: Spotlight". Billboard. p. 22. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  2. Taylor, Chuck, ed. (20 March 1999). "Singles: AC". Billboard. p. 25. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. 1 2 Sam Jaspers (2006). Ultratop 1995-2005. Book & Media Publishing. ISBN   90-5720-232-8.
  4. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8130." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  5. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  6. "Céline Dion & Andrea Bocelli – The Prayer". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  7. "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec" (in French). BAnQ. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  8. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  9. "Celine Dion Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  10. "Classical Digital Song Sales". Billboard . Archived from the original on 10 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  11. "RPM 1999 Top 100 Adult Contemporary". RPM. 13 December 1999. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  12. "Flo Rida Makes It Nine Straight Atop Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  13. "Celine Dion Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  14. "Celine Dion Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  15. "Celine Dion Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. Cashmere, Paul (29 January 2005)Anthony Callea Premature Sales Announcement.undercover.com.au. Archived from the original on 31 January 2005. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  17. 1 2 ARIA's End Of Decade Charts*(PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  18. "Anthony Callea - The Prayer". YouTube. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  19. "The Prayer Anthony Callea sings for Queen Elizabeth 2006". YouTube. 6 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  20. "iTunes - Music - The Prayer - Single by Anthony Callea". Itunes.apple.com. 19 December 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  21. "Anthony Callea – The Prayer". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  22. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2004". ARIA . Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  23. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2005". ARIA. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  24. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
"The Prayer (Live)"
ThePrayerdigital.jpg
Single by Celine Dion and Josh Groban
Released12 February 2008
Genre Classical crossover
Length4:38
Songwriter(s)
Celine Dion singles chronology
"A World to Believe In"
(2008)
"The Prayer (Live)"
(2008)
"Alone"
(2008)