Born To Be With You
Dion
1975
Album Summary
Born to Be with You is the fourteenth solo studio album by Dion, released in October 1975. Six of the eight tracks were produced by Phil Spector, who had expressed admiration of Dion's earlier work with his doo-wop group, Dion and the Belmonts. Upon completion in 1974, Spector himself shelved the release for twelve months, only to find the album was largely met with indifference by the music establishment at the time. However, in the 1990s, the album began to receive widespread critical acclaim. Artists such as Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream cited it as a key influence. The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
WikipediaBed wettingly shit. A complete and utter disaster of a record that makes me want to strangle an infant.
I was expecting a Wall of Sound pastiche. Thankfully this is more a Dion album than a Phil Spector Doo-wop record. It was uplifting, almost spiritual. The saxophone breaks come close to stealing the show. The album drifted a little towards the end, before rescuing itself with a rousing Good Lovin' Man as the closer. Dion deserves wider acclaim.
I know some Dion from the 60s, but this was the first exposure to his later work. It was not what I would expect from a former teen-idol doo-wop star. Quite good!
Pour ceux qui ne seraient pas au courant, la présence de cet album de Dion est un énorme doigt d'honneur de Robert à la communauté générateurienne qui s'attendait évidemment à tomber sur Céline et ses deux-cent-trente-millions d'albums vendus. Que nenni… encore une vilaine farce de notre Robert national.
Pretty easy to listen to. I’d probably put it on again as chill background music
Great easy listening. No special single song, but as a whole, just click play and sit back and enjoy.
Was my familiar with Dion’s earlier work, but this was a pleasant surprise
Alors là, c'est la cerise sur le gâteau. Comme vous le savez déjà, Robert n'a pas jugé nécessaire d'inclure Céline Dion dans sa liste pourrie. En revanche, Robert nous offre ici un superbe pied de nez, en incluant l'illustre inconnu Dion, homonyme de la chanteuse à succès que l'on connait tous. Robert ne perd décidément rien pour attendre, multipliant les farces ces dernières semaines.
It's great to hear another side of Dion, outside of his music with the Belmonts and his solo stuff from the 60s. The collaboration with Phil Spector is fitting for a vocalist like Dion, and when it works, the results are really lovely. There does seem to be a little stylistic tension though, between what you might expect in a Phil Spector-produced record and what I suspect is Dion's preference for more of a contemporary, singer-songwriter sound (see: "New York City Song"). The result is a somewhat uneven quality from song to song. Added to that, the album has a fairly slow moving pace and a bit of a dour mood overall. In the mid-70s, apparently that didn't play so well, but I think the album has actually aged remarkably well. It was really ahead of its time. Very high 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Only You Know, In and Out of the Shadows, Born to Be with You, New York City Song
I can definitely hear some of this in the recent Bobby Gillespie / Jenny Beth record. It’s not quite 3.5, but better than a 3. I probably won’t listen to it again but it was pleasant enough while it lasted.
Nicely bland and listenable. Can't say I'd listen again, but also can't say I didn't like it, on the whole. First half of the album is stronger than the second half.
Decent album, nice runtime but ultimately nothing exciting or groundbreaking or even memorable to warrant more than a 3
Not a bad album for background music, quite pleasant and with a few interesting moments. I really can't see it as any more than that and I have my doubts about if it really deserves being on this list. I quite liked Queen Of 1959 from the bonus tracks - with tracks like that on the actual album, this could have been a solid 4.
Before today I'd never heard of Dion. He apparently got his start in music singing with a Doo Wop group called Dion and the Belmonts, before going off on his own, and exploring his sound a bit more. I enjoyed this album. It wasn't something amazing or groundbreaking, but it was a nice easy listening experience. I find that Dion sounds like Van Morrison, or Simon & Garfunkel. Just a nice, easy, 70's pop rock sound. The addition of sax was great! The Spotify link for this album is a double album (Born to Be With You/Streetheart), so it was a little longer listen than just the one album, but I didn't mind because it familiarized me with more of his work. The "Streetheart" side of the album was more upbeat and rockin' than the Born to Be With You side. All in all, a good listening experience today. Not phenomenal, but perfectly average. Favourite songs: Good Lovin' Man, The Way You Do The Things You Do, In and Out of the Shadows, New York City Song Least favourite song: (He's Got) The Whole World In His Hands 3/5
If Father John Misty and Steely Dan had a baby and raised him in a loving Christian household, this is the music I think he’d make.
