Eric Carmen vs. Céline Dion | Head 2 Head

In the 14^th edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Eric Carmen and Céline Dion contend for the best rendition of “All By Myself.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song, comparing their respective performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 14^th edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Eric Carmen and Céline Dion contend for the best rendition of “All By Myself”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Eric Carmen, “All By Myself”

Eric Carmen // Arista // 1975

“All by myself / Don’t want to be all by myself anymore.” On March 11, 2024, the world lost a talented musician in Eric Carmen (1949 – 2024). Throughout the course of his career, Carmen charted 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including three top-five hits. The song to beat, however is the beloved and timeless “All By Myself”, which peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. Written solely by Carmen, the gold-certified single samples (interpolates) the gorgeous,  Piano Concert No. 2 in C Minor, Opus 18, 2^nd Movement by Russian Romantic composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Oft covered, “All By Myself” is one of the great soft rock classics of the 1970s, appearing as the fourth track on Eric Carmen (1975).

Eric Carmen spares no length on “All By Myself.” The classic runs more than seven minutes in duration.  Of course, it is a magnificent, worthwhile seven minutes! First and foremost, Carmen sings wonderfully. His tone is superb, with no shortage of expression throughout the course of his performance. The melodies he composed are tuneful in the verses, and of course, the centerpiece, the chorus (excerpted above).  Thematically, Carmen feels lonely, hence why he doesn’t “want to live all by myself anymore.”  In the third verse, he sings, “Had to be sure / Sometimes I feel so insecure / And love so distant and obscure / Remains the cure.” Besides strong vocals, relatable and memorable lyrics, and tuneful melodies, the production and arrangement are top-notch.  The brilliance of Rachmaninoff shines through, repurposed masterfully by Carmen.  Combine Russian Romanticism, lush strings, and 70s soft rock cues, and the vibe is epic.  The epic extended instrumental section deserves acknowledgement too! Post-instrumental, Carmen knocks the ending of “All By Myself” out of the park.

Appears in 🔻:

• Eric Carmen, All By Myself: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 48 (2024)

2. Céline Dion, “All By Myself”

Falling Into You // Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. // 1996

“When I was young / I never needed anyone / And making love was just for fun / Those days are gone.” When everybody and his brother covers your song, you know you have something special on your hands.  The late, great Eric Carmen (1949 – 2024) created an epic, epic song in “All By Myself”. One of the best covers of this gem comes from one of the greatest singers of all time, Céline Dion. “All By Myself” appears as the sixth track on her Grammy-winning, multiplatinum, 1996 LP, Falling Into You. Released as the fourth single from the album, “All By Myself” peaked at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA.

So, what makes “All By Myself” by Céline Dion a winner? It’s the voice, DUH! Dion sings Carmen’s tuneful melodies with incredible poise in the first and second verses, barely breaking a sweat.  She rises to the occasion in the initial chorus that follows without dare over-singing:

“All by myself

Don’t wanna be

All by myself

Anymore.”

Soon enough, she brings things back down in the third verse, only to rise once more in the following chorus, continuing the ebb and flow.  Afterwards, a marvelous instrumental section keeps things engaging, going in a different direction from the verses and chorus.  She then returns, repeating the first verse (and why not, it’s awesome), and delivers the most powerful chorus yet which leads to an epic modulation.  At this point, Dion riffs and sings her face off against a thrilling pop/rock backdrop that includes gorgeous strings (David Foster arranged and produced). Simply put, Dion’s rendition of the beloved Eric Carmen classic was adult contemporary gold in the 1990s. Her take on “All By Myself” still sends those chills.

Appears in 🔻:

• Céline Dion, All By Myself: Covers No. 11 (2024)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, who delivered the best rendition of “All By Myself”? Was it the songwriter and original performer, Eric Carmen, or the powerhouse coverer, Céline Dion?  Both versions of “All By Myself” achieved a high level of success on the pop charts, in different eras mind you – the 1970s and 1990s.  By high level, we’re talking top-five hits, baby! Furthermore, both vocalists brought the heat, wowing us with their tone.  As even as their performances are, a tie wouldn’t be out of the question.  Still, the late, great Eric Carmen gets the leg up: he penned and produced “All By Myself,” delivering what is arguably one of the best songs of all-tine.  For that, he wins this contentious Head 2 Head!

Eric Carmen vs. Céline Dion: Head 2 Head No. 14 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Arista, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc.; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]