Cher

the dvd of her "last performance" which shares the same cover design is far superior to this version, songs, etc.

expecting a great album and found a lousy poorly arranged album, choice of songs are terrible!!!

After The Nuclear Holocaust There Will Be Cockroaches And Cher.

This is a Great set of songs, to start off ... you would need at least 10 volume's to get near "The Very Best of Cher" (Nielsen SoundScan reports sales of over 2.3 million in the United States)
Cher first charted on Billboard (Bubbling Under The Hot 100) on 12-26-1964 with "Baby Don't Go", a Sonny and Cher song that eventually reached #8 on the "Billboard Hot 100" in 1965 (and one of my Favorite songs) Cher has gone on to win a Grammy for "Believe" and an Emmy for "Cher: The Farewell Tour" (16.6 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research)
Cher's movie's include "Silkwood", "Mask" and "Moonstruck" (Best Actress Academy Award winner)
Cher has talked about politics on occasion, most recently voicing support for Hillary Clinton for President - After all the votes were counted and certified in the 2008 Presidential Primary race, Hillary Clinton not only received more votes than any of her rivals, she received more votes than any other Presidential Primary candidate in history.

THE BEAT GOES ON (#6, Billboard Hot 100, 1967 Sonny & Cher)

An amazing span of work. Cher truly knew how to reinvent herself over the decades and come out with a winning hit that would have next generations of fans listening to her songs. Way to go Cher! I like all of the songs on this cd.

It has alot of good songs, but I felt it needed more I would have liked to be a 2 disc set then it would have been the very best cause a lot of my faviorite songs were not in it!
Like Carousel Men etc...
but it is still good and worth getting!

I love this song. I feel like I shut everyone out of my life, people have left out of my life. Though I never have felt deep down that I have made a mistake in my life, maybe I just made the biggest today. Yes, I shut someone out that means the world to me. If I turned back time would that make a difference in my life, probably not but the people I care about would be in my life. Thanks Cher 1 fan forever If only I could Turn Back Time.

Classic Cher all the way - hit after hit after hit! Sixteen of her familiar, some not so familiar, songs from over the years are featured here and I would highly recommend you adding this CD to your collection. From "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" to "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves", you will find yourself happily singing along to arrangements that only Cher is capable of. Order it today - you won't regret it!

Cher is one of the top entertainers of the last 50 years. Her voice is like herself, just Cher. She is truely the BEST.

The CD came in great condition and the service from the seller was very good.

Cher has one of the Best voices in the Pop/Rock arena. This is a great showcase.

Cher has had at least one Top-Ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart while in her Teens, Twenties, Thirties, Fourtys and Fifties.
Cher has charted at least two Top-Ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and 1990's
Cher has achieved this as a solo artist.
Working with her husband, Sonny Bono, as Sonny & Cher, Cher charted at least 2 songs in the Top-Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in her Teens and Twenties and in the 1960's and 1970's -they divorced in 1975, when Cher was in her 20's.
Cher was born May 20th 1946.

TEENS
Bang Bang (my baby shot me down) #2 (1966) age 19
-I Got You Babe #1 for 3 weeks Sonny & Cher (1965) age 19
-Baby Don't Go #8 Sonny & Cher (1965) age 19

TWENTIES
You Better Sit Down Kids #9 (1967) age 21
Gypsies Tramps and Thieves #1 for 2 weeks (1971) age 25
The Way Of Love #7 (1972) age 25
Half Breed #1 for 2 weeks (1973) age 27
Dark Lady #1 (1974) age 27
-The Beat Goes On #6 Sonny & Cher (1967) age 20
-All I Ever Need Is You #7 Sonny & Cher (1971) age 25
-A Cowboys Work Is Never Done #8 Sonny & Cher (1972) age 25

THIRTIES
Take Me Home #8 (1979) age 32

FOURTYS
I Found Someone #10 (1988) age 41
After All #6 (1989) duet with Peter Cetera -age 42, turned age 43
If I Could Turn Back Time #3 (1989) age 43
Just Like Jesse James #8 (1989/90) age 43
-this song gave Cher a Top-10 in 4 decades -Dec 16,1989 #10, Dec 23,1989 #8, Dec 30,1989 #8, Jan 6,1990 #8, Jan 13,1990 #8

FIFTIES
Believe #1 for 4 weeks (1999) age 52
--This song gave Cher the longest span of #1 hits
27 years and 5 months -Gypsies,Tramps and Thieves 11-6-1971 to 4-3-1999 Believe
33 years,7 months and 3 weeks -I Got You Babe 8-14-1965 to 4-3-1999 Believe.

Nielsen Soundscan - U.S. album sales information:
Believe -3.6 million copies sold
Living Proof -500,000 copies sold
The Very Beat of Cher -2.4 million copies sold

Nielsen Media Research:
16.6 million viewers "Cher:The Farewell Tour" -4-8-2003

$194,683,927 million "Cher:The Farewell Tour"
for 280 North American shows ("Cher played 325 (global) dates grossing well over $200 million" Ray Waddell Billboard Magazine 5-28-2005)

From August 1-1971 to August 31-1977 Cher had network Variety shows that ended when their TV contract was up and Sonny and Cher choose not to renew the contract (according to CBS-TV President Robert Wussler April 1977)

1987 Best Actress Academy Award for "Moonstruck"
1985 Cannes Best Actress Award for "Mask"
1983 Best Supporting Actress Award nomination for "Silkwood"
-Cher,who has been on many Vogue covers, wore no make-up in Silkwood

Cher has dabbled in talking about politics, most recently voicing support for Hillary Clinton for President. After all the 2008 Presidential Primary votes were counted and certified, Hillary Clinton not only won more votes than any of her rivals, she received more votes than any Presidential Primary candidate in history.

