Born To Be With You

Album 743 of 1001 Dion - Born To Be With You (1975) Rating : 1 / 5 I'm sure there is some Dion that I enjoy but this just isn't it.

2.4 2x catch up 4/15

The guy who sang runaround sue tries to be billy joel

7/10 Fave track: New York city Song

Vibe

I liked a couple songs, gospel he's got the whole world in his hands though didn't match the overall vibe

This was fun easy listening but it didn’t have any of my favorite Dion songs

I thought for a while that I was kind of liking this but by the end I was really tired of it. 2.5

## In-Depth Review of *Born to Be With You* by Dion Released in 1975, Dion’s *Born to Be With You* is a polarizing album that has evolved from being largely dismissed at its release to becoming a cult favorite. Produced primarily by Phil Spector, the album blends introspective songwriting with Spector's signature "Wall of Sound" production. Below is a detailed analysis of the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, along with its pros and cons. --- ### **Lyrics** The lyrics on *Born to Be With You* reflect Dion’s personal struggles and spiritual journey. At the time, Dion was overcoming heroin addiction and grappling with a crisis of faith, and these experiences seep into the album’s introspective tone. - **"Your Own Backyard"** is a confessional track about addiction and redemption. Its raw honesty resonates deeply, making it one of the standout lyrical moments. - **"Only You Know"** explores themes of longing and love with poetic simplicity, while **"New York City Song"** offers a melancholic reflection on urban life. - Tracks like **"In and Out of the Shadows"** delve into existential musings, while **"Make the Woman Love Me"** carries a sense of desperation masked by romantic yearning. The lyrics are often conversational and understated, which complements Dion’s gritty and weathered vocal delivery. However, some tracks lean toward generic sentimentality, which occasionally undermines their emotional weight. --- ### **Music** Musically, the album is an eclectic mix of styles: - It incorporates elements of doo-wop (a nod to Dion’s roots), folk-rock, baroque pop, soul, and even country influences. - Tracks like **"Born to Be With You"** feature lush arrangements with strings, horns, and layered instrumentation typical of Spector’s production style. - The acoustic simplicity of **"New York City Song"** provides a refreshing contrast to the more orchestrated tracks. Dion’s voice remains the emotional core of the album. His phrasing is subtle yet impactful, lending an air of vulnerability to the songs. The melodies are often hauntingly beautiful but can feel overly somber or slow-paced at times. --- ### **Production** Phil Spector’s production is both a highlight and a point of contention for this album. His "Wall of Sound" technique—characterized by dense layers of instruments and heavy reverb—creates an atmospheric backdrop that amplifies the emotional intensity of the songs. - On tracks like **"(He’s Got) The Whole World in His Hands,"** Spector reimagines traditional melodies with soulful arrangements that feel fresh and innovative. - However, his obsessive perfectionism reportedly clashed with Dion’s more understated approach. The result is a tension-filled soundscape where Dion’s voice sometimes feels buried under the weight of the production. Critics have described the album as sounding like "funeral music," with its slow tempos and cavernous echoes contributing to an almost oppressive atmosphere. While this works for some tracks, it can make others feel overly heavy or monotonous. --- ### **Themes** Thematically, *Born to Be With You* is deeply personal and reflective: 1. **Redemption and Recovery**: Songs like "Your Own Backyard" address Dion’s battle with addiction in a way that feels both confessional and hopeful. 2. **Love and Longing**: Tracks such as "Only You Know" explore romantic devotion with heartfelt sincerity. 3. **Spirituality**: The album has an almost gospel-like quality in its search for meaning and connection. 4. **Melancholy and Nostalgia**: Many songs carry a sense of loss or yearning for simpler times, reflecting Dion’s transition from his early rock-and-roll fame to a more introspective phase in his career. --- ### **Influence** Despite its initial commercial failure, *Born to Be With You* has gained significant recognition over time: - Artists like Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream) and Jason Pierce (Spiritualized) have cited it as a major influence on their work. - Its blend of baroque pop and introspective songwriting has drawn comparisons to albums like Dennis Wilson’s *Pacific Ocean Blue* and Gene Clark’s *No Other*. - The album’s emotional rawness and sonic ambition have made it a touchstone for fans of melancholic rock and experimental production. --- ### **Pros** 1. **Emotional Depth**: The lyrics are deeply personal, offering insight into Dion’s struggles with addiction and faith. 2. **Vocal Performance**: Dion’s gritty yet tender voice anchors the album emotionally. 3. **Unique Production**: Phil Spector’s "Wall of Sound," while divisive, adds a haunting grandeur to many tracks. 4. **Cult Appeal**: Over time, the album has been embraced as an overlooked gem by fans of introspective rock music. 5. **Standout Tracks**: Songs like "Your Own Backyard," "Only You Know," and "New York City Song" showcase strong songwriting paired with compelling performances. --- ### **Cons** 1. **Overbearing Production**: Spector’s dense arrangements can overshadow Dion’s vocals and dilute the intimacy of some tracks. 2. **Pacing Issues**: The slow tempos across much of the album can make it feel monotonous or overly somber. 3. **Lack of Cohesion**: The mix of styles—ranging from doo-wop to baroque pop—can feel disjointed at times. 4. **Initial Reception**: The album was largely ignored upon release, which may deter casual listeners from exploring it today. 5. **Polarizing Sound**: Its heavy reliance on reverb and orchestration may not appeal to those who prefer stripped-down production. --- ### Conclusion *Born to Be With You* is an ambitious yet flawed work that captures Dion at a pivotal moment in his career. While Phil Spector's production adds grandeur, it also creates tension that sometimes undermines the intimacy of Dion's storytelling. The album's themes of redemption, love, and spirituality resonate deeply but are occasionally weighed down by its somber tone. For fans willing to embrace its melancholic beauty and sprawling soundscapes, *Born to Be With You* offers a rewarding listening experience that transcends its initial reception. Its influence on later artists underscores its enduring legacy as a hidden gem in 1970s rock history.

Points for looking so, so gay. Too bad the music is like generic-brand elton john. Not bad to listen to, but ephemeral and a snoozefest. 2 or 3 depending on if I'm feeling generous.

11/1001 This was a weird album for me. They only Dion I was familiar with was 60s Do Wop Dion. Great energy, toe tapping, hip swingin music that was always fun to hear. I knew being that this album was from 1975, the Do Wop would probably being nonexistent, but the vocals and energy should still be there. Welp, I was wrong. It took be a couple tries a different points in the day to listen to this. It is very low energy vocal and rather grey non-quite-folk, not-really-rock, almost-but-not-blues instrumentals. The topics are about loss and addictions but the lyrics are generic and shallow. Things I wrote in my notebook as a heart broken 16 y/o. Dion definitely made a conscious decision to reinvent himself from the Do Wopper he is most known for. He was very much influenced by Bob Dylan and Billy Joel, and he blends those influences rather poorly. Overall, this was a struggle to get through. Spotify actually has it combined with another album, but thankfully I looked up the track list elsewhere before I listen to 78 minutes instead of the 38 that is the actual album. I don’t think I would’ve made it. After that overwhelming negative review I will say this album isn’t garbage, I just thought/feel that these albums were going to be eye opening in someway. I don’t really get why it’s on this list.

