LIVE: THE FAREWELL TOUR
Cher

Hard to believe, but after a career spanning 40 years, this is Cher's first solo live recording. From the liner notes:

Reflecting her amazing 40 years as the ultimate Diva, Living Proof - The Farewell Tour presents Cher at the peak of her sparkling, glittering, showstopping powers. Recorded before an ecstatic Miami crowd, the concert originally aired as an NBC special. It touches every level of Cher's incredible career - each of her triumphs in music, TV, theater and movies. Living Proof - The Farewell Tour is not only Cher's concert swansong but also her most successful tour ever - more than 150 shows to over 1.5 million fans in North America alone. Once and for all, Cher is "living proof" that real talent not only endures but conquers.

Nice, but in the age of the DVD some of the shine disappears from a live CD release, and most fans spent their money on the better-value DVD.

IT'S A MAN'S WORLD
Cher

Said Billboard Magazine at the time:

When the world last heard Cher's instantly recognizable warbling, it was in the role of a swaggering faux metal mama. She opens a promising new chapter in her long and winding recording career on a softer, often sullen rhythm pop note, revealing vibrant and previously unheard colors of her voice. And while it might be difficult for some to separate the informercial hawker from the artist, there is no denying her successful diva stretch on Trevor Horn's gloriously bombastic production of the Walker Bros. evergreen "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" or her surprisingly soulful falsetto on the set's charming first single, "One By One."

LOVE HURTS
Cher

Cher said of Love Hurts, "If I had not come back to a musical career I would have missed doing this album. That would have been a real disappointment. Part of the reason this was an easy album is that the music is closest to what I like: guitars, rock 'n roll, but not too heavy ... All of the songs that kept coming into this album were all either wishing you were in love songs, being in love songs, or being out ouf love songs and just kind of went together".

From the liner notes:

Hans Christian Andersen wrote this well-loved story of the lonely ugly duckling who finally discovers who he is. Andersen's insight into human nature is made even more memorable by Cher's distinctive narration and an enchanting score of traditional music arranged by Dan Drasin with Patric Ball, performed by Patrick Ball on Celtic harp and accompanied by Joan Jeanrenaud on cello.

CHER
Cher

Cher was wooed by John Kalodner to get back into the recording studio after five years. Kalodner said, "She didn't want to sing again. Not one person that I spoke to ever thought she'd have a hit again. They thought I was out of my mind". Cher also added, "I was really nervous at first. I didn't sing for about five years, not even in the shower". The public had all but forgotten Cher "the singer", and Cher herself said, "It's bizarre - I couldn't become an actress for five years because I was a singer. Now everybody is worried people aren't going to accept me as a singer because I'm an actress".

BLACK ROSE
Cher and Black Rose

The Black Rose Album failed to chart and marked the end of Cher's association with Casablanca. Bob Esty later said, "To think that Cher even gave a second thought to how the public would react to Black Rose is silly. She sang rock 'n roll because she had a passion for it".

PRISONER
Cher

Originally titled Mirror Image the album was meant to reflect on the problems of fame and retaining a true self-image. The album re-united her with Bob Esty and included songs which reflected her lifestyle. After the mediocre showing of the single Hell On Wheels there was concern about the album's reception. The title was changed to Prisoner and a number of tracks, including the title song, were added at the last minute. The cover of Cher naked and in chains caused a minor furor amongst womens groups who objected to the image.

TAKE ME HOME
Cher

Cher left Warners after the failure of Two The Hardway and joined Casablanca. It was there she was introduced to Gene Simmons of KISS fame, and the two began a passionate affair. The album cover was Simmons' concept and featured Cher in a brass armour bikini and a Viking-style helmet. After recording six songs which failed to impress Casablanca chief Mark Hudson, he teamed her up with disco writer/producer Bob Esty, who had worked with Donna Summer, and most recently written The Main Event/Fight for Barbra Streisand. Esty said, "The concept we had for Cher was that she was a take-home kind of person and she would not find it at all strange to ask a guy up front to take her home and have sex with her. To us, that was Cher." Phew!

TWO THE HARD WAY
Cher & Gregg Allman

Critics felt Cher and Allman were hopelessly mismatched and the album was universally panned. Two The Hardway was released under the artist title Allman and Woman - Cher's name was noticeably absent. Cher later said, "My publicist said I couldn't possibly have a record without my name on it, so I fired the publicist".

CHERISHED
Cher

Cherished re-united Cher once again with producer Snuff Garrett. Coming on the heels of two disappointing outings with Warner Bros, and amidst personal problems with her marriage to Gregg Allman, Cher's heart simply wasn't in the recording of this album. Snuff Garrett later claimed, "Her attitude to the whole thing was I'm committed to Warners to do this album, and I'll do it, but I ain't gonna like it". Again, the critics were unkind, with Rolling Stone concluding, "A singer with a voice as distinctive as Cher's deserves better treatment".

I'D RATHER BELIEVE IN YOU
Cher

Cher was pregnant with Elijah when she recorded her second Warner's album. Said producer Michael Omartian, "I was amazed at how it didn't prohibit her from being able to get a lot out of her voice. She was pretty far along, and the only thing that would happen was she would have to take a break every once in a while and say it was really exhausting her". Both the album and the singles failed to chart, and Omartian blamed the labels' lack of marketing strategy, "I remember now that we used to have a lot of meetings (with Warner's executives), but nobody knew what to do with her".