BELIEVE * CHART REVIEW

ALBUM
#4 - 11-28-1998 USA 76 weeks on Billboard 200 Album chart
#7 - 11-7-1998 UK 44 weeks on 75 position chart
#1 for 4 weeks -Nov 1998 Germany 52 wks on 100 position Media Control chart
#1 European Album of 1999, according to Music and Media

CHARTING SINGLES (in a few of the larger recording markets)

1 -BELIEVE
#1 for 4 weeks 12-19-1998 US 31 weeks on Billboard Hot 100
14 weeks in Top 5,16 weeks in Top 10
#3 2-27-1999 45 wks on Billboard 30 position Adult Contemporary chart
#1 for 5 wks 11-14-1998 15 wks on Billboard 50 position Club Play chart
Best Selling single of 1999 in U.S. according to Nielsen Soundscan

#1 for 14 weeks 10-31-1998 European Music and Media Hot 100
20 weeks in Top 5, 24 wks in Top 10, 30 wks on chart

#1 for 7 weeks 10-31-1998 UK 28 wks on 75 position chart
The Best Selling Single of 1998

#1 for 4 wks Nov 1998 Germany 26 wks on Media Control 100 position chart. 12 weeks in Top 5, 17 weeks in Top 10.

2 -STRONG ENOUGH
#57 for 4 weeks 5-22-1999 12 wks on Billboard Hot 100
#29 7-31-1999 2 wks on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart
#1 3-27-1999 13 wks on Billboard Club Play chart

#3 3-6-1999 European Hot 100, 21 wks on chart (8 weeks in Top 5, 11 wks in Top 10)

#5 3-6-1999 UK 10 weeks on chart

#3 Feb 1999 Germany 15 wks on chart(3 wks in the Top 5, 6 wks in Top 10)

3 -ALL OR NOTHING
#39 6-26-1999 European Hot 100, 14 weeks on chart

#12 6-19-1999 UK 7 weeks on chart

#44 June 1999 Germany 9 weeks on chart

#1 7-31-1999 15 weeks on Billboard Club Play chart

4 -Dov'e L'Amore
#30 11-27-1999 European Hot 100

#21 11-6-1999 UK 3weeks on chart

#31 Nov 1999 Germany 9 weeks on chart

#5 11-20-1999 US 13 weeks on Billboard Club Play chart.
The "Club Play" chart is compiled from a national sample of Dance Club Playlists. "Club Play" is not counted towards the Billboard Hot 100.

Cher's interests include talking about politics, most recently supporting Hillary Clinton for President, Senator Hillary Clinton went on to earn more votes than any of her rivals, and more votes than any Presidential Primary candidate in the history of America.

Yes!

If you want to turn a Cher fan ,buy this first .
This album turned me a Cher fan !!! It's amazing!

Here's my review of each song , rated and with comments :

BELIEVE : A powerful song , that made history around the world , to date is it very known. It's very pop and gay indeed lol ! 5 / 5

THE POWER : Not danceable as BELIEVE but it's a good song to dance slow. I love it. It got something that you will feel in your heartbeat . I guess is one of the best slow tracks of her , but it's not a ballad but not a fast song ;) !! 4 / 5

RUNAWAY : My cher's favourite song !! 100% Electronica with Pop! I love it! It's like a dark song that would change the future! One of the best produced song ever! Love it !! 5 / 5

ALL OR NOTHING : Another great song as BELIEVE and RUNAWAY ! Very danceful ! I love it ! It got some gay beat but very pop ! I love it :p The lyrics are very matched to the song. One of my faves 5 / 5

STRONG ENOUGH : Like an himn ! I love it ! The song that when I listen it , I can't stop listening it! It's catchy and lovely ^^ 5 / 5

DOVE LMORE : I hope it writes like tha lol ! Wow , a flamenco-pop-r&b style song :p Love it! You would dance it until you die! It's perfect to dance at nights with your boyfriend ^^ 5 / 5

TAKIN' BACK MY HEART : I can say that this song it's like a second part of the song THE POWER . Very similar but very nice ! I love it. It's not fast as the most of the album's song but it is at least exellent for nights 3,5 / 5

TAXI TAXI : I guess it's like an 80 song recorded in 1998 . I love it. But there is a intrumentation very boring at the beggining but it's nice when the chorus take part . 4 / 5

LOVE IS THE GROOVE : The worst song of Cher! I don't like it , so I think it won't be useful to me to talk about it ;) Just boring but it's not so bad , but she has better ;) 2 / 5

WE ALL SLEEP ALONE (Remix) : I thought this was the original song lol! Love it! The remix is such good as the original! You will love it :p
5 / 5



YOU WILL LOVE THIS ALBUM !