Day 22 - nice sound nice music but a bit forgettable #albumsky #musicsky 3/5

pliis pikku... pliis pikkutyttö.. pliiiiiiiiiiiiiiis... pliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis... pliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis.. pliis....nektariinia.......pliiiiiiizzzzzzzz... Sänky kastelevaa paskaa. Täydellinen ja täydellinen katastrofi ennätyksestä, joka saa minut haluamaan kuristaa vauvan. tiedät, että albumi ei vain ole hyvä, kun sen paras kappale on keskinkertainen cover kappaleesta, josta pidän, mutta en rakasta. Luulen, että kuuntelen mieluummin Morrisseyta kuin tätä uudestaan. en tiiä vittu unohin jo koko homman mutta taisin tykätä.. nw york cty sing

Surprised how much I liked this. Definitely set a calming kind of romantic 70s mood. Ideal for playing while working or cleaning or cooking with a lover ;)

Never heard of this artist before, but it was definitely produced by Phil Spector. I generally enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but there were still some duds.

If your name is Dion and you look like that, you have an uphill battle to win me over. He has a good voice, but i hate the people who think their voice is so good they start be-boping and scatting stuff- it's some try hard cool guy shit I don't care for. When hes not trying to be too cool, and when the songs have a little substance but that only happens a few times this album. Fuck him for making me listen to a bad version of a Sunday school song though.

Felt like I was listening to nothing, I can’t say that it was good or bad

Not bad, if you’re into oldies style rock & roll. Nothing amazing. Nothing terrible. Enjoyable in a not so exciting sort of way. Like the musical equivalent of going to Chili’s. 2.5 ⭐️ rounding up 🤷🏻‍♂️

I don't know why this is on the list....really meh to me. 1.5 for the Phil Spector production, but rounding down because I was just bored.

I had never heard this, and was skeptical looking at the picture, but this was great. It was like a little bit of James Taylor, a little bit of Jim Croce sort of. I really enjoyed this. I can see myself listening to this more.

Meh

ok

boring

Melodramatic drivel. Worst of Spector and 70s impulses. I miss runaround sue. I’m sorry this happened to you, Dion

I've never heard of Dion before now, but this was actually more fun than I had expected. The record deviates a bit in mostly good ways from typical folk/blues singer/songwriter stuff at times, which I enjoyed. I think the only thing really holding this back is the length - by about 40 minutes in, I really got what he's going for here. Overall though, it's a decent album I could see myself coming back to. 7.5/10

I’ve always enjoyed Dion’s doo-wop era, so I was curious to hear Born to Be with You. It’s interesting that this one got rediscovered in the ’90s and picked up a cult following — probably more for its backstory than the music itself. For me, it was fine. Nothing particularly stood out, but it wasn’t bad either. Just kind of… there. I’ll bump it up a star out of respect for his earlier work and the fact that some of those older tracks found a second life in Fallout. Favorite song: "Your Own Back Yard"

He just goes on like this for over an hour....

It’s a nice album and it’s really nice background music. If the best compliment is that though, why must it be 1001 albums I must listen to? There are better albums that grab your attention and keep it. This is a filler album on this list, filled with filler music.

Meh

An hour-and-twenty-minute endurance test of terrible saccharine 70s singing, sappy instrumentation. Hated this from the first song (Born to Be with You, a totally unnecessary seven minutes long) and each track was worse than the last. Painful, awful. I have said to myself that I am going to listen to every album on this list fully, but when I saw that one of the top-rated reviews for this album said that only the first 8 tracks were actually on Born To Be With You I grabbed it with both hands. Thank you, that reviewer.

A hidden gem this album is not. Dion himself does not like this album and Phil Spector did an awful job on this one. The voice recording sounds like its 20 years behind and the production manages to be the worst and most undercooked of 70's bargain bin music. Want a good later career Dion album? Listen to his 1968 self titled album instead, a beautiful underappreciated piece of music that is everything this wishes it could be.

Shades of George Harrison - liked it.

Seemingly only on the list because Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream cited it as an influence. Unfortunately, boring as sin. Whatever.

Not noteworthy for me

Didn’t finish it

Not a terrible album but not something I’d listen to as a whole again. A few songs initially stood out to me enough to save them in my liked songs, namely “if I can just get through tonight,” “more to you” and “oh the night” but I’ve not listened to them since so.

Pop na granicy country. Wokal z lekkim zaśpiewem, dość przyjemny. Płyta się nie dłuży, każdy utwór jest melodyjny i chwytliwy. Ale jednak od topowego albumu oczekuję czegoś więcej. 6/10

Was hoping to like this better as it has a song I really like, “Your Own Backyard”, written by Dion and covered by Mott the Hoople on their best album, Brain Capers — well worth a listen to the whole album, but you should at least listen to Mott’s version of YOB for comparison.

Five minutes in: this is the Runaround Sue guy? This is my jam. I like runaround Sue and its frivolous ilk, but this feels so stately. I’m into it. My least favorite song is the last one, “good lovin’ man,” which feels more like what I expected from Dion.

Really felt like a prototype to much better albums later on. You get glimpses of better music in the middle of a song and then it’s done. Some decent songs on this one but it isn’t really enough.

далековато

Born to listen to you because the website told me to do so.

Nah, not YOU, Dion.

How did this guy get a recording contract? Bin dare done dat, same old crap

Can't say much about the album, it didn't impress me in any particular way. Sonically, the mix was strange, vocals are getting lost a bit, and the rhythm section and the melodies are way too close to each other. Also, the dynamics just aren't there, the songs seems to be at pretty similar volume throughout. The songs sound similar and nothing stands out about any of them. I feel like the album could have been a lot better, at least for me personally, had the sound engineering side been improved.

1. born - 1.5 2. make - 1.5 3. yard - 1.5 4. handz - 1 5. knouu - 1.5 6. zong - 2 7. zhadouuz - 1.5 8. good - 1.5 9. baby - 1 10. thingz - 1.5 11. man - 1.5 12. queen - 1.5 13. tonight - 1.5 14. more - 1.5 15. love - 1 16. hey - 2 17. night - 1 18. give - 1.5 19. boy - 1 20. heart - 1.5

New to me. Definitely has a Father John Misty vibe goin' on. Worth a listen, but really doesn't grab me enough for many re-listens.

This was a pretty cool album for some classic baroque pop. When I played it this morning, I wasn’t really vibing with it, but coming back to it now, I’m enjoying it a lot more. I wouldn’t say it’s something I plan to revisit often, but it’s definitely worth adding to the list of albums to randomly revisit in the future.

