{{Short description|1991 single by Celine Dion}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} "'''The Last to Know'''" is a song by Scottish singer Sheena Easton, included on her 1987 album ''No Sound But a Heart''. It was written by Brock Walsh and Phil Galdston, and produced by Nick Martinelli. Easton's album was not commercially successful, and several songs from ''No Sound But a Heart'' were later recorded by other artists. "The Last to Know" was covered by Canadian singer Celine Dion for her 1990 English-language debut album, ''Unison''.
== Celine Dion version == {{Infobox song | name = The Last to Know | cover = The Last To Know album cover.jpg | border = yes | type = single | artist = Celine Dion | album = Unison | B-side = Unison | released = {{Start date|1991|3|df=yes}} | studio = West Side (London) | genre = Pop | length = 4:34 | label = * Columbia * Epic | writer = * Brock Walsh * Phil Galdston | producer = Christopher Neil | prev_title = Where Does My Heart Beat Now | prev_year = 1990 | next_title = Beauty and the Beast | next_year = 1991 | misc = {{External music video | {{YouTube|wbzKVVkkPvc|"The Last to Know"}} }} }}
Canadian singer Celine Dion recorded "The Last to Know" for her first English-language album, ''Unison'' (1990). The song was released by Columbia Records as the album's fourth single in Canada in March 1991, followed by releases in other regions later that year. Written by Brock Walsh and Phil Galdston, it was originally recorded by Sheena Easton in 1987. Dion's version was produced by Christopher Neil.
After its release, "The Last to Know" received positive reviews from music critics. It peaked at number 16 in Canada and number 7 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart. In the United States, it reached number 22 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. The accompanying music video was directed by Dominic Orlando. Dion performed the song during her Unison Tour.<ref>{{cite book |author=Glatzer, Jenna |title=Céline Dion: For Keeps |url=https://archive.org/details/celinedionforkee0000glat |url-access=registration |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |year=2005 |isbn=0-7407-5559-5}}</ref>
=== Background and release === "The Last to Know" was one of three covers recorded by Dion for ''Unison''. Produced by British record producer Christopher Neil, it was issued as the fourth single in Canada in March 1991, the third single in the United States in June 1991, and the third single in other international markets in September 1991. In the United Kingdom, it was released as the second single, following "Where Does My Heart Beat Now". The single's B-side included the remix of "Unison" in the United States and the album version elsewhere.
=== Critical reception === Larry Flick from ''Billboard'' wrote that Dion "returns to familiar ballad territory" and described the track as a "lovely tune".<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-07-06.pdf |title=Single Reviews |magazine=Billboard |date=6 July 1991 |access-date=13 February 2020 |page=63}}</ref> Jim Farber of ''Entertainment Weekly'' noted that songs such as "If Love Is Out the Question" and "The Last to Know" are "lush vehicles" elevated by Dion's distinctive voice.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,313100,00.html |title=Unison (1991) |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=13 May 2013 |archive-date=25 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625165657/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,313100,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Christopher Smith from TalkAboutPopMusic described it as a "slow and sensual ballad with an atmospheric, synth-based arrangement".<ref>{{cite web |author=Smith, Christopher |url=https://talkaboutpopmusic.com/2019/10/12/review-unison-celine-dion/ |title=REVIEW: 'UNISON' – CELINE DION |publisher=TalkAboutPopMusic |date=12 October 2019 |access-date=14 April 2020}}</ref>
=== Commercial performance === In Canada, "The Last to Know" entered the ''RPM'' Top Singles chart on 16 March 1991 and peaked at number 16 on 25 May 1991. It also reached number seven on the ''RPM'' Adult Contemporary chart. In the United States, the song debuted on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart dated 13 July 1991 and peaked at number 22 on 31 August 1991.
=== Live performances === Dion performed "The Last to Know" on ''The Tonight Show'' in March 1991 and during her 1990–91 Unison Tour.