It is not a mystery why this disc was as successful as it became. Nine years after its initial release, the songs sound as fresh and enticing as they did when I first listened to it. The program is full of pulsating dance numbers: "Believe," "Strong Enough," "All Or Nothing." Cher reworks one of her moderate hits from the late 1980s, "We All Sleep Alone," into a beat-driven disco song. And "Dov'e L'Amore" is a song reminiscent of her Snuff Garrett days, appropriately modernized.

Cher's continuing ability to realign herself in center stage after a period of relative dormancy proved undiminished when "Believe" hit the airwaves. More importantly, it made people more aware of Cher's musical standing: She outlasted 99% of her contemporaries from the early '60s and her ability to entertain only grew as time passed. More than ever, we need to be reminded that its okay to have fun and there's no better person to remind us of that than Cher.

I bought this CD today at the store. I really like some of the songs, and I don't like some of the others. This is my first Cher CD so I'm not a fan or anything, in fact I don't particularly know about her much at all. But this is a good CD. I bought it for $3.99 used, and I think that's what it's worth. It's certainly not worth $14.99. If you can get it for a cheap price and you like, disco/electric music, then I think you'll like it.

I want to tell you people who is a Cher's fan how much I truly love her when I first heard of "Believe" at the club with my friends. I always knew I never like Cher because my family didn't know I was gay that time and when I came out of the closet when I brought my very first ex-lover and my family felt bad and they supported me and loves me no matter what and told me alot about true story about Cher about her daughter that was gay. My family was an old-fashioned and they felt that gay were sinned until I came out of the closet then I went out with friends and I heard "Believe" and I asked my friends who sang this song and they said "Cher" I was so shocked and I told my friends I loved this song so I went and bought her CD "Believe" which was my first CD I bought of hers. When my ex and I went and picked up my mother and grandmother and I forgot to take the CD out of my car but my ex and I was in a hurry because we were like 2 hours late and when my car was started and then the song called "Believe" started playing and I had to turn the music off quickly and my mother told me that she wanted to hear it so I left it on and grandmother said and asked: This song is very good who was it? and I said it was Cher and we all 3 talked about Cher's daughter being gay and my family loves Cher as much as I love Cher!! Very very sad story of my life with me and my family. I love you Cher and my family and friends and thank you all for being there for me and I cant thank you all enough for who I truly am!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

i don't know why but i've always liked Sonny and Cher. It's very strange because i think that Cher's solo career is very unsatisfying save gypsies tramps and theives. but this collection is great. if you love 60's music it's a must have

A great CD of Sonny & Cher's first era of hits in the 60's. Very underrated pop classics, especially the songs written by Sonny. They are all here, as far as the biggest chart hits. Nice liner notes & photos too. This was the VERY first Sonny & Cher best of CD in the US issued in the early 90's. It is a superb collection of the duo's greatest hits, plus a couple of Sonny's solo chart hits, like the punkish LAUGH AT ME.

The ONLY thing that could have made it more complete would be the inclusion of S&C's late 60's Atco singles that were not hits. Songs like Sonny's original tunes for them like CIRCUS, GET IT TOGETHER, HOLD YOU TIGHTER and others would have made it far more complete. Seeing as how this CD was issued in the early 90's, and with Sonny's passing, it would be a wonderful idea for Rhino to do a more complete history of S&C's music , and include all the early Reprise songs from where BABY DON'T GO , LOVE IS STRANGE, DO YOU WANT TO DANCE, and others began their career to the end of their Atco contract in 1969-1970. Too much to ask or not?

A fine CD of some of the much loved pop duo, and their enduring hits here. A 2 CD set that includes the non-LP and not yet on CD songs is needed for the collector's, diehards & music fans . There is much material not on CD that Sonny & Cher cut.

This has almost everything needed in a CD to rate 5-stars by a completist collector. Almost - but not quite. Purporting to cover their best for Atlantic's Atco subsidiary label, where they had 14 Billboard Pop Hot 100 singles from 1965 [I Got You Babe - # 1 that summer] to 1968's Good Combination [# 56 in January] you get all but one. They even provide the Reprise label hit, Baby Don't Go [# 8 in September 1965], and a marvelously detailed 20 pages of liner notes written by Ken Barnes, including a complete discography of the contents, mixed with some classic pictures of the duo.

There are, in addition, five B-sides: Sing C'est La Vie; Hello; Leave Me Be; Love Don't Come; and It's The Little Things. These backed, respectively: Just You (# 20 in September 1965); But You're Mine (# 15 in November 1965); Have I Stayed Too Long (# 49 in July 1966); Living For You (# 87 in December 1966 and The Beat Goes On (# 6 in early spring 1967 - note that Love Don't Come was the B-side to those last two hits; and Plastic Man (# 74 in June 1967).

By including the uncharted flip of that last one, but not the hit itself. they lost 1 star from this reviewer. Could it not have been included to make an even 22 selections or, at the very least, be included in place of Sonny's failed 1967 solo My Best Friend's Girl Is Out Of Sight?

Another oversight was the omission of The Letter. First released on Vault 909 in 1963 when they recorded as Caesar & Cleo, it was re-released in late 1965 on Vault 916 after they had become a hit, and this time it made it to # 75. If they could include the Reprise release why not this one?

