Re: Selena Quintanilla Dreaming Of You Album Download
Nelson Suggs
Dreaming of You is the sixth and final studio album and second posthumous album by Mexican American Tejano pop singer Selena, released on July 18, 1995, by EMI Records and EMI Latin. The album was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the 20 Years of Music Collection series, with extra tracks, music videos, and spoken liner notes by her family, friends, and her former band.[1] Dreaming of You is known as a double album with previously unreleased English and Spanish language tracks and previously released tracks that were given a Caribbean remix with dance hall and reggae.[1] The first half of the album incorporates slow and mid-tempo R&B ballads and pop songs, while the rest of the album incorporates Latin-inflected grooves.
Debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, it sold more than 331,000 units in its first week. Selena was the first Hispanic singer to have an album, mostly in Spanish, to debut at number 1. Dreaming of You was the fastest-selling album, only behind, Michael Jackson's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I.[2][3] The album was among the "top ten best-selling debuts of all time" and among the "best-selling debuts for a female artist".[4] On its release date, the album sold over 175,000 copies, a record for a female pop singer.[5] EMI Records believed the album actually sold over 700,000 copies the first week, because Billboard did not include discount stores or small shops specializing in Latin music. Critics gave the album mixed to positive reviews, with many of them stating that Dreaming of You was not Selena's peak as an artist. Her previous record, Amor Prohibido, was considered a more consistent release and a good introduction to her work. Dreaming of You was commercially successful, selling over 2,000,000 copies in its first year.[6]
When it debuted in July 1995, Dreaming of You became Selena's sixth album in the top ten of Billboard Top 50 Latin Albums at that time.[4] Dreaming of You became the highest ranking Spanish language album to chart on the Billboard Top Latin Albums.[7]
The album spawned several singles. Some were released in both the United States and internationally, while others were released for promotional purposes. The two lead singles from Dreaming of You, "I Could Fall in Love" and the title track, charted in over six music categories on Billboard. "I Could Fall in Love" peaked at number one on the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart, while "Dreaming of You" peaked number-twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100. "Captive Heart", "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)", "El Toro Relajo", "T Slo T", and "I'm Getting Used To You" were released as promotional singles. "I'm Getting Used To You" peaked at number twenty-three on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. "T Slo T" peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Tracks and Regional Mexican Songs charts.
Selena, who released seven independent LP records all in Spanish, was performing at the 1989 Tejano Music Awards. Among the attendees was Jose Behar, the former head of Sony Music Latin, who recently opened up the Latin division of EMI Records, and was searching for new acts, and the new head of Sony Music Latin, a sub-division of Sony Music Entertainment. Behar immediately wanted to sign Selena to Capitol/EMI that same year, while Sony Music Latin was offering double the amount to Abraham Quintanilla Jr, for Selena.[8] Believing that he had found the next Gloria Estefan, Behar called his boss stating that he believes he found what he was looking for, which his boss replied to him stating that he was crazy, for only being in South Texas for less than a week.[8] Abraham Quintanilla Jr, decided to go with EMI because of the potential crossover, and that he wanted to his kids to be the first artist to sigh with EMI Latin.[8] Prior to signing her first major contract with EMI Latin Records in 1989, Behar requested Selena for a major crossover album.[9] Selena recorded "Only Love", "Is It the Beat?", and "Where Did the Feeling Go?" for the heads of EMI Records pop division.[10] Behar's request for a major crossover album was denied by the heads, and Selena was told that in order to sell a major record, she needed a bigger fan base.[8] Behar later stated that he felt that EMI Records and people in general, didn't believe that a Mexican American women can be of "crossover potential", answering to a question on the reason why the crossover album took so long to create.[8] Initially Selena stated in interviews that the album was going to be released sometime in 1994. Following the release of Amor Prohibido, she stated that the crossover album was still being developed.[8][11]