This album was more interesting than I thought it would be. I wouldn't necessarily say that I enjoyed listening to it all that much because it's not a style of music that I find all that enjoyable (nor did Dion, for that matter), but the production is interesting. Phil Spector may be a god damned murderous psychopath, but he knew how to make a compelling sound. The themes of redemption that run through the album make it very interesting. A pop star who has been through hell and is now trying to make good on the other side is an interesting theme for an album. Dion's story and his perspective on it is worth listening to, if only just once 3/5
69 love songs for swinging lovers but actually good? Some actual quality mixed with some cornballesque stuff
Dion is more known as a 50s and 60s doo wop singer and that's how know him - as lead singer for Dion and the Belmonts. In the 70s It seems he has re-positioned himself as a singer-songwriter and as such this album is pretty unremarkeable. I liked much of it but as pleasant background music; nothing really reached out and demanded my attention. Sorry Dion...3 stars
Has some good songs in it but is very bloated, love his voice and the more simple songs with string instruments in them, but a tough listen all at once Fav songs Streetheart Born to be with you NYC song 6/10
This seemed very adult. Not in a bowm-chicka-bowm-bowm way but in an I gotta wear a suit and do my taxes kinda way.
A mostly love song album that goes on for quite a while. At 20 songs there’s no shortage of romantic topics covered. I felt like this was a white R&B album. Smooth, enjoyable, not that complex and a little poppy. Never really listened to this guy but he seems like a Walmart John Lennon. Overall thought it was okay. 6.5/10
Kind of like a love child of Van Morrison and Rodriguez. Mellow tunes, nice arrangements and decent lyrics. No particular standout tracks for me.
Before you ask, this is not a Dion of the Celine variety. As far as I can tell, they’re unrelated. Now that we have that cleared up, let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: You Showed Me What Love Is, Streetheart This album what somewhat all over the place for me. Firstly, at 79 minutes long, it’s quite a lengthy album. The first five or so tracks didn’t do much for me, and I found it a little too evangelical for my tastes. I expected much of the same from the rest of the album, but it suddenly takes a turn and gets very good indeed! Around the halfway point, it begins to sound like a completely different album recorded in a different time which was a little jarring, but it certainly got a lot better as the album went on. Overall, I feel I can’t give this album too high of a score because the first few songs had really put me off to the point of almost discarding it entirely. If the first half of the album was axed, I’d likely be ranking this a lot higher.
What a fuckin' NERD This is the most middle of the road album I’ve ever heard. It’s so middle of the road, it should be titled “Dashed Yellow Lines”
Some late state Dion produced with some late stage wall of sound and a great runtime!
A bit whiney at times but still a decent listen. Gets a bonus point for reminding me of the great 'Only You Know' rendition by the Arctic Monkeys
The writing is okay, extremely objectifying though, I did not enjoy how the women in this album aren't really acknowledged as people with voltion. The instrumentation feels aged too.
I know things were different in the 70s, but this guy looks like one of those serial killers that ended up on a dating show or something. Fuck, what an album cover haha. I'm guessing it'll be jazzy? Ok, it's not jazzy but it's hard to say what it is. Just has an "oldies" vibe. Vaguely country, vaguely soft rock, all fairly inoffensive. Apart from the recording quality, this could be 15 years older - pre-Beatles for sure. If it was German I'd just call it Schlager and be done. I caved and read Wikipedia to work it out - he's originally a 50s singer and these are all covers, so that makes a little more sense now. Phil Spector is involved; I know I'm meant to find him PROBLEMATIC but can't remember why. tbh I'm not very inclined to shit on this at all! Maybe it's the easy listening accessibility, maybe it's knowing the whole thing is only half an hour, maybe it's knowing the other reviews here are gonna object to it. But while it wasn't exactly mind-blowing, it also wasn't obnoxious or really pretending to be anything other than exactly what it is. No hints of ego, I guess. 3/5.
Coolest thing about this album is that it's by Dion, who was a long-time boyish idol type singer, making those cheesy Everly Brother-type pop hits in the '50s and '60s (for reference, go listen to "Runaround Sue," which you almost certainly have heard before). Definitely grown-up tunes from what his prior fare was, though he still has that simp-y spirit. Unfortunately nothing too special stylistically, but it's aight. He's got a really nice voice though, and cool to hear a guy like him putting forth this kind of emotion after where he began. I hate to say it but I think I'd rather have an album of the older stuff that made him who he is. Just a more interesting time capsule. Favorite tracks: Make the Woman Love Me, New York City Song. Album art: I feel I've definitely seen this one around, very simple portrait shot. Nothing crazy. 2.5/5
Another eh album, though I’d rather listen to radio head than this guy. Like a knock off Leonard Cohen.