Very schmalzy arrangements

A lot of this album sort of reminds me of a more streamlined and polished version of Gene Clark's album 'No Other' with its ambitious take on country-rock fusions. And I really love that album, so, naturally, I enjoyed this. A song like 'Only You Know' is undeniably grand sounding and is one of the many tracks that takes hints from the sounds of early '70s soul musicians like Marvin Gaye. The following 'New York City Song' was this cute acoustic cut, a nice introspective breather in the mix here. Some moments here like 'Make the Women Love Me' and 'In and Out of the Shadows' reminded me of the heartland rock sounds of Springsteen. I guess Dion really loves his string arrangements...I mean they never really got old for me on this album, so I'm cool with it. I guess this record is "generic-sounding" in almost every way possible, like the polished pop-music from the radio that I'm sure the alternatives that grew up in the late '70s got sick of. But I didn't grow up around that time so I don't care how generic this may or may not sound, I just think the music here sounds pretty damn good.

How did he manage to make "(He's Got) The Whole World In His Hands" bad?? Honestly thought this was probably going to be a 2 for the first half but then it just kept going and getting more painful. "Your Own Backyard" entertained me for a bit at least. Spotify combined two of his albums but I only listened to the songs listed on the Wikipedia track listing. Not my style musically. Boring instrumentals and uninspired vocals. No thanks.

Made me want to blow my brains out

By 1975, Dion had already lived several musical lives — teen idol doo-wop king, folk-rock storyteller — and Born to Be With You was meant to mark his rebirth as a bruised, introspective baroque rocker. It also coincided with him clawing his way out of heroin addiction and a profound crisis of faith. His unlikely collaborator? Phil Spector, whose once-revolutionary Wall of Sound — built on layered overdubs, cavernous echo, and orchestral sweep — had begun to feel like a relic of a more innocent pop era. What followed was a toxic clash of egos and dysfunction, with Spector’s obsessive 100-take perfectionism and gun-wielding paranoia colliding with Dion’s fragile recovery and growing discomfort with the suffocating arrangements. The album bleeds that tension — strings, choirs, and reverb smother Dion’s voice until it sounds like he’s singing from inside a cathedral slowly filling with water. Dion’s vocals are gritty and weathered, often more resigned than defiant. Rather than commanding the songs, he drifts within them, allowing his voice to dissolve into the production’s shimmering fog. His phrasing is subtle, almost conversational, which makes moments of emotional clarity — like his confessional delivery on "Only You Know" — feel like someone finally surfacing for air. Musically, it’s a fascinating collision of Spector’s maximalist tendencies and Dion’s understated storytelling instincts. Tracks like the title song and "New York City Song" feel sprawling and over-orchestrated, yet there’s a ghostly beauty to their excess — a baroque rock requiem for two men’s lost primes. By contrast, "Good Lovin’ Man" offers a brief flicker of warmth, its groove looser, almost Stones-y, before the album sinks back into its somber grandeur. In the broader 70s rock landscape — defined by singer-songwriters pursuing raw honesty and bands embracing stripped-down rock or prog complexity — Born to Be With You felt out of step with its time, too emotionally direct for the era’s cynicism, yet too sonically bloated for the emerging back-to-basics aesthetic. Unsurprisingly, it flopped hard, with both Dion and Spector retreating from the wreckage — Dion toward the blues, Spector into self-imposed exile. And yet, decades later, the album’s haunted beauty has found a passionate cult following. Its emotional nakedness, its sense of two icons fighting the tide of their own irrelevance, and its sheer audacity. Sometimes, the best albums aren’t just about the music — they’re about the story. And this story is unforgettable.

Was looking forward to a bit of traditional Rock'n'Roll here to break monotony of 2's we've had recently. Unfortunately didn't get it. What we did get was someone trying to re-launch their career unsuccessfully. It has broken the run of 2's though. 1

Ssssh. Don’t tell anyone, but I quite liked this. Highlight was ‘New York City Song’. I’ll only give it a 2 stars as don’t want to draw too much attention to myself.

I quite liked this, which surprised me. The first few songs really grabbed me, but it did seem to drag on towards the end. The arrangements were good, but I do wonder if Phil Spector's involvement helped make this album what it is.

Sometimes I have nothing more to say that this just really isn't my cup of tea and that I just can't hear or understand the quality in this record.

Kinda good, but not in the mood today :/

Honestly wasn't bad, there's just better stuff for my tastes out there

Why oh why do I need to listen to this before I die.

At first I thought this sounded like Counting Crows or Billy Joel, then it veered into John Lennon territory. I like older Dion better, though. 2/5

Surprisingly very enjoyable. Could imagine myself driving down an interstate somewhere in the US listening to this. 6/10

Good folk/pop.

Never heard of this jabroni before today. Now I know why. He’s like Father John Misty without the edge or cynicism, which is a no from me dawg. This album is like a collection of all the songs George Harrison didn't pick for "All Things Must Pass", which makes sense since the homicidal Phil Spector produced both. The one highlight for me was that I swear SNL based their “goodnights and goodbyes” song on the title track…

i guess? hmm was a little bored by it not sure why? but it was like fine / good?

Meh. BTW, the album linked on Spotify was too long because the rerelease combined Born to Be With you with another album, Streetheart.

Elton John, de-spangled and unblinking—for the first half of the album, anyway. Initially quite taken with how Dion was leaving it all out on the field with that earnest, ‘60s belting and soaring brass, never mind the year 1976. But the album kept going ... and going ... and ultimately became easy listening, in the indistinctive sense.

I liked this more than I thought and appreciated the evolution from 50s/60os bops to more groove and yacht-rock vibes. I'd give it a 2.5, but lowering down to 2 because I didn't find it that memorable.

Is Dion a good singer? I’m still puzzling over this. Could really have done without the Phil Spector bloat in the background.

I heard it, I enjoyed it generally enough as background music. Nothing particularly interesting or moving.

really grew on me as it went on. tbh it sounds like mr dion is really phoning it in most of the time but you know what - i kinda respect that. deducting a point for being absolutely too fucking long.

Not to be confused with Celine Dion. There is no stiffness in this guys suavity. Every song is a pseudo romantic song or a heartbreak song. My generations version of what I classify 'Dad Rock.' It's almost like Yacht Rock with out the specifics.

No my jam.

Nothing remarkable, in fact quite unremarkable.

That one effect they use throughout the album with the double echo feels like they are trying their best to make it sound interesting.

Not for me. Won't be revisiting. 1/5

Uninspired and boring

Not a fan

Lots of americana vibes. I like it. Very smooth and easy. Nice.

Streaming services will combine this with the additional Dion album "Streetheart", but the actual tracklist for "Born To Be With You" is only 8 tracks, ending with "Good Lovin' Man" - this is an artifact from a CD reissue that combined both albums. Anyway, this was fine.

