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"Céline" won Eurovision... with a song in English
An article by Dominique Dufaut
Although Céline Dion did not take part in the project and didn't give her consent (as stated on the booklet), the TV movie is based on the story of her life. The Eurovision part is certainly the most interesting one... for eurofans at least. One particular scene shows "René Angélil" trying to reach American producer and songwriter David Foster by phone, then asking his assistant to reach "the Eurovision director" !!!
Here is the dialogue between "Céline and René" during this special scene:
Céline : Eurovision ?
René : Even Foster can't ignore you once you win the mother of all contests
Céline : Didn't Abba win Eurovision a few years ago ?
René : It made them, the same way it will make you
Céline : But it's not popular here in Québec
René : Maybe no one watches it here, but everyone understands what 600 millions viewers means
Céline : 600 millions viewers ?
René : Mmm
Céline : And what happens if I don't win ?
René : I don't see how you can lose !
Then, the couple stands in their hotel room in Dublin, "Céline" wearing a similar outfit to the one made for real back in 1988 and next scene shows her performing on stage, with a big "Eurovision" neon light in her back. Her song seems to be entitled Don't leave me now... but this is not even an English version of Ne partez pas sans moi!
Nothing is mentioned on the suspense of the voting that year and the next scene sees "Céline", with the trophy in her hands, climbing the stairs together with "René" and, as the two of them are about to enter his/her own room, they kiss. As reported in the "official biography" of Céline Dion (published in 1998), this 1988 April 30 night seems to have been very important in the performer's life... not only on an artistic point of view.
No need to tell you the rest of the story. The film is pleasant to watch. Many among Céline's big fans won't find some parts credible though. The fact that, even as a child, Céline sang in English is a bit awkward, as we all know the girl (and the teenager) was not fluent in English until Eurovision.
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i am a fan Celine Dion myself but the Titanic song get me everytime i hear it
I like "Ne partez pas sans moi" because it makes me nostalgic and reminds me of "good old Eurosong". This song was composed according to the "typical ESC formula" of that time and, in my opinion, that was done professionally. Anyway, I must admit that 1988 is one of my favourite ESC years and Celine Dion was only one of my favourites.
i think croire from Laura Fabian this year was far better than an awkard, strange looing Celine on stage..i do nt agree that this victory was well deserved. Anyway the song was nowhere a hit, noone ever listened to it again after this night, i suppose, and it did not relly boost Celine's future career in any way. and the lyrics of the song are pretty awfull
"Ne partez pas sans moi" is an excellent song and Celine Dion's victory was well deserved 
Which cannot be said for many, many other ESC winning songs 
if you go to you tube.com and give for search the words Switzerland 1988 eurovision you will get some interesting clips regarding this story: 1) there is a clip of the final preselection of Switzerland in 1988 with a small part of the voting too and Celine performing this boring song not so great as we heard it in the ESC 2) you can watch the dramatic 10 last minutes of the voting, a clio with the title "the thriller of Eurovision 1988" and watch how her victory was anything but easy..by the way this year there was an excellent ballad from Luxemburg, ithink, it was Laura Fabian and "Croire", an excellent ESC ballad for my taste..this should have been the winner..you see..even in past ESC eras not the best one got always the trophy..but unfortunately the winner in this contest take it all :-)
I think Celine's dress at ESC 1988 will be worth millions some day. Lol.
i hav just refreshed my memory with the help of you tube: first of all i found this song back then nad i still do very uninteresting, with stupid lyrics and an awfull-looking Celine on stage..and most imteresting than my humble opinion and taste is the fact, that she was n clear winner.she just won with one point more than the 2nd UK with Scott Fitzerland's 'Go" and onle because the very last jury who gave the votes(the yugoslavian one) did not give any points t the UK..you can wath the whole in:
http://www.youtube.c(...)&feature=related
Céline Dion has a great voice but I've never liked "Ne partez pas sans moi". I preferred Lara Fabian's ballad "Croire". And poor Scott!
Sweden should have sent Lena Philipsson with "Om igen" which was the runner-up in Melodifestivalen that year.
Last Saturday Céline gave a concert in Stockholm Globen. The price for a ticket was 139-214 Euros!
