BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME

"Because You Loved Me" is a song from Céline Dion's album Falling into You, released as the first single on February 19, 1996 in North America and Japan. In other parts of the world it was released in May 1996 as the second single, after "Falling into You."^[1]

"Because You Loved Me" was written by Diane Warren as a tribute to her father for his encouragement. It was produced by David Foster and featured in the film Up Close & Personal.

The song was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as fourGrammy Awards. It won a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (award went to Diane Warren), and was nominated for the Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The music video, with fragments from the film, was directed by Kevin Bray and released in February 1996.

The B-sides of the European single included unreleased at that time songs: "The Power of the Dream," "To Love You More" and "Sola Otra Vez."

"Because You Loved Me" is one of Céline Dion's biggest hits and signature songs. It reached number 1 in the United States (6 weeks at the top), Australia (3 weeks) and Canada (1 week). In all of these countries, it was her second number 1 song, after "The Power of Love."

The single set a record on the U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, where it remained at number 1 for 19 weeks. It topped many other American charts as well, including Billboard Hot 100 Airplay (14 weeks at the top) and Hot 100 Singles Sales (6 weeks), also Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks (12 weeks) and Top 40 Mainstream (5 weeks).

"Because You Loved Me" was also a hit in the rest of the world reaching number 2 in Ireland, number 3 in New Zealand and Switzerland, number 4 in the Netherlands, number 5 in the United Kingdom and Belgium etc.

The single has sold 1,345,000 copies in the U.S. and was certified platinum. It was also certified 2x platinum in Australia (140,000), platinum in New Zealand (10,000), gold in Germany (250,000) and silver in the United Kingdom (although it has sold 420,000 copies and should be certified gold). Also in France, "Because You Loved Me" has sold 195,000 copies and should be certified silver.

The song became a part of two greatest hits released by Dion: All the Way… A Decade of Songin 1999 and My Love: Essential Collection in 2008. Lately, "Because You Loved Me" could be found on the Live in Las Vegas - A New Day... DVD and it was also performed during the 2008-09 Taking Chances Tour. Live performances can be found on the A New Day... Live in Las Vegas CD, as well as the English edition of Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert DVD/CD.

The track was covered by Johnny Mathis (1998), Michael Ball (1998), Vivian Reed (2001), Jane McDonald (2001), Clay Aiken (2006), Miho Fukuhara (2007) and Nina Girado (2008).

OLDIE, BUT GOODIE: THE MISSING HALF...

THIS BLOG ENTRY BRINGS TO MIND THE MANY BROKEN GAY MEN & WOMEN THAT I’VE MET OVER THE COURSE OF MY LIFE. I FEEL THEIR PAIN SO DEEPLY THAT THERE ARE TIMES I CANNOT STAND IT. JUST THE OTHER DAY IN THE GYM THIS SUBJECT CAME TO MIND & FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, I REALIZED THAT A LOT OF LIFE IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE. HOWEVER THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE GAY MEN & WOMEN SHOULDN’T TRY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE WILL GET THERE ONE DAY & I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT GLORIOUS DAY WE ARE ALL WHOLE!

There are many generalizations about being SAME-SEX-PRONE. For us who has chosen to accept that this is our path in life, get everything but a cakewalk. Various stereotypes spread negative notions, thoughts and feelings spawning INSECURITIES, HATRED and REJECTION all around us. From childhood, many if not all of us had to deal with being called OR labeled GAY or HOMOSEXUAL because of things others think they see. Therefore, when the time comes for us to recognize what the name-calling really means we are in no shape OR form to handle OUR SEXUALITY. Nonetheless, we give it our best dealing with things like IT’S JUST A PHASE…ALL GAY MEN WILL DIE OF AIDS…SOMEONE MADE HIM/HER GAY. 

Therefore, we WALK the WALK and TALK the TALK living in a world that deems UNFIT and UNNECESSARY. When this takes place @ that exact moment we SAME-GENDER-LOVING-PEOPLE loose our very foundation that brought us thus far; maybe we never had it to begin with. I FIND IT SAD HOW WE LIVE A LIFE THAT IS HALF OF A WHOLE BECAUSE OF REJECTION BY OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE SEXUALLY. We have to become a new version of ourselves and accept the choice that came long before we knew about it. In time, we will come to understand why but the world does not make the journey easy and which breaks us @ EVERY twist and turn we make. I really wish that they would understand that SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS NOT DEFINED by BEHAVIOR, the way someone DRESSES or by what they LOOK like. I believe when you are still in the womb your chemistry, the make of your being is already being oriented and it is a SAD fact that the world cannot accept that, especially those that were there with us from the very beginning.

The moment we begin to explore sex that is when we learn and eventually accept who we are. We have accepted the fact that we have more than likely chosen a path that will forever leave us HALF OF OURSELVES. This is such a RISKY STATE OF BEING and is not a pleasant experience, especially when rejected by family or friends. We have to RETREAT and find ourselves a SAFE HARBOUR among those that are just like us. We desperately try to make up for something that was lost to us never being able to feel complete. With part of ourselves missing, we take so much time to heal and need a lot of forgiveness for others and ourselves. I know that it is hard but I feel that the LIBERATION is well worth it. We feel as if we are an island unto ourselves with no chance of escape longing for help and understanding. So many GAY persons are HOMELESS because of this and WE are open to many things that can and will harm us. These things do not take it easy on us and when one feel that there is no LOVE in the world, HE/SHE goes out in search of it. 