I get it

It started off okay with the a good selection of bluesy rock and then the album descended into something like a cross between an elton john and an Cliff Richard album. It got a bit boring. 3.5 stars

Interesting and better than I thought it would be

This is not me. It's my mom. And nothing against her musical taste but I've had quite enough soft rock/easy listening/ whatever it is is not for me. These songs could all be the 2nd song played over the credits of a film that was a solid 3/10. No thank you. Glad it's out there but it didn't land in this camp

Pretty solid album through and through, I would recommend it to people and listen to it again

Very uninteresting

Better than expected

Cheeks 1.5

Well this is a departure from runaround Sue. But really enjoyable, actually. Easy listening for sure, but he’s got a nice voice. Not something I’d put on to listen to often, but an easy 3 and a contender for a low 4.

Not my scene

People will shit on this mainly because of the Phil Specter aspect, but it's really not a bad album tbh. Also, check out the tracklist for the OG album and remove the unneeded tracks that were from a completely different record. 3.5/5

This was far, far better than I was expecting

Not sure why this is on the list. It’s of a time, and that time is not now.

Absolutely not.

Just not into it - like his earlier stuff though

Now this is some really easy-listening music. Was it great? Not really, but I can think of worse ways to spend 35 minutes. Mid-3.

As others noted with Apple Music and Spotify, Amazon also has this paired with Streetheart. Just the first 8 tracks are this album, don’t force yourself to listen to the rest. None of it is very good. It feels like Dion trying to do a cross between Van Morrison and Gordon Lightfoot and failing at all of it. Part of it is the heavy Phil Spector production but it is mostly just bland feeling. It’s yet another album that no one needs to hear before they die. I would think of any list of things that you need to do before you die would include impactful things. Things that would cause you to grow as a person or things that would brighten your day and stick with you or things that would make you think deeply and possibly see the world in a different light. This album and many, many others on this list fail to do any of this. There is no cultural significance to this album, it’s not a missing piece in the collective history of popular music and it’s not a lost gem full of bangers that should have been a hit. Dion is right to disown it. 2/5 because a lot of the blame goes to Phil Spector

I am not able to understand why this album is on the list. It has nothing interesting. It has nothing new. It is not a first album of some kind of subgenre. It is simply one of several albums which a few people like. Well, Dion is not an unknown musician. But his peak was in the 60s. "Runaround Sue" was a big album at the time. Although I am not fond of the music I would perfectly understand why it is on this list. But "Born To Be With You"? What? No? It's simply not possible.

I was basically in a trance all day thinking about how much I’m in love and Dion just affirming to me through one long ballad showing all the different perspectives why. It’s beautiful. I get Sinatra, carol king, prince, and John Lennon somehow all wrapped in Dion’s own voice. I’m glad I was shown this album.

Definitely too long but didn’t mind the sound much

Did not like.

Tepid, empty songwriting with a decidedly Christian bent to it. Cheesy crooning that doesn't earn any kind of emotional response. Really only noteworthy because Phil Spector did the production, and he's not exactly at his best here anyway. Another bizarre pick for an essential albums list.

This is someone that has committed themselves to a path in life. I sense their faith in their calling as a musician.

There was nothing that really stood out about this record beyond hearing Phil Spector’s production all over it. There was nothing bad about it. It felt like music that was made to play in a grocery store

This album is on so many quaaludes and I mean that in the best possible way. Dion is the dude that gave us “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer” with a sort of Jersey edge to the 60s doo-wop sound. But here, he’s doing pop tunes at 3/4 speed with all the wall of sound reverb you need. It’s an absolutely bonkers combo that somehow works perfectly. To be fair, there’s some songs here that drag things back a bit, but from the opening thunder of drums in “Born to Be With You” to the desperation of “Make the Woman Love Me”; from Phil Spector’s batshit production on “(He’s Got) The Whole World In His Hands” to the gut punch of “New York City Story”, this one is a real hidden gem.

waiting for the day we land on phil spector christmas or all things must pass so i can give him his two deserved flowers. i dont even necessarily dislike his production style but it’s so thin on this record it gives me a headache. doesn’t help that there isn’t much substance in the majority of tracks; they’d be better suited for an obscure needle drop in a 70s set coming of age movie New York City song is nice though! i wish there were a couple more tracks like it

Actually pretty good. Born To Be With You (song) is a jam

We enjoyed the soulful country twang of this. Dion is not an artist we have encountered before but the music was enjoyable.

More blandness.

Its very MOR - I'm guessing my mom would be a big fan. Had to google him and was very surprised to see he was the singer of one of my favourite American 60's tunes : "Runaround Sue". Sadly this album does not get close to replicate the perfection of that tune. Feeling mean today so its a 2.

Born to be With You I really really liked this, but there’s no clear discernible, describable reason quite why though. It’s not necessarily musically groundbreaking or thrilling or melodically inventive, but there is a feel to the whole thing that I really liked, a kind of slightly quirky middle of the roadness that I found interesting and engaging. It definitely shares that feel with Spector’s early-mid 70s work, especially Lennon of course, and it is a sound I really like; slower tempos, lots of reverb and separation, but great overall. There is some really nice instrumentation throughout as well, and I like the slight country influences scattered around, particularly on something like New York Song, and there is also some very George-esque slide in places. I’ve also always liked his voice, my mum had a late 80s album of his and although it was a bit cheesy he sounds great on it, and despite being pushed back in the mix a little he sounds great on this too, I love his tone and the New York accent that slips through. He sounds particularly great on In and Out of the Shadows and Only You Know. I listened about 5 times on repeat and it got better each time, and it’s definitely going in rotation. Solid 4. 🐣🐣🐣🐣 Playlist submission: In and Out of the Shadows.

Classic country soul pop Spector sound. Knowingly schmaltzy ballads. Some throwaway or overly derivative, some lost classics (Only You Know). Very difficult to rate - but I'm going high three.

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would

The basic idea of Dion plus Spector sounds great and I really enjoyed this. Add to playlist: Make the Woman Love Me hmmm that title has not aged well.

The reviews on this are unnecessarily harsh. It wasn't the best album I have ever heard but it wasn't terrible.

I get it, they included this album because this was supposed to be is big comeback and they even had Phil Spector for the occasion. But nobody cared about this album, it wasn't good and Dion failed his comeback. So why should this album be here? Because the intentions behind it are more important than its actual content? Album sucks.

What the hell is this? One more album that really doesn't make any sense on this list...

The lyrics are pathetic, the music is boring and thousand light years away from any feeling. What the hell is this doing here?

Brother you are NOT Steve Jobs 😔✋️

A couple of really good songs on here. "Only You Know" is a repeat listen. Unfortunately it's on a double-length album full of half-finished songs that sound very much like each other. Pleasant but really forgettable.

This album displays some good musicianship, songwriting, and production. A few songs nearly convince me this is worthy of four stars. Unfortunately it's also bogged down by even more dull and/or cheesey songs that make the overall album pretty snooze worthy.

I don’t really get this one. I really tried to pay attention to all aspects, and nothing was clicking. His voice was rather aggravating and scratching my ears and the rest just kinda blah. I recognize that there’s some good aspects, but not impressive.