=== Formats and track listing === * '''Australian cassette and CD single; Japanese 3-inch CD single''' # "The Last to Know" – 4:34 # "Unison" – 4:12
* '''Canadian cassette single; European 7-inch and cassette single''' # "The Last to Know" (edit) – 4:18 # "Unison" – 4:12
* '''European CD single''' # "The Last to Know" (edit) – 4:18 # "Unison" – 4:12 # "If We Could Start Over" – 4:23
* '''US 7-inch and cassette single''' # "The Last to Know" (edit) – 4:18 # "Unison" (remix) – 4:04
=== Charts === {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
==== Weekly charts ==== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ {{sro|Weekly chart performance}} ! scope="col"| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian (ARIA)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/1iEUqcX.jpg |title=Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 14 November 2016 |publisher=Imgur.com |access-date=17 March 2017}}</ref> | 134 |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|16|chartid=1528|rowheader=true|accessdate=3 September 2014}} |- {{single chart|Canadaadultcontemporary|7|chartid=1517|rowheader=true|accessdate=3 September 2014}} |- ! scope="row"| Canada Retail Singles (''The Record'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-05-25.pdf |title=Hits of the World |magazine=Billboard |page=63 |date=25 May 1991 |access-date=2 June 2015}}</ref> | 17 |- ! scope="row"| Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (''The Record'')<ref>{{cite book |author=Nanda Lwin |author-link=Nanda Lwin |title=Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide |publisher=Music Data Canada |year=1999 |isbn=1-896594-13-1}}</ref> | 13 |- ! scope="row"| Quebec Radio Songs (ADISQ)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/collections_patrimoniales/musique/collection_numerique/bd_specialisee/palmares/ |title=Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec |publisher=BAnQ |language=French |access-date=17 March 2019 |archive-date=9 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809215510/http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/collections_patrimoniales/musique/collection_numerique/bd_specialisee/palmares/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> | 1 |- {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|22|artist=Celine Dion|rowheader=true|accessdate=6 September 2014}} |} {{col-2}}
==== Year-end charts ==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ {{sro|Year-end chart performance}} ! scope="col"| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Canada Adult Contemporary (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.1706&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.1706.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.1706 |title=RPM 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1991 |work=RPM |date=21 December 1991 |access-date=6 September 2014}}</ref> | 56 |} {{col-end}}
=== Credits and personnel === ;Recording * Recorded at West Side Studios, London
;Personnel * Celine Dion – lead vocals * Christopher Neil – producer, backing vocals * Brock Walsh – songwriter * Phil Galdston – songwriter * Steve Pigott – keyboards, bass, drums, percussion * Alan Carvell – backing vocals * Linda Taylor – backing vocals * Simon Hurrell – engineer
=== Release history === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ {{sro|Release history}} ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row"| Canada | March 1991 | Cassette | Columbia | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=Hits to Watch: The Last to Know |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/RPM/90s/1991/RPM-1991-03-16.pdf |magazine=RPM |date=16 March 1991 |volume=53 |issue=15 |page=1 |access-date=3 April 2026}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| United States | June 1991 | {{hlist|7-inch vinyl|cassette}} | Epic | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=Reviews by Diane Rufer & Ron Fell |magazine=Gavin Report |issue=1861 |date=21 June 1991 |page=32 |access-date=3 April 2026 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/91/Gavin-1991-06-28.pdf}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Japan | 25 July 1991 | 3-inch CD | SMEJ | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/98172/products/107736/1/ |title=ラスト・トゥ・ノウ |publisher=Oricon |language=ja |access-date=27 December 2022}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Australia | 2 September 1991 | {{hlist|Cassette|CD}} | Columbia | <ref>{{cite magazine |title=New Release Summary – Product Available from : 02/09/91: Singles |magazine=The ARIA Report |issue=84 |page=19 |date=1 September 1991}}</ref> |- !scope="row" rowspan="2"| United Kingdom | 4 November 1991 | {{hlist|7-inch vinyl|cassette|CD}} | rowspan="2"| Epic | <ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-02.pdf |title=New Releases |magazine=Music Week |page=23 |date=2 November 1991 |access-date=29 December 2022}}</ref> |- | 11 November 1991 | 7-inch vinyl with poster | <ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1991/MW-1991-11-09.pdf |title=New Releases |magazine=Music Week |page=21 |date=9 November 1991 |access-date=29 December 2022}}</ref> |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Discogs master|244635|The Last to Know|type=single}}
{{Celine Dion songs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Last to Know, The}} Category:1987 songs Category:1991 singles Category:Celine Dion songs Category:Music videos directed by Dominic Orlando Category:Pop ballads Category:Song recordings produced by Christopher Neil Category:Songs written by Phil Galdston