| "Alone" | |
|---|---|
| Song by i-Ten | |
| from the albumTaking a Cold Look | |
| Released | June 1983 |
| Recorded | 1983 |
| Studio | Goodnight L.A. Studios,Van Nuys, California |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:58 |
| Label | Epic |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers | |
"Alone" is a song composed byBilly Steinberg andTom Kelly, who recorded it under the name i-Ten on their 1983 albumTaking a Cold Look. It was later recorded by actress Valerie Stevenson and actorJohn Stamos on the original soundtrack of theCBSsitcomDreams in 1984. Americanrock bandHeart covered it on their 1987 albumBad Animals, and this version reached number one in the US and Canada. In 2007,Celine Dion recorded it for her albumTaking Chances. In 2010,Alyssa Reid used the music and lyrics for the chorus of her song "Alone Again".
"Alone" is arock ballad composed byBilly Steinberg andTom Kelly, who recorded it under the name i-Ten on their 1983 albumTaking a Cold Look. It was included as the third track of the album. It debuted inauspiciously and I-Ten did not record any other albums prior to disbanding.
| "Alone" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byDreams | ||||
| from the albumDreams | ||||
| Released | November 7, 1984 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 4:12 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Dreams singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In late 1984, actress Valerie Stevenson and actorJohn Stamos covered the song for theCBSsitcomDreams under their roles as Lisa Copley and Gino Minnelli. It appeared in the episode of the same name where the band perform the song for Frank and Louise's anniversary party. It is the earliest cover of the song. In that episode, Frank and Gino write a poem and turn it into a song. The episode aired on November 7, 1984. The song was released as a single that same day, but did not chart.
| "Alone" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byHeart | ||||
| from the albumBad Animals | ||||
| B-side | "Barracuda" (live) | |||
| Released | May 16, 1987 (Europe)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:39 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Ron Nevison | |||
| Heart singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Alone" onYouTube | ||||
Heart released the song as the first single from their ninth studio album,Bad Animals, in May 16, 1987. Their version is apower ballad[3] that begins with a piano line and a subdued vocal fromAnn Wilson, leading to a synth-led hard-rock chorus. Tom Kelly, the song's coauthor and himself an experienced session singer, provided the high harmony parts on the record.[4]
"Alone" reached No. 1 on both the USBillboard Hot 100 and the USCashboxTop 100. It peaked at No. 3 on theUK Singles Chart.
Elsewhere, it hit No. 1 in Canada, the top five in Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland, the top 10 in Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, and the top 20 in West Germany. An "unplugged" version of the song later appeared on Heart's 1995 albumThe Road Home. An extended version of "Alone" (5:30 long) was included on the Japanese 3" mini-CD of Heart's third single fromBad Animals, "There's the Girl".[5]
Cash Box said that it's "a potent, emotion-drenched rock ballad that features Ann Wilson's signature billowing, riveting vocal performance."[6] It earned the band a nomination for theGrammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group at the30th Annual Grammy Awards.
The video for the song was directed byMarty Callner, and was released in June 1987. It starts with Ann at the top of a balcony singing to Nancy, who is at the bottom (similar to theRomeo and Juliet balcony scene). Ann is then seen in all black, including a funeral veil and gown. The two sisters are then seen performing the refrain to an audience on stage, when Nancy's piano collapses at the first bang of the chorus. During the second verse, a broken-down and dilapidated set is seen, with Nancy playing the piano within it. Nancy is then seen riding atop a black horse. It then shows Ann, in the all-black outfit within the broken set and thereby resembling a witch, before cutting directly back to the stage performance as the song reaches its climax. As the song fades out, a shot of Ann and Nancy together is shown, with each one looking directly into each other's eyes, before finally finishing with a quick shot of Ann's face as the screen goes black.
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[38] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[39] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[40] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Alone" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byCeline Dion | ||||
| from the albumTaking Chances | ||||
| Released | May 5, 2008 (2008-05-05) | |||
| Recorded | January 2007 | |||
| Studio | Conway Studios,Studio at the Palms | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 3:23 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Ben Moody | |||
| Celine Dion singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio video | ||||
| "Alone" onYouTube | ||||
Celine Dion covered "Alone" for her tenth English-languagestudio album,Taking Chances (2007). It was released as the secondsingle in Europe and North America, and third in the United Kingdom in 2008. Produced byBen Moody, ex-member ofEvanescence, the song divided music critics. While some picked it as one of the best tracks onTaking Chances, others thought that the cover was too similar with the original.
Dion covered "Alone" in 2007 for her tenth English studio album,Taking Chances, released that year. The version was produced byBen Moody, former member of rock bandEvanescence.[41] Dion's version features tinkling pianos and enveloping strings.[41] It was released as the second single in Europe and North America, and third in the United Kingdom. The digital single release in the UK on May 5, 2008, was coincided with the British leg of theTaking Chances World Tour.[42] In October 2008, "Alone" was included on the European version ofMy Love: Essential Collection.[43] A live version was included in theTaking Chances World Tour: The Concert CD/DVD.[44]
Music critics were divided on "Alone".Stephen Thomas Erlewine fromAllMusic picked the song as one of the best tracks onTaking Chances, and wrote that "Celine attempts to snatch Heart's 'Alone' fromCarrie Underwood and cribs fromKelly Clarkson's operatic rock, two blatant thieveries that, when combined with the quartet of explicit changeups, givesTaking Chances a vaguely desperate vibe, as if Celine needs to prove that she still reigns supreme among all divas".[45] Sarah Rodman wrote forThe Boston Globe that "Enlisting former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody adds little; in fact, the carbon-copy arrangement doesn't pack as much windswept melodramatic punch as Dion's own 'It's All Coming Back to Me Now.' Great vocal, terrific melody, a fine rendition, but 'Alone' is already indelibly stamped by Heart'sAnn Wilson".[46]
Toronto Star editor Ashante Infantry called this song "sentimental, cringe-worthy diva track".Chuck Taylor ofBillboard called it "a rowdy cover".[47] Rob Sheffield ofRolling Stone gave the song a negative review, writing: "That's nothing compared to Dion shrieking the ten millionth version of Heart's 'Alone' (mad pitchy, dog!), produced by ex-Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody –Amy Lee, meet the fugliest bullet you ever dodged".[48]
The song debuted on November 24, 2007, at No. 85 on theUK Singles Chart.[49] It spent two weeks on the chart.[49] After selling 12,535 copies, it entered the USBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles at No. 24 andCanadian Hot 100 at No. 57. It entered theSwedish Singles Chart, due to strong digital sales, and peaked at No. 52.[50]
The music video was taken from Dion'sCBS TV specialThat's Just the Woman in Me and released on March 8, 2008.[51] Dion promoted "Alone" at that time in France, performing it onStar Academy. On November 23, 2007, she went to the American talkshowThe View to perform "Taking Chances" as well as "Alone".[52] Dion performed the song during most dates of herTaking Chances World Tour; the performance was included in theTaking Chances World Tour: The Concert CD/DVD.[44]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[64] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom[65] | May 5, 2008 | Digital download | Epic |
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Live albums | |
| Compilation albums | |
| Singles |
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| Related articles | |