Is it me or was this a weird selection? Are we getting Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka later period next? Not even being judgy; just seems so out of place. I mean ... it's not *overtly* terrible, but it is nearly-overtly-cheesy... I feel like I just spent a half hour hearing this on AM radio while bouncing around the back seat of my parents' station wagon at age 5 on the way to my grandparents house which would potentially be a nice nostalgic mental trip, but ... as I'd never heard (of) any of these songs a little Yacht Rock trip of Ambrosia or Pablo Cruise or similar mid70s smooth pop would have been better. Actually why tf is Al Stewart not on this list?!? 4/10 2 stars

Very stylish to look at. Quite boring to listen to.

rájöttem, hogy két album van fent egyként spotify-on úgyhogy úgy nem olyan hosszú, eredetileg már untam tbh. jó kis dallamok, nagyon könnyű hallgatni, de semmi extra, nincs túl kiemelkedő dal se. ilyen '90s rom-com zene, háttérnek okés.

Kedvenc/Favourite: New York City Song Elég felejthető volt számomra, semmi kiemelkedő. Össze is folyt kicsit, a szöveg sem nyűgözött le. El lehet hallgatni, de van egy olyan érzésem, hogy ha ilyesmihez lenne kedvem, mást választanék. It was pretty forgettable for me, nothing outstanding. It seemed a bit monotone, the lyrics didn't impress me either. It can be listened to, but I have a feeling that if I were in the mood for something like this, I'd choose something else.

yawn.

Loved it, this album opens with the title track and does it so well. He then just continues to get more impressive. The range of his vocals are so so good. The production is of course amazing but it’s by he who shall not be named. The first two tracks makes me want to make a rom com, first song used for the shot of the woman crying in her car about the man. The second is the shot of the man walking sad on the streets of NYC, peak winter. (He’s got) takes me back to primary school, however he does it a whole lot cooler than we could. Only you know blew me away, it’s gorgeously romantic and such beautifully crafted lyrics. Good loving man is a tone switch I needed and I appreciate it a lot, great way to close this album.

J’ai été surpris par le style pop de cet album, m’attendant plus à du folk. Malheureusement, comme la majorité des albums double, la sauce s’épuise sur le deuxième disque, me laissant ramolli sur la note finale

Dion fue líder del grupo Doo-Woop con los Belmonts y luego un rokero en solitario. Todo ello en la época pre-British Invasion. I wonder why, A teenager i love o Runaround Sue son claros ejemplos de su éxito. Este es un disco especial, por razones evidentes: Spector. Apenas dos o tres canciones escritas por Dion, el resto son temas compuestos por el equipo habitual de Spector, con él mismo como autor de varias canciones que además produce 6 de los 8 temas del álbum. Apertura gloriosa con Born to Be with You de Don Robertson. Ese saxo resuena a Spector pero también a la E. Street. La percusión, el muro de sonido... estar como en casa. Gracias Phill, gracias Dion...

Great production Decent listen Can't complain 3 for the lads

Unexpectedly really good. Loved New York City Song.

Meh, nothing too amazing. Guy seems super talented and the lyrics seem smart, but not my jam

decent. Not sure how much I will listen again, overall easy listening.

This was pretty easy listening and I feel like it had hints of lots of different 70s sounds. Overall a pretty enjoyable record but I’ll likely never listen to it again. The lyrics and melody of Feliz Navidad can be sung pretty well to Queen of 1959 haha.

This was really fun. It’s a cool take on the blues, and really good song writing. I like the elements of jazz and r&b, with a dash of folk rock. Mostly, I just like all of the love songs. It reminds me Marvin Gaye, but less sexy. This was fun.

Dreary

Pretty bland Tbh

excellent

like slow-motion rain in a bittersweet romantic American movie scene with a busy street

I like the album, but I doubt I’ll return to it much. If you’re a fan of any of his other work, I bet you’ll enjoy this. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-born-to-be-with-you?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

This was not enjoyable. 1.5

There is far too much of this but I like Dion's musical journey

begging someone who knows anything about songwriting to tell my why it felt like i already knew all of these songs? unsure if i actually enjoyed this or if my pattern recognition brain was getting dopamine hits from being able to predict what came next. that being said, i WAS in the right mood for this. feels like someone synthesized a new album to directly fit into the era of radio i grew up on

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Also, I think it's possible for music to be so inoffensive it loops around to offending me a little. 2.5

****

Pretty chilled out decent music. Would need to listen again

A poor man's John Lennon is one's first reaction, but one likes the deliberate, unhurried and thoughtful pace here. It is sort of baroque, as one would expect from Spector, but the effect is quieter and more contemplative than the peak of Spector of previous decades. "NYC Song" is mellow and likable –  this is chamber soft rock at a pretty advanced stage of evolution. "More To You" sounds like the Love Boat theme song. However, after drifting into Streetheart, one believes it to be the better record, top to bottom, because it grooves and swings mellowly, in prime '70s fashion. Hard not to like in the classic easy listening sense.

A placid and schlocky collection of songs drowning in the horrible mush of Phil Spector’s 70s production style. This is more restrained on the Gerry Goffin-written Only You Know, the highlight of the record alongside the two non-Spector-produced songs where you can actually hear what’s going on in the mix. Otherwise it varies between dull and unlistenable, with the over-long opener going absolutely nowhere, and the god awful rendition of He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands plodding through 3 days of reverb

While listening to this, I honestly thought that I would rather be listening to Barry Manilow if I was forced to listen to a 70s romance crooner. That should say enough. On a production note, the decision to release this album Frankensteined together with another lacklustre Dion album - 1976’s Streetheart - just makes me loathe it all the more for a running time of 80 minutes.

a co-production between two artists from a bygone era which was promptly disowned by both of them, and for good reason. but oh, wait, the dude from Primal Scream said he liked it, so now it's a part of music history. Phil Spector's production fails on every level. these songs sound absolutely awful; there are basic errors in mixing that turn some of these tracks into non-starters, either because they're unintelligible or because they sound like lifeless, funereal dirges. at all times, there's too much going on. Dion's vocal performances range from tolerable to tuneless. hard pass. decent 3/10.

Alright, nothing to crow about.

My mother-in-law *loved* this guy. High point of her youth was seeing him in concert, apparently. If it was anything like this, I can't imagine why.

The album includes themes of love, personal struggle, and introspection, but it sounds a bit too much like Christian Pop Rock for me. It got to a point where I was praying for the album to end. Favorite Song: "Born To Be With You"

I wanted to like this, I wanted to give this a chance, but for the life of me I could not give a shit about any of it.

Not terrible but was a bit boring tbh

Soft flavourless cheese.

"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." Me too, Phil. Me too.

very nice i wanna listen to it more

Very soulful album. Good singing and coherent smooth vibe throughout. Good songs that I could see myself listen to if in the mood.

I thought the first 3 songs were pretty good, then it nosedived spectacularly.

The only reason this soft shit is on here is because the Primal Scream guy liked it. This is like a worse Barry Manilow. Except I get why people wanna fuck Barry Manilow. This makes me wanna die

5/5 loved, maybe the best so far. Go on Dion.