NONETHELESS, I SAY IT IS BETTER TO LIVE WITH HALF OF YOURSELF RATHER THAN TO LOOSE YOURSELF ENTIRELY. LIVING WITH HALF OF YOURSELF MAY SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THAT IS CRAZY OR INSANE BUT WHAT OTHER CHOICES ARE THERE? THERE IS A HEALTHY & FULFILLING FUTURE OUT THERE BUT WE HAVE TO LIVE IT WITH HALF OF OURSELVES IF NEED BE. I KNOW IT MAY SEEM AS IF OUR DEFICIENCY IS THEIR GAIN BUT WHAT DO THEY HAVE? WE KNOW THAT WHATEVER WE FEEL OR DO IS NORMAL IT IS SO SAD THAT THEY DO NOT GET THE MISSING HALF…

¿MRS. DOUBTFIRE THE SEQUEL?

¿SUCKED OR EATEN?

IF YOU CAN HAVE JUST ONE ACTIVITY DURING FOREPLAY WOULD YOU RATHER...

GET  YOUR D!CK SUCKED...

¿OR?

HAVE YOUR ASS EATEN...

HONORING PASSING SPACES...

Saying good-bye is an important part of moving forward. It gives
us a sense of completion... 



When most of us started blogging, we got caught up in the forward
thrust of where we are going that we forgot to properly access what we want to
achieve in this space. And this blog entry is about those that I must part with
through no fault of their own. Our journey has been great and as I evolve I am SURE that our paths will meet again in
the future.
So to the bloggers that find themselves no longer on my list,
don't see this as something bad, see this as me acknowledging and honoring what
we shared.



And as I process N' release, I want to say thank you for being my apart of what I
do here. 



YOUR BROTHER ALWAYS,



thegayte-keeper.

TRUE BLOOD: SEASON 3, EPISODE 7 – HITTING THE GROUND

True Blood this week was one of death, change, and puzzlement. In the manner of ruthless surprise that suits this series best, Lorena was dispatched before the opening credits, killed by Sookie in an attempt to save Bill. Disappearing in a crimson grizzle-spray, Lorena entered the True Blood Hall of Infamy as Alcide and Tara arrived to rescue Sookie. The werewolves were fast approaching, but she wouldn’t leave without her Bill.

Taking a saw and slitting her arm to let Bill feed on her, Sookie fell prey to Bill’s baser instincts. Beginning to revive, he showed not gratefulness but an uncontrollable desire to suck her even drier, in an appropriately repulsive scene that rendered blood-sucking a metaphor for rape, and which landed Sookie in a coma, in a hospital, with a nurse informing her next of kin (that would be Jason) that Sookie has no blood type, and rejects any transfusion.

It was a reasonably triumphant week for Sam, who confirmed that Tommy was being used as a pit-bull in some backwoods dog-fights. Sam freed the dogs and rescued Tommy from a mauling, then chewed out the Mickens for being such lousy parents.

The two major scenes this week brought revelation. The vision Sookie has while in a coma, that glowing glimpse of a paradise seemed like a nice place to be...NO? Well Claudine certainly think so because she warns Sookie not to “go back,” that Bill will “take her light” — was this female figure the source of Sookie’s powers, telling her that death would be better than resuming life in Bill’s “darkness”?

The night’s other big set-piece finally brought resolution to the now-weeks-long torture of Pam. Assembling Eric, the Queen, Russell, and the Magister in Fangtasia was a summit meeting of Evil. After watching Magister get ready to pierce poor chained-down Pam’s eyelids with his silver Tiffany rings, it was satisfying to see Russell take command of the joint. He had Eric and the Queen under his command, and after a lot of gas-baggery about “the Authority,” Russell pulled that nice trick of having Pam and Magister swap places: Pam freed in a flash, Magister in chains.

The night ended with a double scream: Sookie upon emerging from her coma, and Magister just before Russell lopped off his head. That made two characters dead in one hour, and Magister’s thumping skull helped explain the episode’s title, “Hitting the Ground,” as something more than just the rest of our heroes hitting the ground running. 

It was all tremendously exciting — the pace was amazing. And the episode was something of a gigantic info-dump, with all sorts of new details to savor and unravel in future hours. This season may not be taking the time to limn characters as vividly as it did last season with the lush, languid treatment Maryann received, but it sure has a momentum that’s exhilarating.

Stray silver bullet points:

• So Bill won’t burn to a crisp in sunlight anymore, now that he’s filled with Sookie’s blood. Let’s not let Bill become too normal, shall we?

• Jason’s wooing of Crystal (unseen in this episode) slowed the hour a bit; his interrogation of her jailed cousin was just a dollop of information to keep this sub-plot in readiness for another week.

• Do we care about Hoyt and Summer as a new romantic couple? The show will have to send me a basket of Summer’s biscuits before I’m persuaded this is interesting…

• Jessica, I missed you this week.

• Line of the week, from Jason: “Never thought I was smart enough to be depressed.”

What do you think of last night's episode of True Blood?

FREE OF GRAVITY...

For well over 2 years, EVERY Sunday (except for a few posts here N' there) I've RELIGIOUSLY bashed the way society has engaged in its daily/weekly practices...If ONLY this behavior reminded them of the sacredness of life. Nonetheless, I get it and I made the decision that I will put aside my weekly rant on their religious behavior; HOWEVER, I will visit this segment of my blog as the need arises.