In the list, you'll see: Cher's 1965 debut 'All I Really Want To Do'; her latest studio album-to-date, 2001's 'Living Proof'; a whole bunch of compilation albums; chart-topping releases such as 'Believe'; and a few that didn't even make the charts! We start with one of the latter right now at #25!
25. 'Cherished'Released in 1977
Tracklist: Pirate; He Was Beautiful; War Paint & Soft Feathers; Love The Devil Out of Ya; She Loves To Hear the Music; L.A. Plane; Again; Dixie; Send The Man Over; Thunderstorm
Barely promoted, this studio album failed to chart anywhere and produced just one charting single, 'Pirate', which only reached #93 in the US. It's one of a few Warner Brothers albums she did in the mid-to-late 70's that still remains unreleased on CD.
24. 'Two The Hard Way'Released in 1977
Tracklist: Move Me; I Found You Love; Can You Fool; You've Really Got A hold On me; We're Gonna Make It; Do What You Gotta Do; In For The Night; Shadow Dream Song; Island; I Love Makin' Love To You; Love Me
...And here's another one of those Warner Borthers albums - and one from 1977 again too! This studio album was released by Cher and husband Gregg Allman under the name 'Allman & Woman' and contains all-duets bar Allman's solo 'Shadow Dream Song' and Cher's stunning 'island'. A mini-tour and a couple of TV appearances to promote the album failed to up its sales - the album and its singles failed to chart.
23. 'Black Rose'Released in 1980
Tracklist: Never Should've Started; Julie; Take It From The Boys; We All Fly Home; 88 Degrees; You Know It; Young and Pretty; Fast Company
Judging from this first lot of albums, it seems that Cher never had a charting album! Yes, another non-charter, but clearly a fan-favorite, is this self-titled studio album by the short-lived Cher-led group Black Rose. The album saw Cher take on a Debbie-Harry/Blondie role by fronting an otherwise all-male pop-rock group. Like the previous album in your all-time favorite Cher albums, a mini-tour and TV appearances failed to get this LP or any of its singles to chart. It did, however debut Cher's rock-chick persona which would attract millions of fans in the following years.
Released in 1992
Tracklist: Oh No Not My Baby; Whenever You're Near; Many Rivers To Cross (Live at The Mirage); Love & Understanding; Save Up All Your Tears; The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In his Kiss); If I Could Turn Back Time; Just Like Jesse James; Heart of Stone; I Found Someone; We All Sleep Alone; Bang Bang; Dead Ringer For Love; Dark Lady; Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves; I Got You Babe
...And Cher's rock-chick persona is well-represented here! Concentrating mostly on the singles from her three pop-rock Geffen albums from 1987-1991, this compilation album was aimed at audiences outside of North America. The majority of her biggest UK hits are here, where the album spent seven weeks at number one! There are three new releases on the album - its first three tracks - which were all released as singles in the UK too, with two reaching the top 40. As well as achieving triple platinum status in the UK, the album garnered a handful of further gold and platinum awards across Europe, plus four-times platinum status in New Zealand. With around 1.8 million sales already under its belt, and it now being twenty years since its release, the album still sells pretty well!
21. 'Foxy Lady'Released in 1972
Tracklist: Living In A House Divided; It Might As Well Stay Monday; A Song For You; Down, Down, Down; Don't Ever Try To Close A Rose; The First Time; Let Me Down Easy; If I Knew Then; Don't Hise Your Love; Never Been To spain
Finally, a hit studio album in your favorite albums! At the time of this released, Cher was one of the biggest female stars in the US, being watched by millions on 'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour'. She had enjoyed much success the year before with her million-plus selling album 'Gypsys Tramps & Thieves' and its mega-selling title track. She came back with the same formula for this, her next album - which boasts an usual cover which divides the opinions of fans. It didn't sell as much, and didn't get to the top 40 (it peaked at #42), but it sold around 400,000 in the States, and stayed on the charts for over five months. Its lead single 'Living In A House Divided' reached number 22 in the US before its follow-up 'Don't Hide Your Love' peaked at number 46 - the two singles combined sold around 550,000 copies worldwide.
Well, that's the first five albums revealed! How many of them do you own? Do any of them hold special memories for you? Which one of them is your favorite? Are you surprised to see any of them being included as fans' all-time favorite Cher albums? Do you love or loathe the cover of 'Foxy Lady'?
Expect to see numbers 20-16 real soon - in which there are three(!) compilation albums!
Nice to see GH: 65-92, TWO THE HARD WAY, and BLACK ROSE made the cut, but I've never been a fan of CHERISHED... FOXY LADY has some good tracks, but it's not an album I listen to very often... Oh, and I'd have to vote "loathe" on the FOXY LADY album cover... well, that's too harsh, but I definitely don't love it...
ReplyDeleteI love all the Warner Bros albums but my fave is Stars followed by I'd Rather Believe in You. I sure wish her Warner Brothers albums would finally get released on CD. I love Two the Hard Way and Black Rose and prefer Cherished over Foxy Lady. I agree, the Foxy Lady cover is not my fave either.
ReplyDeleteStars was the album that made me fall in love with 70s era Cher. I like all of the 70s Warner Bros. albums and I wish that the powers that be would release a limited edition remastered box set, I know long time fans would buy it. I read somewhere that Cher actually owns the rights to them, not sure if that's true or not.
ReplyDeleteI've always found Two the Hard Way to be a horrible album I only liked two tracks Move Me and I Love Makin' Love To You the rest of the time the singing styles just don't mix well.
I actually like the Foxy Lady cover, it's kitschy.
I wish the Warner Brothers albums would get officially put out on CD. It is amazing they have never been!!!!!
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