The Perfect Year

"The Perfect Year"
Single by Dina Carroll
from the album Only Human
B-side	"Here"
Released	29 November 1993 (1993-11-29)
Length	3:45
Label	A&M 1st Avenue
Songwriter(s)	Andrew Lloyd Webber Don Black Christopher Hampton
Producer(s)	Nigel Lowis
Dina Carroll singles chronology
"Don't Be a Stranger" (1993) "The Perfect Year" (1993) "Escaping" (1996)
Music video
"The Perfect Year" on YouTube

"The Perfect Year" is a song performed by English singer-songwriter Dina Carroll, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. It is taken from the 1993 musical Sunset Boulevard, produced by Nigel Lowis, and was released as a single on 29 November 1993 by A&M and 1st Avenue. Later, it was included on Carroll's second album, Only Human (1996). Becoming one of her most successful songs, it peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number four in Ireland. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 17 in January 1994. In 2001, the song was included on Carroll's first compilation album, The Very Best of Dina Carroll.

Critical reception

Hannsjörg Riemann from German Bravo gave the song two out of five, stating that Carroll "can sing really well." He viewed it as a "tearjerker" that "doesn't tear me off my stool despite the noble design."^[1] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton described the song as a "Christmassy ballad".^[2] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it five out of five and named it Pick of the Week, writing, "This heartwarming ballad from Sunset Boulevard with sweeping strings, a powerful vocal and optimistic, seasonal lyrics could easily end Carroll's perfect year by becoming her first number one single."^[3] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update complimented it as a "gorgeous Lloyd Webber radio ballad".^[4] German band Culture Beat reviewed it for Smash Hits, giving it four out of five. Jay Supreme said, "This is a real sweet song though and a great song if the mood is right." Tania Evans stated, "I'd say this is the best she's done so far. Dina is brilliant."^[5]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. It has a sepia tone and was filmed in Dublin, Ireland.^[6]

Track listings

CD single, UK (1993)^[7]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Perfect Year" (radio mix)	3:49
2.	"Here" (West End Mix)	6:44
3.	"Here" (Nigel Lowis Mix)	7:16
4.	"Ain't No Man" (Brothers in Rhythm Remix)	7:08

7-inch and cassette single, UK (1993); mini-CD single, Japan (1994)^[8]^[9]^[10]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Perfect Year" (radio mix)
2.	"Here" (radio edit)

12-inch single, UK (1993)^[11]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Perfect Year" (radio mix)
2.	"Here" (West End Mix)
3.	"Here" (Nigel Lowis Mix)
4.	"Special Kind of Love" (Brothers in Rhythm Dub)

CD single, Europe (1993)^[12]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Perfect Year" (radio mix)	3:45
2.	"Here" (West End Mix)	6:43

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993–1994) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 17 Europe (European AC Radio)[14] 13 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[16] 2 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 39 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 5 UK Airplay (Music Week)[19] 7

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position UK Singles (OCC)[20] 64

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	29 November 1993	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD cassette	A&M 1st Avenue	[21]
Japan	26 January 1994	Mini-CD	A&M	[22]

References

1. Riemann, Hannsjörg (January 1994). "Platten News: Maxi-CDs". Bravo. p. 56. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
2. Masterton, James (5 December 1993). "Week Ending December 11th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
3. Jones, Alan (4 December 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles – Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
4. Hamilton, James (4 December 1993). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
5. "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 51. 24 November 1993.
6. "6. Classic Dublin music videos: Dina Carrol – The Perfect Year (1993)". Come Here To Me!. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
7. The Perfect Year (UK CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 481-2.
8. The Perfect Year (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 480-7.
9. The Perfect Year (UK cassette single sleeve). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 480-4.
10. The Perfect Year (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records. 1994. PODM-1029.
11. The Perfect Year (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 481-1.
12. The Perfect Year (European CD single liner notes). Dina Carroll. A&M Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1993. 580 488-2.
13. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 5. 29 January 1994. p. 21. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
14. "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 9. 26 February 1994. p. 22. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Perfect Year". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
16. "Dina Carroll – The Perfect Year" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
17. "Dina Carroll – The Perfect Year" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
18. "Dina Carroll: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
19. "The Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 22 January 1994. p. 26. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
20. "Top 100 Singles 1993". Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 24.
21. "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 27 November 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
22. "パーフェクト・イヤー | ディナ・キャロル" [Perfect Year | Dina Carroll] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 28 November 2023.