I was, however, pleased to see the inclusion of Hello. This is not a song, but rather their spoken thanks to their fans b/o But You're Mine in 1965, not without some humour surrounding Cher's "shyness" at the time.

For those who are not obsessed with getting ALL the hits this is, however, very much a 5-star release which should not be missed.

I listened to this CD (again) in its entirety last night. This is an excellent compilation of Sonny & Cher's best songs from their ATCO years (1965-1967). The packaging is top-notch, and the essay by Ken Barnes is informative and entertaining.

For a die-hard fan like me, this is a five-star set. But for the sake of objectivity, I'm willing to look beyond my die-hardedness and to put myself in the shoes of the casual listener. There are 21 songs in this collection, 14 of which were chart hits. (Think about it: 14 charted songs in 3 years!!!) The collection would work far-more successfully for the casual listener if only the chart hits were included. (So, if you're not a die-hard fan, consider this a four-star set.)

For the die-hards, though, this is an excellent historical overview of their career. There are three Sonny solo songs: the top 10 hit "Laugh At Me," and the follow-up "The Revolution Kind" and his ultimate camp classic "My Best Friend's Girl Is Out of Sight." There's a rare B-side, "Hello," from 1965, which is throw-away filler to be sure, but a Sonny & Cher throw-away!! And also a brief public service announcement with Sonny & Cher encouraging kids to "stay cool, go back to school."

My hair stands on end whenever I read that Sonny's talent was "limited." Whose isn't? Think of what this man accomplished, however. He had a knack for writing commercial hits that had addictive hooks and lyrics. Some of his lesser-known songs aren't as "good" as his hits, but so what? Out of the 14 chart hits Sonny & Cher amassed that are on this collection, he wrote (or co-wrote) 12 of them. That ain't bad, is it? (And that is not counting the hits that came about in the second phase of their career in the early '70s, either.)

I've written in another review that their voices blended together beautifully, especially in this inital phase of their career. I'm always taken aback by their duets. "The Beat Goes On: The Best of Sonny & Cher" is an expertly-compiled collection of their best work together.

Help! I'm trapped inside a Sonny & Cher review and I don't know how I got here and I think I like it. A lot of time has gone by, kids, and there's not much left of the world that spawned this unholy coupling, but it is a suitable window into a certain side of Sixties culture that was so magnificently decayed and bankrupt, with music that is a precursor for, yes, the amazingly bad songs of the film "Ishtar" that . . . well, ok, I've said enough. You either know at this point to go forth or run, but I can say no more.

Let me first state that the disc is NOT the Rhino Handmade version with the 23 tracks listed above, but is, instead, the Rhino Encore European re-release of just the original 11-track album. While the absence of the 12 bonus tracks from the Handmade version is a tremendous loss, what remains is still an outstanding album.

"3614 Jackson Highway" is perhaps the album that most clearly shows the extent of Cher's true talent as a pop singer with an R&B tinge to her voice and interpretations. Comparisons with Dusty Springfield are spot-on. Each of the songs is sung in a straight-forward, appropriately instrumented and produced manner. It is interesting to imagine how Cher's career would have turned out if she had stayed on the trajectory established by this album, rather than going into the kitschy story songs, the campy sketch comedy of the her (and her and Sonny's) tv variety shows, the disco phase and her ultimate near-beatification as a gay icon. Instead, she would likely have been a highly respected singer, though not a tremendously popular one.

In any event, 3614 Jackson Highway is a necessity for any fan of Cher's or of soulful 60's pop/rock.

(Now if we could only get Rhino to release her other (albeit entirely different) neglected masterpiece, "Stars.")

I just bought this collection after hearing very little about it before. Having been a real Cher fan for years, I was quite intrigued by this album - which basically came and went in 1969. As many people (and the liner notes) have mentioned, this was the label's attempt to give Cher a "Dusty in Memphis" classic set. But just as that album was underappreciated for years, so too has 3614 Jackson Highway.

Let me say that some of the recordings sound a bit raw compared to the polished Cher singing we are all used to today. But how refreshing these young and passionate performances are! There are many covers (For What it's Worth, Lay Baby Lay, Yours Until Tomorrow, etc.) but most of the tracks - especially I Threw it all Away, Please Don't Tell Me, You've Made me so very Happy - show a fire and simplicity missing from some of her later work.

If you love this era and Cher's voice, you must pick up a copy (you can find this as a used CD for a bit less than the high sticker price). While none of these recordings became hit singles, they definitely hold up well today and help show another facet to a truly amazing superstar.

Cher, as we all know, has been one of the most talented and successful female artists of our time and before that. We all know that Cher has made herself a star, when she and Sonny were a recording duo, as well as the stars of their television career. During that time, Cher had a solo career on the side. She has released the albums, ALL I REALLY WANT TO DO (1965), THE SONNY SIDE OF CHER (1966), CHER (1966), BACKSTAGE (1967), & WITH LOVE, CHER (1968). In 1969, Cher had released her fifth album entitled, 3614 JACKSON HIGHWAY. Now, this album really isn't what I had hoped for. Cher's music from the 60s was not all too great, but don't forget that Cher was still concentrating on her career with Sonny, so this album deserves more credit than people give it.

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH
Not bad.