None has ever heard this sng again after the contest, including herself, i think.Celine became a big satr some years after and winning the ESC had nothing to do with it..but as i have already stated i have a feeling thet Kalomoira, this year Greek entrant, could become the next big star from ESC. I think she has everything a pop star needs: she is nice, enrgetic and self confident n stage, her english is more than perfect and her looks are very ok.i really wish this would happen beause she impressed me very very much on the ESC stage
That was a good song.
Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi is probably the worst song of all time. Awful... it sounds like the opening tune to an 80s nightmare.
It is true, Celine went to the ESC 20 years ago and she won, but we have to be honest: the ESC did not contribute anything to Celine's career.
Oh well the link ain't working Its a very good song anyway!
Oh *?/!! the link ain't working again!!!
I'll have one last go - http://www.imeem.com(...)_dont_leave_without_ me_now/
please work . . . . .
Oh bugger, the link didn't work
Copy this into your browser - imeem.com/people/qcEqqYT/music/GTJ9A7i-/eurobandid_dont_leave_without_ me_now/
I found a link to listen to the eurobandid cover of her song -
http://www.imeem.com(...)dont_leave_without_m e_now/
Enjoy
She's fantastic. But she avoids talking about Eurovision. pity
I love the fact that she is now one of the biggest stars in the world, selling millions of records and worth millions of pounds . . . . . . but she only won the eurovision song contest by 1 point!!! 
Its a shame she doesn't like to talk about her eurovision experience all that much, mind you that is understandable considering how successful she is now and how long ago and insignificant eurovision is in terms of her career.
Has anybody else heard eurobandid's cover of "ne partez pas sans moi" (don't leave without me now as the eurobandid version), its really good!! ??
Celion is good but i dont get the story above 
LOL!
and i would like to make a kind of prophecy: i think after ABBA and Celine Dion Kalomoira could be the 3rd star o fthe contst who will make an international career..she has the ptential of it, i think.but i think it depends also on working with the right people at the right time..i strongly think Kalomoira could be the new big ESC star fot the time to come..well i must confess this prophecy is also kind of wishfull thinking thing..i must confess that although i was never a fan of her, through this contest i realised that she is a very very nice, sweet and shining young lady with a potential of an international star..let us see if this is gonna remain a wish or a fact..in any case since i am abig fan of this contest, i am glad with every artist of the ESC stage who becomes a big star beyond this stage. But i agree with some ther people here, that actually winning the ESC did not contribute to Celine's big career at all..i rememeber very well that she had her first international succes some years after 1988 and with an english title and a completely new look..i am sure many peple do not even know she has been in this contest.
@marc X:
lol! your commentig on her staging in the ESC is pretty accurate :-))
Celine is a legend, she is certainly one of the best singers ever!
She oughta come back and Win the Contest for a Western country!
Why can't they be accurate when they make a movie about a famous person? I can't stand such things. They could at least have used "Ne partez pas sans moi"!
hey it's 20 years ago, it was not the hightime of Eurovision and actually I do not see Celine having any advantage on the European musicmarket afterwards. The winning song was not a hit at all. She came back, almost forgotten, in 1989 in Switzerland and presented "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" and only by then, I realised her potential for being a superstar. But again, nothing happened in Europe and only months later, early 1990 this song entered the US Billboard Top 100 and went up to the Number 4 spot. And only by now she started to get recognition outside of the francophone world. But Eurovision, most unfortunately was not a big help for her career in Europe. I remember German radio when airing the US charts at the time referring to Cellin Daion, not even knowing that she was french speaking.
She is in Berlin for a concert on thursday this week, but prices for tickets are too high, it is an openair event and the weatherforecast says rain and only 18°c. what a pity.
ok she looked as if she was dragged from under the shower, someone put her an easter dress on but waw... that woman can sing and one of the only years I was convinced about her winning. And if we like it or not, she is next to ABBA, the biggest star ever coming out of Eurovision....
@Liam Clark:
mate, i know that styling and especially ESC in the 80's was kind of...eh...hmmmm...let us say particular, but stil, Celine Dion looked pretty ugly and awkard on stage and her fress was horrible even for the 80's..well that is what i think..but as i said she sung her winning song more than well
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