Summary:
- Céline Dion, the golden voice behind the song “My Heart Will Go On,” revealed that the tune almost didn’t make it to the movie.
- James Cameron initially didn’t want a song to be included in the film, as he believed the story alone was enough.
- Céline Dion sang the entire song in one take, and the version that we all know and love was the only version that the singer performed.
Titanic” is more than just a monumental film; it’s a landmark in cinematic history, known not just for its epic romance and tragic ending, but also for its powerful musical score that still resonates with fans even decades later. While James Horner’s composition elevates the film, it’s Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” that has become synonymous with the movie itself, forever etching its melody into the hearts of audiences worldwide.
I mean, even more than twenty years later, you can still hear the songs playing on radio and music podcasts everywhere, and it’s still Dion’s best song to date. Fans gave the tune the nickname “The Titanic song,” and you can’t simply just ignore it after watching Titanic.
But did you know that originally, director James Cameron originally didn’t want a song at all? Which means, had it gone the way that the Avatar visionary had wanted, My Heart Will Go On might not have existed in the first place.
In a revelation that might surprise many, Céline Dion disclosed in an interview with Vogue how close we came to never hearing her iconic song in “Titanic.”
“There’s a big story about this picture, because James Cameron, the director of the movie, did not want any song. He said “My movie is great enough, I don’t need any songs.”” Céline revealed the shocking fact regarding her legendary anthem.
Despite Cameron’s initial reservations, composer James Horner saw an opportunity to add something special to the film. Horner composed the score and approached Dion in Las Vegas in a covert move. Despite some hesitation from Dion herself, who admitted, “I don’t want to sing the song” (another shocking reveal, really), the persistence of her husband and manager, Réne Angélil, along with Horner, led her to record what was meant to be a simple demo.
Right from the start, both Horner and Dion’s husband realized that they were witness something extraordinary.
Dion described the recording session as transformative, saying, “When I get into a studio, and I hear music, I get into character… So I start to sing the song, he tells me about the story of the movie a little bit, I’m already in tears. But it’s a demo, it’s just to put my voice, one take, just quick, just for them to present to the director, insisting on putting this song in the movie. I sang the song… and I never re-sang the song to record it, to make it as a record. It was a one-take thing.”
What many fans might not realize is that the song version that tugs at our heartstrings at the movie’s end is actually that original demo that Dion recorded. But one take was all that the diva needed.
At first, Cameron still kept his opinion of keeping the song away from his movie, but Horner managed to convince him. “I’m not going to tell you who sang the song. Just please give me a favor and listen just one time,” the producer persuaded, and he succeeded. The rest, as we always say, is history.
Not only making it onto the film, but the legendary tune also became the biggest, and most iconic song of Céline Dion’s career. Kudos to that, John Horner. Even decades later, fans will not let this song go, unlike what Rose did with Jack.