During a private dinner in a Thai restaurant in the summer of 1994, Selena was very upset about the amount of pressure she was under from the press about the album. She said that she had told numerous news crews that the album was about to be released, but in fact she had not even recorded one song for the album. Behar, who originally thought Selena was setting up a joke because of Selena's bubbling personality, said that Selena was right, and subesquently he told the chairman of EMI Records that Selena and her band, Los Dinos, were going to leave EMI and find a record company willing to record an English language album for Selena. EMI relented and the recording sessions began.[8] Selena was signed, less than twenty-four hours in Los Angeles, with SBK Records, a sub-division of EMI Group, in November 1993[12] to begin recording her first major English language album. EMI Latin felt that Selena had reached her peak in the Spanish language market, and they wanted to propel Selena into mainstream stardom as an American solo pop artist.[8][10] During late 1994, Selena began recording the first song for the album, "I Could Fall in Love". Selena was paired up with major pop music producers, some of which were Grammy Award winners.[8] Selena's sister Suzette Quintanilla stated that Selena would take a very long time before deciding a song represented what "Selena" was all about.[13] Recording sessions for the album took place during 1994 to 1995 at several recording studios, including at her father's recording studio, Q-Productions in Corpus Christi; The Bennett House in Franklin, Tennessee; Bananaboat Studio in Burbank, California; Oakshire Recorders in Los Angeles; Conway Studios in Hollywood; Clinton Studios in Clinton, New York; and Levosia Entertainment in Hollywood.[14] Producers and songwriters who collaborated with Selena on the album included Keith Thomas, Trey Lorenz of Epic Records, Mark Goldenberg, Kit Hain, Guy Roche, Donna Delorey, Diane Warren, Rhett Lawrence, David Byrne of Luaka Bop Inc., Frane Golde, Tom Snow, Full Force, Brian "Red" Moore, A.B. Quintanilla III, Barrio Boyzz, K.C. Porter, Felipe Bernmejo, Jose Hernandez, Felipe Valdes Leal, and for the Japanese release, Rokusuke Ei and Hachidai Nakamura.[14]Amy Grant, was in the process of writing a song for Selena, to be included in the crossover album.[15] Dreaming of You was the first album that Selena's family did not produce. Prior to the albums recording sessions, Selena's family stepped back, as they wished to allow professional pop recording producers to work with Selena. Selena found this decision stressful, and felt the decision was forced on her, in order to sell records.[8]
Recordings for the album were different from what she usually sang.[8] The songs produced were mostly pop love songs. Selena co-wrote with David Byrne for his Gospel song, "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)", her vocals were later used in the song after Byrne recorded it in Clifton, New York. Before choosing, "Dreaming of You", Selena's husband Chris Prez and brother who was the producer of her music, A.B. Quintanilla III told Selena that they both dislike the song. A.B. Quintanilla III stated that now he understands why Selena choose the song, stating after Selena's death. Prez stated that he grew to love it.[8] Keith Thomas stated that every time Selena would walk in the recording studio that all eyes would be on her due to her energy and eager to succeed, who made everyone laugh. Thomas also stated that there was no ego involved with her.[13] Selena recorded four songs by January 20, 1995, she began recording songs in late 1994.[16] Selena never recorded the song, "Oh No (I'll Never Fall in Love Again)" however, Selena revealed its fate during a small interview for a small Spanish language television special.[17] "Oh No" was later recorded in Spanish by her brother's band, Kumbia Kings, on their album Amor, Familia Y Respeto which was released on March 23, 1999.[18] The composer Keith Thomas who wrote "I Could Fall In Love", never finished a second song that was intended for Selena to record and revealed the song's fate when he made an appearance on the A&E series, Biography which talked about Selena's life and death.[13] According to Jose Behar, the album was projected to be sold in September or October 1995.[19]
Initially the crossover album was going to be a pop album, mostly confessional love songs and contemporary R&B duets.[13] Jose Behar was imagining the album to be very similar to Mariah Carey's self-titled debut album and Janet Jackson's industrial-influenced albums.[13] While Behar awaited for his plans to start, SBK Records prepared Selena with experienced music producers who were in-charge of the entire project. The producers wrote mainstream urban pop love songs "I Could Fall in Love", "Dreaming of You" and "I'm Getting Used To You", Kit Hain wrote "Captive Heart" as a driven electro funk song. The crossover album was compared to a transition marketing point-of-view and a creative point-of-view.[13]
Selena told numerous interviewers that she was going to sing a pop ballad with John Secada, in later specials the song was pre-judged and compared to Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's duet, No Me Ames.[13] After Selena's death, SBK Records assigned EMI Latin to finish the album and release its' progress. SBK Records removed themselves as affiliation with Selena, however, Selena's contract with EMI Latin was still active and the company later controlled the project and co-worked with Q-Productions for remix sessions.[13]
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