No está mal, me alegro de haberlo escuchado y me parece interesante que sea una referencia para otros músicos importantes pero de ahí a que sea imprescindible va un trecho.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - The Way You Do the Things You Do (10) 2 - Your Own Back Yard (3) 3 - Oh the Night (17)
Première chanson: le saxophone m'irrite un peu, et je trouve les paroles peu originales. En général je trouve ça assez générique. Ne retient pas mon attention.
I started this and thought - meh, another 70s balladeer. Then about halfway through I started to enjoy it a bit more. Then my interest tailed off again. Couldn’t say why I liked it in parts - not really my thing, but I guess it’s interesting, in the kind of ‘career-tailed-off-still-trying-to-have-a-profie’ way. Although I am not sure Seventies Spector on production is something to recommend this. Not likely to play again, but not as bad as first feared.
The last song is pretty good. The rest just kind of blends into each other.
I find this album listenable but completely unremarkable. A standout single probably would have elevate this to a 3 but to me it sounds like a recording session with 2 people (Dion and Spector) who had slightly different ideas about what they wanted to do and it just didn't quite get there.
I’m a bit confused on why this album was chosen for this list. The songs are perfectly pleasant, but Phil Spector’s wall of sound production has much better examples. Here it sounds like the songs themselves come second to the production and it comes off as sterile, almost factory produced whereas Phil Spector’s early work was more explosive and interesting.
Not sure it's for me but I didn't dislike it really. Sounded well put together. I complained that fish bone had too many styles..... This has the opposite problem
Youtube Music combined Born to Be With You with another Dion album called Streetheart. I did not like the former album, mostly very slow and soppy. Highlight of the album was Good Lovin' Man. I did enjoy the album Streetheart, had more of a rock n roll sound. However, that album still has a few soppy songs too.
I really have nothing to say, this is just a very ok album. Not good not bad, but I don't want to give it anything more than a 2 star rating.
The production covers a few bases, and Dion's voice tries to push at something, but it never amounts to much. Born to Be With You comes across as beige adult contemporary despite the edge the vocal strain tries to suggest. It never sounds bad, but is basically forgettable after the second track. If others have plumbed the depths, I'm happy for them.
Geen slechte zanger, maar het kan mij niet bekoren. Zelfs niet op een maandochtend als achtergrondmuziek op het werk. Misschien meer iets voor de nacht.
I have no idea why this album is on the list. It’s not offensive or anything but it’s so boring. Not for me.
New York City Song and Only You Know are pretty good.. The rest is fairly forgettable. Give me the Wanderer..
Well, I found that rather boring. Each song kind of left like it just dragged on and on.
I tend to go with Dion's own assessment of this sounding like funeral music, more than with the 90s folks who rediscovered this. I thought it was a real slog. I needed a little more guidance and encouragement, maybe.
Save me from this painfully dull, generically 'soulful' album. I feel this music is trying so hard to be passionate and lively that it just falls completely flat on its face and becomes the antithesis of those two things. Not a single song on this album stood out to me. Supposedly, Dion himself hated how it sounded after production, stating it sounded like 'funeral music' according to Wikipedia. On that, him and I agree.
Music is fine, but nothing really stands out and it feels a very "flat". Fades quickly to the background.
Hey, maybe two songs in this almost-80-minute album are not that bad, I guess?
Not that great at all, the folksy- guitars and yodel like singing really does nothing for me. No surprise that my "Best" song is a cover. Best: (He's Got) The Whole World in His Hands Worst: Make the Woman Love Me
Ég var ekki viss hverju ég ætti von á þegar ég sá umslagið. Bjóst við einhverju listaspíru-french-induced-sjitti, en svo er bara alls ekki. Best að leyfa Dion sjálfum að eiga síðasta orðið hérna. "Dion disowned the record, stating that the production made it sound like "funeral music"
Couldn't hack an hour of Dion. Just not my jam. Slow roll late 70's country/rock/gospel twang sound and he was kinda all over the place. Oh well.
“New York City Song” is decent 70’s singer-songwriter fare, and the rare moments when Dion’s Wanderer-era ‘pretend bravado’ shines through are good. Most of the album, though, is just melodrama dialed up to eleven, one squeezebox away from being Schlager. At least it’s short.
Terrible. Boring. He so desperately wants to be Jackson Browne but falls short in every way. There have to be 1000 better albums than this one. He mumbles to boot.
More like DI-OFF, amirite? I know nothing about this album and wish that it could still be so after today. Sorry.