STARS
Cher

Cher moved labels to Warner Bros, and released her first album Stars, produced by Jimmy Webb. It featured an eclectic selection of tracks, but failed to sell. The critics were not kind, with the Los Angeles Times saying she "fails to add any insight to the lyrics or vitality to the spirit of the songs". Time has been kind to Stars, and it remains a favourite among fans who regard it as one of Cher's most sought after recordings. Cher herself has said it was one of the few projects she really felt worthwhile.

DARK LADY
Cher

Said Billboard Magazine at the time:

This could finally be the LP that will establish Cher as a major album artist as well as a sure single seller, TV and club star. She has a distinctive style which immediately identifies her, yet she is able to handle songs ranging from straight Top 40 pop to country to show type music to rock to ballads. In short, this set, more than any she has done before, exposes just how versatile this lady is. With top production from Snuff Garrett and Al Caps' fine arrangements, there is little territory not covered by Cher here. She is appealing to all her audiences, not too much for any yet not too little either. In short, she has put together a recognizable voice with fine songs, a set that flows throughout and superb production. Best cuts: "Train of Thought," "Dark Lady," "Miss Subway of 1952," "Dixie Girl," "Rescue Me."

HALF BREED
Cher

Snuff Garret and Cher were re-united after the song Half Breed landed on his desk. He was determined that no-one else but Cher was going to record it. However, following their earlier disagreement, Garrett produced the entire album on the express understanding that Sonny was not to appear in the studio during recording.

BITTERSWEET WHITELIGHT
Cher

Snuff Garrett had a falling out with the Bonos after Sonny refused The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia as Cher's next single. Cher had no idea that she had been presented with the opportunity. The song was later a huge hit for Vikki Lawrence. Consequently, Sonny produced Cher's next album, Bittersweet Whitelight, which was a collection of 1940's standards, often sung by Cher during her solo spot on the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.

THE TWO OF US
Sonny & Cher

This was a double LP re-packaging their 60's releases Look at Us and In Case You're in Love

GYPSYS, TRAMPS & THIEVES
Cher

Snuff Garrett was Sonny and Cher's next door neighbour at the time, and became her producer for many of her chart hits in the 70's. He was determined to introduce Cher to new material, one of which was Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves. Said Garrett, "I was looking for something on the lines of Son of a Preacher Man. To me this was a song that Cher could do". The single hit no 1 in the US and no 4 in the UK. The success of the album, single and now a weekly variety show on television launched a new era of success for Sonny & Cher.

3614 JACKSON HIGHWAY
Cher

This was Cher's most ambitious project of the 60's and was an attempt to get deeper into music that was rhythm and blues. It was also the first time that Sonny took a back seat and put Cher in the hands of other producers, although he was still there for support (Cher's dedication on the album: Spiritual Guidance - Sonny Bono). Unfortunately it was neither a critical or commerical success, although remains a favourite among fans.

Cher also wrote the liner notes which read:
I want to write something that when you read it you'll say, "yeh that's really groovy", but all I can tell you is what's in my heart, and if you can dig it - then I'm happy and if you can't then I'm sorry.

Music sets me free, it makes me feel all the things of life. Sometimes when I hear a groovy song it makes me want to get in my car and just drive and sing at the top of my lungs, other times when I hear a song it makes me cry. I don't know if I'm sad or happy but it really doesn't matter. Music can take you away from the bad and bring you closer to the good in life, I really hope the music in this album brings you closer!

GOOD TIMES (SOUNDTRACK)
Sonny & Cher

The Good Times soundtrack was only released in the US in an effort to help the films success at the box office. Both flopped. The Director of the film, William Friedkin (The Exorcist) said later, "As soon as the film was released, acid rock came in and wiped out the whole message of Sonny & Cher".

WITH LOVE - CHER
Cher

Hoping to capture the Christmas market, the album was released in December 1967, but was poorly received. However, the single from this album You'd Better Sit Down Kids (again written by Sonny) was a bit hit and reached no 9 in the US.

ALL I REALLY WANT TO DO
Cher

With material like Bob Dylan's All I Really Want To Do Cher's early recordings led her to be tagged a folk singer. Sonny & Cher's producer at the time, Harold Battiste said: "Cher was a folk-singer at heart, and the solo albums were a reflection of her personality while the duo albums were a reflection of his. There was a sincerity in her sound, which in my opinion was the most important thing. She surrendered to her emotions and I felt really gave the material her all".

LOOK AT US
Sonny & Cher

The couple were refused admittance into the Hilton Hotel in London and the American Hotel in New York, and all of a sudden they were the hottest thing in music. On the strength of I Got you Babe which hit the number one spot Stateside and in the UK, Look at Us debuted at 59 and jumped to the number 5 slot the following week. The album sold 205,000 copies in just the first four days of release, and went on to sell 2 million copies.

BABY DON'T GO
Sonny & Cher (and friends)

While officially the first album of Sonny & Cher, there are only 5 tracks sung by the pair. These are first songs Sonny & Cher ever recorded, and four of the five were released as singles. "Baby Don't Go" became a huge hit after "I Got You Babe" had hit the charts, peaking at #8 in the US and #11 in the UK. In "Love Is Strange" they actually call each other "Caesar" and "Cleo", the name they used in one of their earlier incarnations . It was a minor hit, peaking at #131 in Billboard in April of 1965.