(JUST TO KEEP ME) HANGIN' ON
I usually love songs, where half of the title is enclosed in paranthesis, where the first half or the second half. This song turned out to be just great.

(SITTIN' ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY
Great song.

TONIGHT, I'LL BE STAYING HERE WITH YOU
Not bad, but good enough for the enjoyment.

I THREW IT ALL WAY
This is what most of do during or after a bad relationship. So, if you're in a bad relationship, or you have just got out of one, this is the song for you.

I WALK ON GUILDED SPLINTERS
Ouch! I'm never getting these splinters out of my feet. Just kidding. Great song.

LAY BABY LAY
Something every dating or married couple would like to do.

PLEASE DON'T TELL ME
Great song.

CRY LIKE A BABY
Men will not cry like babies when we lose our girlfriends, since we our smart enough to find more. Great song.

DO RIGHT WOMAN, DO RIGHT MAN
Not bad.

I gave this album a chance and I do not regret that I did because the album is pretty good, but it is not totally great. But if you would like to check this album out, then go right ahead.

A MUSIC FAN from Shefield Alabama was totally on the mark with his (or her) review. I would just like to add how powerful Cher's vocals are in this recording. This is one of the few albums where Cher's voice is ABOVE the music and as a result is an instrument in and of itself. (As it is in her album with Gregg Allman: "Allman And Woman" and the UK release of "It's A Man's World".) The fact that this bomb of a release is so majestic still today is 'living proof' of Cher's true talent: an incredibly gifted, soulful and expressive singer. Her cover of "Superstar" is what Leon Russell was writing - not the sappy cover Karen Carpenter turned in a few years later (beautiful - but not the real expression of a groupie which is what the song is about). The extra unreleased tracks are so dynamite you have to wonder what is not released from Cher's incredibly long and varied vocal career. 3614 via Rhino is better today then it was in '69. If you have any interest in this woman's singing this is a must.

Before pop creators had their way with Cher and transformed her into the pop diva she is today, she was a hard-singing vocalist with an emotional edge to her voice that was genuine. This re-release showcases Cher's earlier less refined talent and does so in fine fashion. Her selections on this album provide the listener with an array of eclectic material, some hits and some misses. Cher's "Mama Look Sharp," a revolutionary war anthem from the musical "1776" is first-rate. Even her take on Superstar, which was a hit for the Carpenters, takes on a new glow. The CD boasts 22 tracks and superb liner notes that offer insight into this unique recording. Nearly half of the tracks on this CD were never released.

This is the best. I saw Cher in Las Vegas in Sept. 2008. This tour compares to her Vegas tour. Can not wait to see her again.

I spent $45 each to see this concert when Cher came to Houston. It was without a doubt the best $45 I have ever spent before or since. The concert was fantastic and Cher was beautiful and fun to watch. This CD is taken directly from one of these concerts. It sounds exactly like the concert I saw. She brings together music from her incredible 40 year career and every single one brought back memories. It is a shame that she will never tour again. Don't miss a chance to hear her concert. This is so worth whatever you spend on it. I own the CD and the DVD.

A real Cher spectacle. She is beautiful in her costumes. Her songs are the ones that we have loved for years. The entire casting is special. Cher does all different layouts for the show, dancers are really good, the crowd are buzzing and the backing band/singers are excellent.

I find that when you but tour-live cd you get a veration of the original tune. I don't care for that. I WAIT FOR THINGS TO COME AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT. bUT THAT IS ME.

This is a live album from Cher's Farewell tour. Included are songs from the most successful phases of her carreer. Half Breed, Gypsies Tramps and Thieves and Dark Lady are crammed down into a medley of about four minutes, which is a pity. The best performances here are the songs from the Geffen and Believe eras, plus the opener, her cover of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".

There are no songs here from "I Paralyze" and some of her other more obscure albums. I would have loved to hear her sing "Stars" from the album by the same name. It would have been appropriate on a farewell tour.

The songs are patched together quite badly, often ending very abruptly. That should have been done better.

Overall it's a pretty nice album, but most of the songs sound quite similar to the album versions, so this album is not a must-have. But it's fun to hear her talk to the audience between some of the songs.

I have been a DIE HARD Cher fan since this album came out. I wore out a few copies of the tape and plan to get it on CD as soon as I can. CHER RULES!!!!!!!!!!!

#10 7-22-1989 USA 53 weeks on Billboard 200 album chart
#7 7-22-1989 UK 82 non-consecutive weeks on chart

Charting Singles (in a few of the larger recording markets)
1 -After All
#6 3-11-1989 US 20 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 (also)
#1 for 4 wks 3-11-1989 25 wks on Billboard Adult Contemporary 50 position chart
#6 5-29-1989 Canada 17 wks on The Record Top 40 sales chart.

2 -If I Could Turn Back Time
#3 for 2 wks 7-8-1989 US 23 weeks on chart (also)
#1 7-29-1989 20 wks on Billboard AC chart.
#6 9-2-1989 UK 14 weeks on CIN 75 position chart.
#16 Oct 1989 Germany 18 weeks on Media Control 100 position chart.
#7 10-16-1989 Canada 15 weeks on chart.