This wasnt that good. The best song was Born To Be With You. The worst was Good Lovin Man

There was enough here to intrigue me, but while listening no particular songs stood out and I can't say I remember much specific either. I do wonder, how famous and/or critically aclaimed it was at the time and does that warrant an inclusion on this list.

Gibt mir gar nix. Aber ist nicht kacke.

It's kinda nice, not my usual genre. Will I listen to again: 1%

Terrific Spector production. I thought the opening track was epic but it dip dip after that. Interesting though.

Born to Be with You

Dion, you son of a gun

I un-ironically love Make the Woman Love Me. On the surface it seems kind of corny, but I found myself grooving hard. (He's Got) The Whole World in His Hands is another standout here. The song itself isn't new, but the arrangement is fairly novel. Feels like the whole thing is sort of drunk due to the half-speed(?) drums with all sorts of artifacts on them. This had its moments, but ultimately falls into a space that I don't often feel like exploring. I feel like the production was really good and the songs themselves were also strong, but the only things I remember after listening are the two songs I mentioned above. 3 / 5.

Some great classic rock from a guy I have never heard on. Reminds me of Jackson Browne a bit.

Pretty much just straight up feel good music. I like getting albums like this that don't blow your socks off but are just a really nice 35 minute listen

I already hate this album cover. This is.... not good to me. Started out ok and may have had a couple moments, but then I'm really turned off by He Got The Whole World In His Hands. What the hell kinda production is on that. Sounds like some shite. Part of this kinda sounds like what Spector did with the Beatles Let It Be. Adding unnecessary string arrangements. This just isn't for me.

Forget what's written on the album cover - this album is a typical Spector wall-of-sound record, which for many artists meant involved included giving up their identity and giving complete control to an out-of-control producer with illusions of grandeur. All these albums sound exactly the same. It's a boring affair. 2/5

Is this one of the worst things I've ever listened too?....well yes actually it is. I am listening to this while in a waiting room in essex to check if I have broken my foot, and honestly I wasn't sure the experience could be much worse I thought I'd put this on too "pass the time". Reader, this was a mistake

Enjoyed this album very much.

This album surprised me in that it did not sound like 20 songs all by the same artist at the same point in their career. It sounded like a few different artists, or a “best of” album. Each song sounded fresh, for an easy listening experience, despite being 78 minutes long. This album also sounds very timeless and well produced. If you asked me to guess the year this came out, I don’t think I could.

I saw another comment on here that says it sounds like a discount version of Elton John. Agree. It's not bad; it's just not Elton John's quality.

A very nice listen. Had hints of maybe James Taylor mixed with John Lennon? A calm, but moving listen.

Pretty forgettable album.

It's weird how long musicians wanted to work with Phil Spector.

What a strange selection for this collection. I've never heard of Dion, and am staggered to find out this was his 14th solo studio album, but having listened to it I'm not particularly surprised that it didn't make much of an impression when it was released. And very sad to find out (from Wikipedia) that Dion himself disowned the album due to Phil Spector's mangled production--Dion's description of the album as sounding like "funeral music" is spot on. (It also makes me wonder why any album that's been dismissed by its own artist was included in the project...) I *did* enjoy the bleak-but-hopeful "Your own back yard" and the simply-bleak "New York City song", perhaps because they were the two non-Spector-produced songs on the album. If nothing else, it's quite a contrast to his "Runaround Sue" jukebox days; in that sense it's a bit reminiscent to Dennis Wilson's solo album, albeit in a sort of reverse sense in terms of sobriety. The album also sounds like it should be played at a higher rpm or something, as if we're hearing it in slow-motion (or underwater). At least it's a pretty brief, unremarkable album. (2)

WTF. Was this recorded at the right speed? It's like a dirge to doo-wop. This is Dion of Dion and the Belmonts, right? The guy in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

I started at 4-stars, went to 3-stars, then wished there was a 3.5-star option. Since I’ve been taught to round up, I will.

I didn’t get more than 4 sounds in but can tell this is not the album for me. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: none

Why? There’s nothing wrong with this album, but what did it do to warrant inclusion? This is the definition of just okay.

Not my jam...a little too boring. 1.5/5

love dion back when he was with the Belmonts

I remember when DION was just Dion. Anyway, when I was searching for this album on YouTube music, Celine Dion came up in the search results. Perhaps I would have enjoyed that more. Imagine if John Denver and James Taylor had sex on heroin and wrote some songs, and Clarence Carter wrote the B side to the third single, then Billy Joel used that as inspiration for a concept album. MeDIONcre, is that a word? It is now. This album was full of meDIONcre songs. I'd rather listen to this than Kid Rock or Morrissey, so that's good, right? Two stars.

Make the Woman Love Me // Your Own Back Yard // Only You Know // In and Out of the Shadows //

OK

Hmm, I love this.

Didn’t I Only Nut Man, I just wasnt feelin this one 2/10

I didn’t know about this artist, and my life has changed absolute zero.

Was worse than I thought it would be. Disappointing and boring, the pinnacle was the cover of. He’s got this whole world in his hands. 2/5.

Cannot figure out why this album is on the list. It is really poor

Funsies

Man, heroin is no joke. This album could either require more time to sink in or It's just fairly bland. It has a really interesting vibe and nice touches in places, but it feels like it's trying way too hard to score a hit and much of it falls flat. It also feels all over the place. Still, I'm inclined to listen to this more thinking I could be missing something.

Not too bad for mid-70's fare.

An hour of the same song

Awesome sentimental bops

This was....fine.

Does anyone really remember this kind of music fondly? It’s not bad per se, but there’s nothing special about it (no, not even the Wall of Sound).

It's difficult to find this on the various streaming services I have access to, but somebody has strung together a YouTube playlist of this fairly middle of the road rock and roll. I think I recognise quite a bit from samples, but I reckon this is probably going to be a Phil Spector thing rather than anything good.

Liked it

One of the most amazing voices in music.

This was really not my thing, didn’t grt through the album

Ok

Wow. I did not expect this album to sound like this at all. It’s plaintive and melancholy and just lovely. I was a little put off by that one song where he brags about not doing drugs like other people, but that’s me.

Never in my life would I put something like this on voluntarily. This album was just so bland and unappealing.

Kevin will be relating to New York City song soon enough

bit of an unusual album. Very melancholic for the most part until the last song. Not sure I'll revisit.

Phil Spector is incredible

2791 - Is this a joke? I like these genres, but this guy has terrible vocals. This is like a Soulless Otis Redding. If this came out today, people would ask what headset microphone he used. This has such a high budget, yet Marvin Gaye's bathroom trips probably have a better production value than this.

Shallow wearing terrible vocals awful production boring instrumentation 3.8

Incredible! I found Josh Tillman‘s father 😍

Pivotal album in his career. Great addition to the list

Folksy with some Van Morrison vibes. Timeless in a way.

