Cher (1987 album)

Cher is the self-titled eighteenth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released on November 10, 1987 by Geffen Records.[4] The album has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA and Gold in the UK by the BPI.[5][6]

Cher
Studio album by
Cher
ReleasedNovember 10, 1987
Recorded1987
StudioElectric Lady, The Hit Factory, Bearsville Studios, A&M Studios, Unique Recording Studios, New York City[1]& Giant Sound
GenrePop rock
Length39:48
LabelGeffen
Producer
Cher chronology
I Paralyze
(1982)		 Cher
(1987)		 Heart of Stone
(1989)
Singles from Cher
  1. "I Found Someone"
    Released: November 19, 1987
  2. "We All Sleep Alone"
    Released: January 28, 1988
  3. "Skin Deep"
    Released: 1988
  4. "Bang-Bang"
    Released: 1988
  5. "Main Man"
    Released: 1988
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]

Background

Five years after the release of Cher's last album, I Paralyze, and her decision to focus on a film career, Cher signed with Geffen Records (which would later absorb one of her former labels, MCA Records) and was rushed to the studio to record what would become her comeback album. The self-titled album, Cher, was released in the fall of 1987 and was produced by Michael Bolton, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child. Among the notable guest artists, Bonnie Tyler and Darlene Love were backing vocalists on "Perfection".

After a series of pop and disco records, Cher moved to a radio-friendly rock sound, which helped her get back onto the charts. The album includes a new version of her 1966 hit "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", Michael Bolton's "I Found Someone"—which Bolton and Mark Mangold had originally written for Laura Branigan, released on her 1985 album Hold Me—several songs written by Desmond Child, and two by Diane Warren, who would go on to write many more songs for the singer.[7]

This was also her second album to be named Cher, as Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves was initially released under the name Cher before it was retitled following the success of the single of the same name.[8] She also released a similarly-titled studio album in 1966 entitled Chér.

Reception

The album reached No. 26 in the UK and peaked at No. 32 on the US Billboard album charts.[9] The first single released from the album and its only UK top 10 hit was "I Found Someone", which reached No. 5 in the UK and No. 10 in the US.[10] The second single, "We All Sleep Alone", peaked at No. 14 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and just missed breaking the Adult Contemporary top 10 in the US, stalling at No. 11.[10] It was less successful in the UK, however, peaking at No. 47. The album's other singles were "Skin Deep", "Bang-Bang", and "Main Man", the last two released only as promo singles in North America.

Promotion

On November 13, 1987, Cher appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, where she performed "I Found Someone" and "I Got You Babe", the latter with ex-husband Sonny Bono.[11] Later released on VHS, the Late Night performance would be her last with Bono before his death. On November 21, Cher appeared as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, performing "I Found Someone" and "We All Sleep Alone".[12] The album was also promoted on UK television.

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I Found Someone"
Bolton3:42
2."We All Sleep Alone"
  • Child
  • Bon Jovi
  • Sambora
3:53
3."Bang-Bang" (1987 version)Sonny Bono
  • Child
  • Bon Jovi
  • Sambora
3:51
4."Main Man"ChildChild3:48
5."Give Our Love a Fightin' Chance"
Child4:06
6."Perfection" (featuring Bonnie Tyler and Darlene Love)
  • Child
  • Warren
Child4:28
7."Dangerous Times"
  • Roger Bruno
  • Susan Pomerantz
  • Ellen Schwartz
Peter Asher3:01
8."Skin Deep"
Lind4:16
9."Working Girl"
  • Bolton
  • Child
Child3:57
10."Hard Enough Getting Over You"
  • Bolton
  • Doug James
Bolton3:48

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.[13]

