"Treat Her Like a Lady" is a song by Jamaican-American singer Diana King from the 1995 album, Tougher Than Love. It was written by King, Andy Marvel and Billy Mann, and produced by Marvel. In 1997, it was covered by Canadian singer Celine Dion for her album, Let's Talk About Love.
| Treat Her Like a Lady | |
| Cover: | Treat Her Like a Lady (Celine Dion song).jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Celine Dion |
| Album: | Let's Talk About Love |
| Recorded: | 1997 |
| Genre: |
|
| Length: | 4:05 |
| Label: | |
| Producer: | Ric Wake |
| Prev Title: | On ne change pas |
| Prev Year: | 1999 |
| Next Title: | That's the Way It Is |
| Next Year: | 1999 |
Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded a cover version of "Treat Her Like a Lady" for her 1997 album, Let's Talk About Love. It was produced by Ric Wake. Dion changed some lyrics, gaining a co-writing credit. Diana King and Brownstone recorded guest vocals for the track. "Treat Her Like a Lady" was released as the final single in Europe between March and June 1999, to coincide with the Let's Talk About Love World Tour. It peaked inside top 40 in the United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, Austria and Iceland.
Entertainment Weekly editor David Browne called Dion's cover an "overarranged stab at reggae dancehall" and "unintentionally amusing".[1] The New York Observer editor Jonathan Bernstein wrote, "She's fallen on her face before when attempting to be as one with the rhythm, but Celine Dion has never humiliated herself as comprehensively as she does when mashing it up in a dance-hall style on "Treat Her Like a Lady". As Seinfeld' s George Costanza remarked in a similar situation, "Sweet fancy Moses!""[2] Steven Wells from NME commented, "Celine raps hardcore radical feminism! Yes she does! She says that we've got to treat women like "ladies". Otherwise they might go "crazy". This is possibly the most profound statement on the subject of women's oppression since Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch".
After the success of "My Heart Will Go On", radio stations in Quebec started playing "Treat Her Like a Lady" in May 1998. Because of that, it entered the airplay chart on 30 May 1998 and peaked at number nine. The commercial single was released in selected European countries between March and June 1999, to coincide with the Let's Talk About Love World Tour. It was issued almost a year after the previous single from Let's Talk About Love, "Immortality".
In April 1999, "Treat Her Like a Lady" entered the charts in Austria and Germany, peaking at numbers 16 and 64, respectively. In May 1999, it debuted on the charts in the Netherlands and Belgium, reaching numbers 62 in the Netherlands, 70 in Wallonia and 78 in Flanders. In July 1999, "Treat Her Like a Lady" entered the charts in few other countries, peaking at numbers 29 in the United Kingdom, 33 in Scotland, 40 in Ireland, 54 in Sweden, and as a result number 91 on the European Hot 100 Singles. The song also reached numbers 13 in Iceland and 38 on the airplay chart in Spain.
The live music video was recorded on 18 December 1998, during the Let's Talk About Love World Tour in Montreal, Canada. It was directed by Gérard Pullicino. The video was included on the UK enhanced CD single in June 1999. In November 2022, it was uploaded into Dion's official YouTube channel.[3]
| Peak position | ||
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] | 78 | |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) | 70 | |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[5] | 91 | |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen radiosoittolista)[6] | 16 | |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[7] | 13 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[8] | 12 | |
| Quebec (ADISQ)[9] | 9 | |
| Spain (Top 40 Radio)[10] | 38 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[11] | 29 |
| Date | Format | Label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 22 March 1999 | CD | Columbia | ||
| Belgium | 10 May 1999 | [12] | |||
| United Kingdom | 28 June 1999 | Epic | [13] |