3 -Just Like Jesse James
#8 for 4 weeks 10-21-1989 18 wks on chart (also)
#9 11-25-1989 15 wks on Billboard AC chart
#11 1-30-1990 UK 11 weeks on chart.
#38 Feb 1990 Germany 15 wks on chart.

4 -Heart Of Stone
#20 2-10-1990 US 14 wks on chart (also)
#30 3-31-1990 8 wks on Billboard AC chart.
#43 4-7-1990 UK 5 weeks on chart.
#26 5-7-1990 Canada 5 wks on chart.

5 -You Would'nt Know Love
#55 8-11-1990 UK 3 weeks on chart.

"JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES" put Cher in the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in four decades (1960's,1970's,1980's and 1990's). "JUST" reached #10 on 12-16-1989, then went to #8 for four weeks (12-23 & 12-30-1989 and 1-6 & 1-13-1990). In 1999 "BELIEVE" went to #1 for four weeks (3-13, 3-20, 3-27 and 4-3-1999).

Heart Of Stone is my fave Cher album along with Living Proof. Some of the producers really bring this album to life, such as Desmond Child (a fave of mine) and Michael Bolton, but the thing that really makes this album shine is no other than Cher and her excellent vocals. All 12 tracks are absolutely fantastic, and there's even some classics like If I Could Turn Back Time (#3 in US) and Just Like Jesse James (#8), the country/western influenced song. Other awesome singles include the likes of After All (#6) and Heart Of Stone (#20), which made the album chart in the Top 10 in both the US and the UK. Heart Of Stone has currently gone 3x Platinum in the US.

IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME
Turn Back Time is one of Cher's greatest hits, and none of you can deny that. This song is just a classic that will be remembered for years to come, even when it is already atleast 16 year old. This song is probably my fave on the whole album.

JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES
Another awesome effort, that is country/western-like. If none of you thought Cher could pull off western efforts, just listen to this!! It's one of her best!

YOU WOULDN'T KNOW LOVE
This song is one of the funnest on the album. I was left speechless when I first listened to it, and still am to this day.

HEART OF STONE
Cher really brings this Bucks Fizz recording to life. Awesome!

STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU
I'm sure everyone's felt this way some time in their life, or said these words to their one and only lover. She talks about that each time she finds somebody knew, she's still in love with her boyfriend that she found first, or with the one she loves the most. Brilliant lyrics, overall whopping song!

LOVE ON A ROOFTOP
Awesome ballad, though I find it may disturb some people or cause depression.

EMOTIONAL FIRE
Absolutely fabulous! One of the best songs on the album, as Cher belts out her powerful vocals!

ALL BECAUSE OF YOU
This is my third fave song on the album, my first being Turn Back Time and my second being the next track. Speaking of which...

DOES ANYBODY REALLY FALL IN LOVE ANYMORE?
The answer to that would be yes. But this song is absolutely great, I think that Cher puts alot of effort and emotion into the song, you can really tell by how great her voice is.

STARTING OVER
I love this song!! However, if I had to chose the weakest song on the album, this would get it.

KISS TO KISS
Absolutely fantastic. This is definately one of the albums best efforts, by far!

AFTER ALL
This ballad is so sweet, yet fantastic. Peter's vocals are OK, but Cher's vocals is the thing that really makes this song stand out.

Heart Of Stone is a brilliant effort. I recommend it totally to casual fans, die-hard fans, beginners or just people who like rock. This is classic rock Cher at her best!

Opinion:- Cher's best album along with "Living Proof". Fact:- Cher is brilliant, this album is timeless and you know it! I love this album, and anyone who doesn't like this must seriously have no eye for music. This studio album is great, but after seeing her live also, I must admit she's excellent either way! On this album, "Heart Of Stone", Cher belts out guitar-driven, rock classics, like "If I Could Turn Back Time", one of my personal favourite Cher songs, the title track (Bucks Fizz cover) and "Just Like Jesse James". Also included is the US smash, "After All", the duet with Peter Catera. "Heart Of Stone" has went 3x Platinum in the US, and hit #10. The singles were also hits. "...Turn Back Time" achieved #3, "...Jesse James" achieved #8, the title track, "Heart Of Stone", achieved #20 and "After All" achieved #6. Not bad for the world's best ever diva, eh???

Cher followed up the success of her self-titled 1987 album with Heart of Stone, whose first two singles did better on the charts. She had retained the same production team-if it ain't broke... But the followup benefits from having better arrangements and instrumentations, while embodying a musical style now sadly long gone.

Instead of merely writing this song, Diane Warren puts on her producer's hat with Guy Roche. "If I Could Turn Back Time," whose strident rhythms with the same synth and fiery guitar from her previous album, made it to #3 on the charts and a week atop the Adult Contemporary charts. With a host of backing vocalists, including Desmond Child, Robin Beck, and Maria Vidal, plus guitar from Steve Lukather, who'd contributed on "I Found Someone," this couldn't fail and it didn't. However, with the video aboard a US aircraft carrier with an ever-so revealing outfit, the song might as well have been called "If I Could Show My Behind." What's also revealing and tried and true are some things I have experienced: "Pride's like a knife it can cut deep inside/words are like weapons they wound sometimes." Words have hurt me too much at times, so I know.