This sounds like if Prince was white and played music in a church. And then it did the boring 60s folk thing.

Was this included in the list because Phil Spector produced it? Production to be fair is nice in parts, sounds crap in others, it's just bloody dull. Ballad after ballad of boring music. I'd rather not.

I don't like the direction Dion took with this album musically, I preferred his older Do Wap stuff. The Wanderers and Run Around Sue are songs that I immediately associate with Dion, not this boring drivel I have just listened to.

Not for me 1/5

Annoying vocals, utterly predictable lyrics, basic guitars, and cheesy sounding "new age" drumming accented with inexplicable honking that might be saxophone.

What a blast from the past! Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this music of my childhood.

Didn’t like any of these songs. But it’s not terrible.

Álbum introspectivo de Dion producido por Phil Spector, Born to Be You es una amplia colección de caciones pop entonadas desde la madurez de quine sabe que el camino empieza a tener más detrás que delante. De lo mejor del álbum es la canción que le da título y también la inspiradora y oscura "Your Own Backyard", que ya había sido grabada seis años antes por Dion con Spector. Pero para mí el mejor tema del álbum es el que quizás aporte algo de luminosidad sonora, "Only You Know".

This is a nice album. There's nothing wrong with it. The problem I have is that it isn't the pinnacle of its type, nor does it push boundaries or explore new territory. I'm left wondering why it's on this list. It's just a nice album.

It was just alright for me, The co-packaged Streetheart was the better album, I think.

No idea why this album is on this list.

How this is one of the 1001 albums is baffling.

This album was so boring and bland. While looking up the artist I saw that one of his albums was “runaround sue”. I can’t remember coming across it on this list, but that album is so so much better than this turd.

Somebody mixed up the list of albums you must hear before you die with the list of records they found at a garage sale that nobody bought.

Most of these songs could pass as 80’s TV intros but I don’t care, it’s fire.

Het begin is veelbelovend, door de typerende warme 'wall of sound' waar Phil Spector bekend om staat. Maar helaas doet ene Dion er geen zak aan om de kwaliteit ook maar een beetje hoog te houden. Wat een inspiratieloos gezever, wat niet zou misstaan voor een 'zangertje in een voetbalkantine'. En by the way, het wordt ook al snel duidelijk dat de betere jaren van Spector achter zich liggen, en dat de viespeuk rond deze tijd wel andere dingen aan z'n hoofd had. Please gun ons weer eens een banger, het is hoog tijd. 3,5/10

Niet slecht, wel saai. Afgehaakt bij Hey My Love, dat echt precies begon als een Nick en Simon nummer. 4,5/10

No.

The style isn't really unique or innovative, but it was well executed and easy to listen to

i like dion’s 60s stuff that he’s known for so i was curious about this, it was better than i was expecting. still not really my thing but hard to be too mad at yacht rock

Not my speed whatsoever lol

It's ok.

I actually kinda enjoyed that album, but I’m not rushing back to play it again anytime soon 60/100 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Prog rock, mellow Gotta be in the right mood for this one Whole album is good

what a boring cunt

A handful of tunes, an awful lot of crap

It's so close to a 1 it's scary, but the music isn't too offensive or dull to warrant it. It is rather dull though, more than enough for a 2. I have no idea what was supposed to be essential about these 8 easy listening pop throwaways.

The first song I want played in the series finale of my LIFE. most of the music sounds ok. 7/10

Music for cults. 1/5

Not bad! I’m not sure how to describe this one. Doesn’t seem to fit cleanly into any genre. Not something I’d return to but it was OK! FYI if anyone is reading this before listening: the original album is only 35 minutes long! I think the link took me to some super long edition but the original track listing only has 8 songs.

Feels like it's never ending

First half of album this man is in pain. 2nd half is a bop. Surprised that this is the guy who sang wanderer. Album was a bit too long but it's good 7/10

today is the first day of the rest of your days so listen to some better music

Twang from the first notes.

This was pretty interesting. I enjoyed it like I would looking at a painting/

Almost 2, but it's Dion.

I was a little disappointed to get this album at first because of the length and the fact that the songs that I really liked from him weren't on the album, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. There were a few songs that sounded familiar, as well. His voice and the music were very pleasant to listen to.

Jeg hørte det meste.. Det var aaaalt for langt! Men til albummets forsvar, så hørte jeg Born to be with you /streetheart.... Så et dobbelt album..

Hold nu op det var kedeligt 😬 Når jubel-gospel kan laves så kedeligt som her, så kan det ikke blive meget være

A bit of an AM radio snooze fest really. Luckily it's only short. Fave? New York City Song?

Don't think I've ever heard of this guy, or knowingly heard any of his tunes - I dunno, maybe I've heard some of his doo-wop stuff? (Which, now that I think about it - there should really be some straight up doo-wop on this list, right? Kinda crazy that whole genre gets stiffed by Dimery, though not, I suppose, surprising. 😒) Anyway, this is fine, I guess - didn't really grab me but didn't rub me the wrong way either. Won't object to it reappearing but unlikely to seek it out again. Fave track - uh, "Your Own Back Yard" maybe, for the storytellin'.

Very 70s. Reminds me a lot of early solo George Harrison, but it's not working for me as much. I think I don't really connect with his voice/melodies, which is entirely a personal preference thing. Oh and I'm getting a lot of Lennon on 'Baby Let's Stick Together'. This sounds kind of like 70's Beatles imitation. Except there's no Admiral Halsey. I feel like I've heard this sound before. He's not bad by any means. He's just not providing me with anything that stands out. And the songs are really long. It's funny, on Spotify they paired this album into one with 'Streetheart', which apparently people don't like as much. But I much preferred the songs off of the 'Streetheart' portion. I noticed he didn't write a lot of the material here. It just feels to me like an album that exists. It made basically no impact on me. But his other stuff sounds like an improvement of this. And even the Phil Spector production doesn't do it for me.

ATTENTION APPLE MUSIC USERS: Apple Music has this record paired with Dion’s 1976 follow up, “Streetheart”. You only need to listen to the first 8 tracks. You’re welcome.

Even worse than his daughter Celine

Meh. These were OK: - Your own back yard - Born to be with you / streetheart - Good lovin' man 2 definitely for me on this album, was really pretty boring

Dion has a great voice. Not thrilled with the production here. Way over done. I think these songs would be better stripped down to a rock-n-roll combo. None of the songs are faster than mid-tempo, so with the production it feels a bit like a slog. 3 stars.

Just not for me. Hits a lot of generic 70s vibes and the covers do not stand out.

Good songs shite album cover, looks like snape

A mid-career album from the wanderer. Not much to get excited about but harmless in the end.

No hook, line or sinker. Completely forgettable.

I miss the Doo Wop

Decent I guess? Had some good vibes, but nothing I will return to most likely. Only listened half-attentative when working, but it didn't cut through the noise.

It was ok, but I listened to it and 2 days later I couldn't remember anything about it. Going to give it a strong 2 based on that.

