An ‘American Idol’ Judge and 1 of the Eurythmics Wrote a Celine Dion Song
Celine Dion and the Eurythmics made very different songs; however, a member of the Eurythmics wrote a song with an American Idol judge that Dion released as a single. Notably, the song reuses a lyric from the Eurythmics’ “Here Comes the Rain Again.” During an interview, a member of the Eurythmics discussed the two songs sharing a lyric.
A member of the Eurythmics and an ‘American Idol’ judge wrote songs for a band with a fake backstory
The Eurythmics had two members: Annie Lennox and Dave A. Stewart. Outside of the Eurythmics, Stewart wrote songs for Tom Petty, Sinéad O’Connor, Ringo Starr, and other stars. He also fooled people with his side project Platinum Weird.
Platinum Weird was supposedly a band from the 1970s whose records never saw the light of day until the 2000s. In actuality, Stewart and future American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi created the band in the 2000s. They created a fake backstory for the band. The most notable thing about the hoax was that Dion covered a Platinum Weird song.
Why this Celine Dion song reuses a lyric from the Eurythmics’ ‘Here Comes the Rain Again’
Dion covered Platinum Weird’s song “Taking Chances.” The song uses the line “Talk to me like lovers do” from the Eurythmics’ “Here Comes the Rain Again.” In an interview with Songfacts, Stewart discussed this lyrical choice.
“It builds up and builds up and gets more determined, which is Kara’s personality, who’s been through a lot, and she goes, you know, ‘I’ve been beaten down’ and all this kind of stuff,” Stewart said. “And then it flips into, ‘So talk to me, talk to me like lovers do.’ It’s like pulling itself out of that, getting the strength, and actually nodding and tipping my hat to one of my own songs within the song.”
The way the world reacted to Celine Dion’s ‘Taking Chances’
“Taking Chances” became a modest hit. “Taking Chances” reached No. 54 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the chart for seven weeks. Its parent album, Taking Chances, reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and lasted on the chart for 26 weeks.
“Taking Chances” charted somewhat higher in the United Kingdom than it did in the United States. According to The Official Charts Company, the song peaked at No. 40 in the U.K., staying on the chart for four weeks. Meanwhile, the album Taking Chances peaked at No. 5 in the U.K., remaining on the chart for 18 weeks.
“Taking Chances” has a legacy beyond its initial time on the charts. It appeared in advertisements for the short-lived vampire television series Moonlight. In addition, Lea Michele covered it in an episode of Glee entitled “Preggers.” “Taking Chances” might not be as popular as other Dion songs like “My Heart Will Go On” or “Because You Loved Me,” but it remains an interesting connection between Dion, the Eurythmics, and American Idol.