The second single, the power ballad written by Diane Warren and Desmond Child, "Just Like Jesse James," challenging a ladykiller and trying to drop him off the swaggering macho cloud he's floating on, indeed has lyrics with the aura of a Western showdown. This #8 hit also features backing vocals by Child, Warren, and Brenda Russell ("Get Here," "Piano In The Dark"). Another winning song.

Bolton and Warren co-write, with the former producing and arranging "You Wouldn't Know Love," which is straight 80's synth-laced music complete with its host of backing vocals. His production and songwriting on "Still In Love With You" and "Starting Over," the latter co-written with Journey's Jonathan Cain embodies the same style.

Her cover of Desmond Child's reflective "Love On A Rooftop," produced by Asher, also on percussion, was not the first time I'd heard it, as Ronnie Spector had done her version two years earlier on Unfinished Business, which makes at least three versions, including Child's own, which came out in 1991. This has more of a crunch to it, airy keyboard-wise and guitar-wise, the latter courtesy of the Heartbreakers' Waddy Wachtel. A strong single-worthy rendition, though the more low-key version by Spector fits me more. Asher also produced the duet between her and Peter Cetera, "After All," which was from the movie Chances Are. A #6 hit, this spent 4 weeks atop the AC charts, and is a classic 80's type pop ballad, and something Chicago probably'd have no problem doing around their 17 or 18 albums. Wachtel also does guitar here as well. Another favourite here.

The other Child-produced songs, "Emotional Fire" has the raging power to be on a Bon Jovi album, with harmonic chorus as strong as on BJ's "Living On A Prayer." Speaking of which, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora help co-write "Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore." A rhetoric question posed here is: "There's a lonely world around me/I get sucked in by the tide/I said, hey, love ain't no crime/so why is everybody so afraid to cross that line." I found out the hard way. This is the song Kane Roberts later did in 1991.

A successor to Cher's 87 album, this is evidence enough that Cher had that second wind going for her. I mean, three Top Ten singles, one of them Top 5, and the #20 title track, not bad. Cher would repeat the formula for one more album before going on another hiatus, and redefining herself in 1998 with oontsa oontsa music with Believe.

I haven't heard many of these songs in 30+ years, and I was singing along with most of them the first time I listened. There were so many tracks and the price was very good. I highly recommend this CD.

Gold Burt Bacharach & Friends emmersed me immediately in many
long forgotten but not unfelt tunes.
There are so many artists that glorify the music of Burt Bacharach
that I appreciate in such loving gratefullness his gift to so many.

It is so entertaining to have such an eclectic group of musicians
who have given us his music.

I highly recommend this album!

Rock music aside, there was not likely a better pop tunesmith in the second half of the 20th century than Burt Bacharach, and this robust two-disc retrospective set shows ample evidence of his infectious, idiosyncratic style, most notably his sophisticated pop melodies accompanied by momentous orchestra swells and infused with a sweeping, unapologetic romanticism. Sometimes amusingly dated but eminently listenable, this set covers the full breadth of Bacharach's career highlighting his 1960's work with his most mutually copasetic partner, lyricist Hal David, and inevitably, the dregs of the 1980's pop treacle he composed with then-wife Carole Bayer Sager ("Arthur's Theme", "Heartlight"). Because the intention is to showcase a number of different artists who had already covered his tunes on their own recordings, there is more of a hodgepodge feel here than with the more satisfying single-disc compilation, 2001's The Very Best of Burt Bacharach.

Consequently, among 41 songs presented, Bacharach's most pervasive muse, Dionne Warwick, is featured only on three classic tracks - the deceptively perky "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?"; the ironically sung "I'll Never Fall in Love Again"; and the syncopated swelling of "Anyone Who Had a Heart". Her radiant voice is missed most on "Alfie" where we instead get a twenty-year old Cher's unnecessarily bombastic performance; "Walk on By" made over into a psychedelic soul epic by Isaac Hayes; the sauntering "Message to Michael" covered by early Motown girl-group, the Marvelettes; Sybil's 1990's dance-club revamp of "Don't Make Me Over"; and "Trains and Boats and Planes" performed by Merseybeat band Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas. The upside of the multi-artist approach is that we do get Aretha Franklin's saucy, gospel-fueled take on "I Say a Little Prayer"; the Stylistics' Philly soul-styled version of "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)"; and Broadway veteran (and future "Law & Order" star) Jerry Orbach's fresh-faced performance of "Promises, Promises".

Other classics included are the Carpenters' "(They Long to Be) Close to You" highlighting Karen's sparkling alto voice; B.J. Thomas' unavoidably sunny "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"; Herb Alpert's casually off-key "This Guy's in Love with You"; Jackie DeShannon's symphonic rendition of "What the World Needs Now is Love"; the samba-sized cover of "The Look of Love" by Sergio Mendes and Brasil `66; Tom Jones' Vegas-style, hip-shaking "What's New Pussycat?"; Dusty Springfield's yearning smokiness on "Wishin' and Hopin'" and "I Don't Know What to Do with Myself"; and the 5th Dimension's "One Less Bell to Answer" featuring Marilyn McCoo's studio-polished vocals. Luther Vandross' lengthy, melisma-filled take on "A House Is Not a Home" is also here, as is Bacharach's valedictory collaboration with Elvis Costello on the powerful "God Give Me Strength".

