"Calling You"
French vinyl single
Single by Jevetta Steele
from the album Bagdad Cafe soundtrack
B-side
  • "Calling You" (Bob Telson) (Europe)
  • "Brenda, Brenda" (France)
  • "Zweifach" (Deininger Blasmusik) (UK)
Released1988 (1988)
Recorded1987
Length5:20
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)Bob Telson
Producer(s)Bob Telson
Jevetta Steele singles chronology
"Calling You"
(1988) 		"I Say a Little Prayer"
(1992)

"Calling You" is a song from the 1987 film, Bagdad Cafe. It was originally recorded by American R&B and gospel music singer Jevetta Steele. Bob Telson, the songwriter, also recorded his version. Both versions appeared on the movie soundtrack. The song was critically acclaimed and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 61st Academy Awards.

Jevetta Steele version

Critical reception

Film critic Julie Salamon from Wall Street Journal wrote, "The mood, dreamy and yearning, takes hold at the outset, as the terrific gospel singer Jevetta Steele sings Bob Telson's "Calling You". This theme song is hypnotic; days later you'll find it turning itself on in your head."[1] Upon the 1993 re-release, Larry Flick from Billboard stated that "this overlooked nugget from the soundtrack to Bagdad Cafe is poised for long overdue success, thanks to its exposure in an AT&T television commercial. Steele's haunting, beautiful vocal rests comfortably atop a spare keyboard and harmonica arrangement. Don't let this one slip by a second time".[2] Jerry Smith from Music Week declared it as a "startlingly simple, but highly effective ballad", made distinctive by Steele's "hauntingly soulful vocals. Could well be an offbeat hit if given the deserved exposure."[3] A reviewer from NME said, "Jevetta has a beautiful voice that haunts the heart with a moving and yet feminine piano accompaniment."[4] Jim Delmont from Omaha World-Herald viewed it as "a strangely fascinating theme song".[5] Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel wrote, "Levi Seacer's production is syrupy, but Steele sings the eerily simple melody with extraordinary strength and elegance."[6] Joe Brown from The Washington Post complimented it as "haunting", sung by the "incomparable" Steele. He added, "Okay, you can compare her to Whitney Houston - but Steele wins".[7]

Formats and track listing

Single (Europe)
No.TitleLength
1."Calling You (Jevetta Steele)"5:20
2."Calling You (Bob Telson)"5:18
Single (France)
No.TitleLength
1."Calling You (Jevetta Steele)"5:21
2."Brenda, Brenda (Jearlyn Steele-Battle, Tommy Joe White, Marianne Sägebrecht)"6:22
Single (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Calling You (Jevetta Steele)"3:36
2."Zweifach (Deininger Blasmusik)"2:31
Maxi single (Europe)
No.TitleLength
1."Calling You (Jevetta Steele)"3:36
2."Zweifach (Deininger Blasmusik)"2:31
3."Calling You (Bob Telson)"5:18

Charts

Chart (1988) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[8] 8
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 9

Celine Dion version

"Calling You"
Single by Celine Dion
from the album À l'Olympia
Released19 December 1994 (1994-12-19)
Recorded
GenrePop
Length4:04
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bob Telson
Producer(s)Claude Lemay
Celine Dion singles chronology
"Only One Road"
(1994) 		"Calling You"
(1994) 		"Pour que tu m'aimes encore"
(1995)
Audio video
"Calling You" on YouTube

Celine Dion covered "Calling You" many times during her live performances between 1990 and 1996. The 1994 performance recorded in Olympia, Paris was included on À l'Olympia live album and released as the first and only single in December 1994.

Background and release

Dion performed "Calling You" during her concert tours in the first half of the 1990s: Unison Tour, Celine Dion in Concert, The Colour of My Love Tour and D'eux Tour. She also sang it live on few television shows over the years.

The 1991 performance in the Winter Garden Theatre was released on the Unison home video, the 1994 performance in the Olympia, Paris was featured on À l'Olympia live album and the 1995 performance in Zénith de Paris was included on the Live à Paris DVD. "Calling You" taken from À l'Olympia was also featured as B-side on Dion's 1995 singles, "Only One Road" and "Pour que tu m'aimes encore".

The "Calling You" single was released in France on 19 December 1994. It peaked on the French Top 100 Singles Chart in the last week of 1994, reaching number seventy-five. "Calling You" left the chart after five weeks. Jose F. Promis from AllMusic called Dion's version of "Calling You" unique and praised her voice calling it a "technical marvel".

In 2006, Dion's version of "Calling You" was the musical accompaniment to an Emmy Award-winning routine by choreographer Mia Michaels for the dance competition reality show So You Think You Can Dance.

It was intended to be on the Celine Dion album in 1992, but was replaced with "With This Tear" written by Prince.[10]

Formats and track listing

French CD, 7-inch and 12-inch single[11][12][13]
No.TitleLength
1."Calling You (live)"4:04
2."Le fils de Superman (live)"4:28

Charts

Chart (1994) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[14] 75

Release history

Region Date Format
France[15] 19 December 1994
  • CD
  • 12"
  • 7"

References

  1. ^ Salamon, Julie (28 April 1988). "On Film: Magic in the Mojave; Irish Comedy". Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ Flick, Larry (9 January 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 72. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  3. ^ Smith, Jerry (29 April 1989). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 27. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  4. ^ Mixmaster Morris (2 June 1990). "Groove Check". NME. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  5. ^ Delmont, Jim (1 October 1988). "At the Movies 'Bagdad Cafe' Provides Plenty of Fun to Digest". Omaha World-Herald.
  6. ^ Gettelman, Parry (24 September 1993). "Jevetta Steele". Orlando Sentinel.
  7. ^ Brown, Joe (30 September 1988). "Don't Wait For the Movie". The Washington Post.
  8. ^ "Jevetta Steele – Calling You" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Jevetta Steele – Calling You". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  10. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Celine Dion "With This Tear", 1992". YouTube.
  11. ^ Calling You (French CD single liner notes). Celine Dion. Columbia Records. 1994. 661033 1.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Calling You (French 7-inch single liner notes). Celine Dion. Columbia Records. 1994. 661033 7.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Calling You (French 12-inch single liner notes). Celine Dion. Columbia Records. 1994. 661033 6.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ "Celine Dion – Calling You" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
  15. ^ "Celine Dion – Calling You". Discogs. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
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