Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)
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"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" is a song recorded by
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
recording artist
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...
for her seventh English-language album '' A New Day Has Come'' (2002). The song was written and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, while Lange and his then-wife, country singer Shania Twain did the backing vocals. Lyrically, the song speaks about motherly love and fear of losing one's mother. It was released as the album's third and last commercial single on 18 November 2002 by
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
and
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), cong ...
. The song received favorable reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
, who called it a "heartfelt and emotional song", while praising Dion's performance. The "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" music video was directed by Chris Applebaum between 12–13 October 2002 in
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,
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, and premiered in November 2002. The song performed moderately on the charts, peaking inside the top fifty in the countries that it charted, but it did not match the success of previous singles.


Background and composition

"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" was written and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who already worked with Dion in 1999 on " If Walls Could Talk." Lange and his then-wife, country singer Shania Twain did the backing vocals. The song runs to 5 minutes 19 seconds with a radio edit of 4 minutes 23 seconds. It was recorded at Studio Piccolo and released 18 November 2002. Lyrically, the devastatingly emotional ballad speaks about the absolute love between a child and her mother. "There is no other love like a mother's love for her child," she sings. Céline first heard the Robert John "Mutt" Lange song three years ago 999and turn it down. "Now, being a mother, I found the strength to sing it, but it was hard," she said. Its lesson? "Never wait too long to tell someone how you feel," she answered. In October 2008, "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" was included on the European version of '' My Love: Ultimate Essential Collection'' greatest hits.


Critical reception

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's editorial review called it "a heartfelt, country-tinged song." Chuck Taylor from ''
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'' criticized the choice of the third single, "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," a ballad relegated solely to adult contemporary radio stations. He noticed that the song is "devastatingly beautiful," offering a loving tribute to one's mother at death's door and that Dion "delivers it with a heaving helping of passion, emotionally drawing one's attention to the devotional message." Although he felt that many will connect to the loss of a parent, on a commercial level, this was a disappointing decision. Mike Ross of Jam! Canoe wrote, "Celine is at her lovey-doveyest in Mutt Lange's Goodbye's (The Saddest Word), helped by not one, but two soaring key changes in the same song, which is then launched into a high Earth orbit of melodrama by an orchestra that would make
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
blush with envy." Commenting for ''
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'' in May 2002, Rob Sheffield said of the Mutt Lange composition it is "sure to inspire many hours of dull debate with
Bernie Taupin Bernard John Taupin (born 22 May 1950) is an English lyricist and visual artist. He is best known for his songwriting partnership with Elton John, recognised as one of the most successful partnerships of its kind in history. Taupin co-wrote th ...
." The reviewer also alluded to Dion's voice as "just furniture polish". Sal Cinquemani of ''
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'' commented, "It is the kind of sappy mama-lovin' tune that will leave you nauseous or in tears." Christopher Smith from TalkAboutPopMusic described the song as a "beautiful Country-style pop ballad."


Commercial performance

The song performed moderately on the charts, peaking inside the top-forty in some countries. On the Belgian Flanders Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 47, on 14 December 2002.Belgian Flanders Singles Chart
/ref> The following week, the song fell to number 49, but on 28 December 2002, the song climbed to number 46. In its fourth week, the song peaked at number 39. On the Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart, the song debuted and peaked at number 36, leaving the charts the following week.Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart
/ref> In he Netherlands, the song debuted at number 67 on the Dutch Top 40, on 30 November 2002.Dutch Singles Chart
/ref> The following week, the song jumped to number 51. The song kept fluctuating on the chart for the next two weeks, until it climbed from number 67 to number 42. On 18 January 2003, the song peaked at number 38, spending 11 consecutive weeks on the chart. In Austria, the song debuted at number 50 on the Ö3 Austria Top 40.Austrian Singles Chart
/ref> The following week, the song climbed to number 49 and later, it moved to number 45, until it peaked at number 41. The song spent 10 weeks on the chart. In the UK, the song debuted at number 38 on the UK Singles Chart, on 7 December 2002. The following week, the song dropped to number 60, spending only 2 weeks on the UK charts. In Ireland, the song debuted at number 42 on the
Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are ...
, on 28 November 2002. The following week, the song remained at the same position and it dropped at number 49, spending 3 weeks on the chart.


Music video

The "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" music video was directed by Chris Applebaum between 12–13 October 2002 in
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,
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, and premiered in November 2002. In 2006, a second version of the video leaked to the internet, including never before seen footage. This unreleased version was also directed by Chris Applebaum in October 2002 but shows more Dion sexier scenes. The radio edit of the song was used in the music video. Some lyrics near the end of the radio edit were omitted and/or altered. The music video also features a
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photoshoot of Dion posing for the album cover of her eighth English-language studio album '' One Heart'' (2003).


Live performances

Dion performed the song for the first time at the ''A New Day Has Come'' CBS Special in March 2002. She also performed the song on '' Star Academy'', in 2002. She also performed it on "World Children's Day 2002". Dion also performed it on the ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
'' in 2002.


Formats and track listings

The European version of the single included "All Because of You," which could be found on the single and on the special limited edition of ''A New Day Has Come'' from November 2002. The single featured also a duet with Anastacia on "
You Shook Me All Night Long "You Shook Me All Night Long" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, from the album '' Back in Black''. The song also reappeared on their later soundtrack album ''Who Made Who''. It is AC/DC's first single with Brian Johnson as the lea ...
," taken from the '' VH1 Divas Las Vegas'' CD/DVD released in October 2002. European CD single #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" (radio edit) – 4:23 #"All Because of You" – 3:30 European CD maxi-single #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" (radio edit) – 4:23 #"All Because of You" – 3:30 #"
You Shook Me All Night Long "You Shook Me All Night Long" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, from the album '' Back in Black''. The song also reappeared on their later soundtrack album ''Who Made Who''. It is AC/DC's first single with Brian Johnson as the lea ...
" (with Anastacia - live from VH1 Divas) – 3:51 #" Blue Christmas" – 3:50 #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" (video - live from TV special) – 4:43 UK cassette single #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" (radio edit) – 4:23 #"Blue Christmas" – 3:50 #" All the Way" (with
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
) – 3:53 UK CD single #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" (radio edit) – 4:23 #"Blue Christmas" – 3:50 #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" (video - live from TV special) – 4:43 UK CD single #2 #"Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" – 5:19 #"All the Way" (with Frank Sinatra) – 3:53 #"You Shook Me All Night Long" (with Anastacia - live from VH1 Divas) – 3:51


Charts


Credits and personnel

;Recording locations *Recording - Piccolo Studio (
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,
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
) ;Personnel *Songwriting – Robert John "Mutt" Lange *Production – Robert John "Mutt" Lange *Backing Vocals - Mutt Lange, Shania Twain *Guitars - Mutt Lange *Mixing - Humberto Gatica *Strings - Gavin Greenaway Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''A New Day Has Come'', Epic Records.


Release history


References


External links

* {{authority control Celine Dion songs 2002 singles Songs written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange Song recordings produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange 2002 songs Music videos directed by Chris Applebaum Pop ballads 2000s ballads Columbia Records singles Epic Records singles