I mean, I think I’d just rather listen to The Beach Boys. Not bad tho 6/10

Pretty forgettable and one wonders why this album which was irrelevant when it came out made it to this list.

This was a boring, slow and drawn out, warbled listen. It also has a smeared and muddy mix.

Del miércoles pegamos un salto al viernes con Dion, artista que desconozco por completo. La siento como música para poner de fondo, como parte del listado de canciones de radios más dedicadas a un público adulto (en Argentina, Aspen a nivel nacional y Líder, en San Juan) o hasta para viajar una mañana por la ruta. Me recuerda a artistas como Elton John, con toques más countrys y más tranca, sin duda. Hasta el lunes.

There's a quiet, melancholic warmth to this album. It feels like a hazy walk home on a cloudy evening. The production is spacious, almost ghostly. There's a Neil Diamond vibe in the reflective lyrics and vocals, with a bit more vulnerability. The songs are soft and slow, yet they carry a weight that lingers. It’s intimate and a little sad, but comforting too.

I think I was mostly disappointed because I was expecting something more similar to his 60s hits, but this wasn't bad. Not really something I'd seek out but it was pleasant enough even if a little too cheesy at times. Nothing remarkable though.

Too long and produced by a literal murderer so any good parts of this album are negated

I’m not sure who this album was for. It’s not for me! I can’t believe that this was his 12th album… are they all this mid?

I wish I loved this album more, because I love Dion, but it verges on sucking at points and then goes to gloriousness the next song. Dion is vocally great but lyrically hit or miss. Hard to rate for me, but I think 3 would be appropriate. As someone with tinnitus I enjoy the wall of sound. Blocks out the ringing

truly ahead of its time: it sounds like overly earnest cheese from the 80s, but it’s overly earnest cheese from the 70s!

Doesn't really do anything of note

I’ve had some pretty rough patches in my many weeks of doing this. I would definitely group this week in with those. It’s not that any of the records have been objectively horrible. But I’ve found them to all to be very average, and bordering on something I don’t enjoy. Like, they each had only a handful of songs I actually saw as highlights. And just based on the cover and artist, I assumed that I would be continuing the streak. It’s an unfortunate aspect of the way I perceive artists. And I wasn’t seeing people saying any glowingly positive things. So I was ready for a stinker. But when the sax kicked in on the first song, I realized that I might have been wrong. And as each song went by, I started to get confused. Sometimes I really struggle to understand where the hate comes from on some of these albums. I’ve heard some amazing records that I find are receiving far too many negative comments and reviews. But isn’t that really just the beauty of music? It’s subjective for a reason. I initially thought this was gonna be a super flashy and over the top case of mid-70s pop music. The kind that was basically previewing what pop would become in the 80s. But it’s actually far more adjacent with art pop, soul, and gospel. Which is honestly one of the most underrated genre combos. And I think Dion did a really great job at putting these ideas at the forefront here. It also utilizes this “Wall of Sound” idea that I was not familiar with until today. It’s something that was created by the producer Phil Spector, who I guess happens to be a convicted murderer, where many instruments are layered on top of each other and are all playing at the same time. I wondered why a member of Primal Scream credited this as an inspiration, but now I see that it’s potentially one of the earliest examples of neo-psychedelia and shoegaze. So I think it should get some bonus points for that. This is a pretty average record, and I’m not blown away by it. But in comparison to the rest of what I’ve been listening to, it’s pretty solid. Rating: 6/10

An interesting blend of influences. I heard some country, pop, love ballad, classic rock, and some blues. Didn’t know what to expect but it was enjoyable especially the last track Streetheart

Too long. 2.5

I had briefly skipped into this, earlier today, and then, away from the computer, already outlined a 1 or 2 star review in my head, scathing!, but now that I am back and listening again, scratch that. This is the guy from "The Wanderer"? Huh. Not an album that strikes me as being important, more of a bit toothless bland of music I've heard elsewhere, but some good songs on here. Mellow. It's quite nice actually. [...] Part III in the review timeline: that sensation has now worn off. 2 songs remain. In terms of Did I need to hear this, it's back to a 2.

I was like- why does Dion sound like this? And then song three- about being sober. Lol. Good for him, bad for music?

The cover feels like Dion is staring right into my soul while I unfortunately have to tell him I didn't like the album

Mellow singer-songwriter

A little classic old school

Better than I expected. It wavers towards the end, but not bad.

It got me wondering, can "the Woman" really be your "baby" if she does not (yet, perhaps) love you? Beyond that, there's not much here for me except for the reverb. Never been a fan of Phil Spector's sound. Dion was right when he said the production makes the album sound like funeral music. But the songs aren't much either. Though I do like Mott the Hoople's version of Your Own Backyard.

Meh. This seems to be one of the albums that you're supposed like because it's trendy. Perhaps it would have better if Phil Spector left it on the shelf?

"Born to Be With You" is the 14th solo studio album by Ameican singer-songwriter Dion (DiMucci). Yes, that Dion. The album tracks were recorded in 1970 and 1974, with six of the eight songs produced by Phil Spector. A host of musicians were used. The album was initially met with indifference in the musical community and Spector shelved it for 12 months. In the 1990's, it started to receive wide-spread critical acclaim with several artists, including Pete Townsend and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream citing its influence. Dion didn't like the album's sound, saying it sounded like a funeral dirge. The album opens with a cover of Don Robertson's "Born to Be With You." It stars out kind of country sounding with acoustic and slide guitars. Horns come in. A nice layered sound. Dion's voice is strong and spiritual. Good song. The narrator bears his soul in "Your Own Backyard." Acoustic guitar, bass and drums. A story of a man who lost everything to drugs and gets clean. This song would not be out of place on a 70's Stones' album. "Only You Know" starts slowly with an acoustic, prominent bass, drums and a tambourine. Horns and strings are added accentuating the melody. It's a love song; he needs to be with her. A beautiful sounding song. Spector brings his wall of sound on the closer "Good Lovin" Man." Horns, piano and female backing vocals. The tone is lightened up a bit. This would not be out of place in the late 50's and 60's. This is a really good album. It's soulful and spiritual. Dion vocal's are strong, spiritual and emotional at times. The music styles include ballads, folk, country and 50's to 70's pop. There's excellent musicianship with the guitars, drums, bass, strings and horns. Spector's arrangements and layering are top notch. The songs are either about relationships or down and out stories. A fun album that everyone should enjoy parts of if not all.

Not quite my speed. Not terrible but yeah. 2.5/5

2.4 This album features decent singing and song writing. But there is no great hit song that is very rememberable. Decent easy listening but this album should be nowhere near an all time list.

I think any decent artist should reflect on why they are presenting their art to the public and think "what am I adding to the medium"? Because of Dion or Phil Spector did they would have not released this boring overproduced shite on the world. Awful 1*

There is nothing wrong with this album per se. There is everything wrong in citing it in a list of the 1000 albums to listen to before I die because it almost killed me with boredom.

Like listening to grandpa's radio on a Friday night.