  • Peter Asher – producer (7), percussion (7)
  • Phillip Ashley – keyboards (1, 10)
  • Michael Bolton – producer (1, 10), background vocals (3)
  • Jon Bon Jovi – producer (2, 3), background vocals (2, 3)
  • Jeff Bova – keyboards (1, 10)
  • Jimmy Bralower – drums (6, 9)
  • David Bryan – keyboards (2, 3), synthesizer (2)
  • Rosemary Butler – background vocals (7)
  • Thom Cadley – assistant engineer
  • Elaine Caswell – background vocals (4-6, 9)
  • Cher – primary artist, vocals
  • Desmond Child – producer (2-6, 9), background vocals (2-4, 9)
  • Michael Christopher – engineer (1, 10)
  • George Cowan – assistant engineer
  • Bridget Daly – assistant engineer
  • Patty d'Arcy – background vocals (1, 10)
  • Jim Dineen – assistant engineer
  • Debra Dobkin – background vocals (8)
  • Michael Fisher – percussion (7)
  • Chris Floberg – assistant engineer
  • Greg Fulginiti – original mastering
  • Albhy Galuten – drums, additional production (10)
  • Seth Glassman – bass guitar (4)
  • Mark Goldenberg – guitar
  • Diana Grasselli – background vocals (3, 6)
  • Jimmy Haslip – bass guitar (8)
  • Jay Healy – assistant engineer
  • Chris Isca – assistant engineer
  • Rob Jacobs – additional engineering (2, 3)
  • Doug Katsaros – keyboards (1)
  • Chuck Kentis – keyboards, synthesizer (4-6, 9), additional keyboards (2, 3)
  • Daren Klein – engineer (8)
  • Larry Klein – bass guitar (7)
  • Holly Knight – background vocals (2), additional keyboards (3)
  • Craig Krampf – drums and drum programming (8)
  • Matthew "Boomer" La Monica – assistant engineer
  • Chris Laidlaw – assistant engineer
  • Michael Landau – guitar (7)
  • Will Lee – bass guitar (1, 10)
  • Tony Levin – bass guitar (9)
  • Jolie Jones Levine – assistant producer (8)
  • Jon Lind – producer (8)
  • Ken Lomas – assistant engineer
  • Darlene Love – featured vocals (6)
  • Steve Lukather – guitar (1)
  • Bob Mackie – clothing/wardrobe, wardrobe
  • Gregg Mangiafico – keyboards and synthesizer (5, 6, 9)
  • Bob Mann – guitar solo (7)
  • Jerry Marotta – drums (4-6, 9)
  • Arnold McCuller – background vocals (7)
  • John McCurry – guitar (1, 4-6, 10)
  • Dave Meniketti – background vocals (3)
  • Louis Merlino – background vocals (2, 4-6, 9)
  • Mark Morgan – synthesizer, Hammond organ (8)
  • Nancy Nash – background vocals (2)
  • Gene Parciasepe - additional engineering (6, 9)
  • Chris Parker – drums (1)
  • Mark Partis – additional engineering (10)
  • Bill Payne – keyboards (7)
  • Sir Arthur Payson – engineer (2-6, 9)
  • Frank Pekoc – assistant engineer
  • Csaba Petocz – engineer (8)
  • John Putnam – guitar (4, 9)
  • Gabrielle Raumberger – art direction, design, hand tinting
  • Sharon Rice – assistant engineer
  • Vicki Sue Robinson – background vocals (10)
  • Bob Rock – mixing (2, 3)
  • Matthew Rolston – photography
  • Richie Sambora – producer (2, 3), guitar (2, 3), background vocals (2)
  • Brian Scheuble – assistant engineer
  • Michael Schmidt – clothing and wardrobe, wardrobe
  • Bernie Shanahan – background vocals (2, 3, 9)
  • Ira Siegel – guitar (10)
  • John Siegler – bass guitar (5)
  • Gary Solomon – assistant engineer
  • Ken Steiger – assistant engineer
  • Alec John Such – bass guitar (2, 3)
  • Bette Sussman – piano (4)
  • David Thoener – mixing (1, 4-6, 8-10)
  • Michael Thompson – guitar (8)
  • Tico Torres – drums (2, 3)
  • Ted Trewhella – assistant engineer
  • Joe Lynn Turner – background vocals (2-4, 6, 9)
  • Red Turner – clothing and wardrobe
  • Bonnie Tyler – featured vocals (6)
  • Myriam Naomi Valle – background vocals (3-6, 9)
  • John Van Tongeren – synthesizer (8), bass guitar (8)
  • Jim Vanzino – assistant engineer
  • Carlos Vega – drums (7)
  • Bob Vogt – assistant engineer
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitar (7)
  • Diane Warren – background vocals (6)
  • Julia Waters – background vocals (8)
  • Maxine Willard Waters – background vocals (8)
  • Maurice White – vamp vocals (8)
  • Melanie Williams – coordination
  • Frank Wolf – engineer and mixing (7)
  • Gary Wright – assistant engineer
  • Shelly Yakus – additional engineering (3)

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[23] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. https://www.facebook.com/UniqueRecordingStudios/photos/a.649655181769411/649657098435886/?type=3&theater
  2. Jose F. Promis. "Cher: Cher". Allmusic.
  3. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 158. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone cher album guide.
  4. Cher: Cher. Geffen Records. November 10, 1987.
  5. "Cher: Cher". riaa.com.
  6. "Cher: Cher". bpi.co.uk.
  7. "Cher Review". CherScholar.com. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
  8. "Allmusic: Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves". Retrieved 2013-01-28.
  9. "Artist Chart History- Cher". Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  10. "Artist Chart History- Cher (Singles)". Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  11. https://diffuser.fm/sonny-and-cher-letterman-reunion/
  12. https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/season-13/episode/5-candice-bergen-with-cher-64356
  13. "Cher [1987] - Cher | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  14. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  15. "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  16. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  17. [1987&cat=a "Swedishcharts.com – Cher – Cher [1987]"]. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  18. "Cher | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  19. "Cher Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  20. "Top Pop Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  21. ARIA Cher data
  22. "British album certifications – Cher – Cher". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Cher in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  23. "American album certifications – Cher – Cher". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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