Saturday, May 26, 2018

Smooth Radio: Kickstart Your Cher Education With 8 of Cher's Best Ever Songs

UK Adult Contemporary radio station Smooth Radio is celebrating Cher ahead of her appearance in July's 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' by showcasing 8 of her greatest tracks:

Cher is one of the world's most popular singers and actresses, with a career spanning six decades.

From her folk-pop days as part of Sonny and Cher to her Goddess of Pop takeover in the 1990s, Cher is a tough act to beat in the enterainment game.

We can't wait to see her take on ABBA in the upcoming Mamma Mia sequel, and here are just a handful of her greatest ever songs to kickstart your Cher education:

1. 'If I Could Turn Back Time'



Released in 1989, this power ballad anthem written by Diane Warren saw Cher score a huge comeback out of nowhere.

Cher didn't want to record it first, and had to be convinced. "I got on my knees and pleaded," said Warren. "I told her I wasn't going to leave the room until she said yes, and finally, just to get rid of me, she did."

2. 'Believe'



Just when you thought Cher had seen her chart career decline, she suddenly came back and scored the biggest worldwide hit of 1998.

'Believe' and its heavy use of Auto-Tune cemented Cher's position as a pop culture icon and spent seven weeks at the top of the UK singles chart.

3. 'I Got You Babe' (as Sonny and Cher)

Cher first burst into the mainstream with this huge number one hit in 1965, when she was just 19.

Recorded with her then-husband Sonny Bono, the song was a perfect example of the flower power of the mid-1960s. Though, we can't avoid thinking about Bill Murray being trapped in time in Groundhog Day whenever we hear it!

4. 'Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves'


It's amazing to think that by 1971, Cher had already released seven albums! Taken from the album of the same name, this folk rock song was seen as an early comeback for Cher, after several years without a hit.

The song is the tale of a girl who was "born in the wagon of a traveling show," where her mother works as a dancer and her father does anything to earn money. When she is 16, her family takes in a 21-year-old man and they have an affair. The girl says she's "in trouble" three months later, and the man disappears. The girl follows in her mother's footsteps of dancing in the show and has a daughter who is born in the exact same location as she was.


5. 'Just Like Jesse James'


This rock ballad gave Cher another top 10 hit around the world in 1989. The song is a reference to legendary Wild West bandit Jesse James.

Though, like with 'If I Could Turn Back Time', she has regularly said that she has never been a fan of the song despite its success!

6. 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)'


Originally by Merry Clayton and then Betty Everett, this 1960s classic was covered by Cher to great effect in 1990.

The song was recorded for her movie Mermaids, and it became her first solo number one in the UK.

7. 'Dark Lady'


This 1974 track was Cher's last number one single in the US until 'Believe' 25 years later.

Written by The Ventures keyboard player Johnny Durrill, the song is about a woman who visits a famous fortune teller, who tells her to break up with her boyfriend. She later remembers where she smelt the fortune teller's perfume before: on her bed after a night with her lover. This won't end well.

The Cher Bible: iTunes | Google Play | Kobo

8. 'Love Can Build a Bridge' (with Neneh Cherry, Chrissie Hynde and Eric Clapton)


Originally by The Judds, it was later covered by this ultimate 1990s supergroup in 1995.

Recorded for Comic Relief that year, it was a number one single in the UK.

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