Obscurities are offered in the mix as well, for example, the hard-rocking Pretenders, of all bands, do a 1989 number called "The Windows of the World", and the 5th Dimension covers a long-lost song from the disastrous musical version of "Lost Horizon", a catchy sing-along therapy session called "Living Together, Growing Together". The height of 1960's sexism is represented by Jack Jones' lounge-act singing on "Wives and Lovers", and sad-voiced Gene Pitney is featured on three early sixties tracks uniquely his - "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", "Only Love Can Break a Heart" and most famously, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Bacharach himself ends each disk with instrumental versions of "Knowing When to Leave" and "That's What Friends Are For". Even if the performances vary with the artists, this collection shows how impressive Bacharach's expansive songbook truly is.

I'm very pleased with the product and with the delivery time. This item i have been looking for, for a long time, and was thrilled to find it at amazon. Good product, good service, good price. Another satisfied cutomer.

Listen carefully people try to compare these 2 CD's for yourself before you buy it!!! This CD is a US verison and the other one just like this one was made the UK verison and UK verison only has more songs than this one and it's worth it and it has GREAT songs in it than this one. US verison is not too good but check it out for yourself and see which is worth it!! Please try to check the UK verison!!

I am so glad that I followed the advice of another reviewer and ordered this CD in its British version. I compared samples and it is true, the US version is remixed in the worst possible way. I have never been a big Cher fan, but I have gotten some mild enjoyment from her hits from "I Got You Babe" to "Dark Lady" through to "Believe" but I've never thought of her as a superior vocalist or interpreter. But she really surpasses herself here. She is in superb voice and interpretively she nails every single song. Based on what I know of her recorded work, I gotta say, this is the best thing she has ever done (sample "I'm Blowin' Away" for a stunning example). Just make sure you order the UK version. I just paid ?3.33 for it (much cheaper than the trashy remix version here) and shipping is quite reasonable. Enjoy!

"It's A Man's World" includes the following charting singles(in a few of the larger recording markets):
1-Walking In Memphes
#36 11-4-1995 9 weeks on the Music and Media European Hot 100 singles chart.
#11 10-25-1995 7 weeks on United Kingdom's CIN 75 position chart.
#63 dec 1995 14 weeks on Germany's 100 position chart.

2- One By One
#34 1-27-1996 Euro Hot 100, 5 wks on the chart.
#7 1-20-1996 UK, 9 wks the on chart.
#20 7-29-1996 Canada, 9 wks in the Top 40 of "Hit Parade", an airplay-only based chart.
#52 6-15-1996 USA 14 wks on Billboard Hot 100 (also)
#9 6-15-1996 Billboard Adult Contemporary, 16 weeks on this 30 position chart
#7 5-25-1996 Billboard Club Play, 12 wks on this 50 position chart.

3-Paradise Is Here 12-14-1996 to 3-8-1997 USA #11, 13 wks on Billboard Club Play chart --in 1997 a remixed version of "Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" reached #50 on Billboard's Maxi Single Sales chart -"Paradise Is Here" reached #27 and "One By One" reached #6.

4- #31 Not Enough Love In The World 4-27-1996 UK ,2 wks on the chart.

5-#26 The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore 8-17-1996 UK, 3 wks on the chart.

3-18-1995 UK #1 "Love Can Build A Bridge" by Cher & Chrissie Hynde & Neneh Cherry with Eric Clapton. This was Cher's 2nd of three #1's in the UK during the 1990's -- in 1991 "Shoop Shoop Song" reached #1 for 5 weeks (Euro #1) and in 1998 "Believe" reached #1 for 7 weeks (Euro #1 for 14 weeks).

But...(and the important stuff always comes after the but)...get the U.K. import version and skip the U.S. edition. The only redeeming quality of the U.S. edition is the reworking of "Angel's Running". Otherwise, the U.K. import is far superior and is well worth the effort to find. Don't settle!

Great Collection from the Grammy winning singer Cher, who has sold millions of recordings (according to Nielsen SoundScan), has had much a success on TV (according to Nielsen Media Research),and, following the Huge success of 'Cher: The Farewell Tour', is now in the middle of playing a three year gig at Caesars Palace in Las Veges - Cher has reached Gold with Great songs since the 1960's -- popularity that can be Proven, like Hillary Clinton's popularity: In the 2008 Presidential Primary race Hillary Clinton earned more votes than any of her rivals, and earned more votes than any other Presidential Primary candidate in the history of America.

At last, the best of the Virgin Mary... Hang on, that's not...it's CHER!
I was wondering where all that plastic surgery was leading...

Most people are either in the Everything-Cher-Does-Is-Great category or the Too-Cool-To-Admit-Anything-She-Does-Is-Good category. The reality is somewhere in-between.

Cher has done a lot of junk in her career (both music and film) but she's also made some doozies too. Unfortunately, those few doozies are spread across 40 years of different record companies, so until recently there was no way to get them all under one roof.

Now, there are two: Gold and The Very Best Of Cher
As both collections are around the same price, you need to ask yourself: How much Cher should I subject my few remaining brain cells to?

All her essentials are on both. However, the version of "Take Me Home" on Gold is the long album version and the one on Very Best is the short single version. Other than that it's just a matter of deciding just HOW MUCH CHER CAN I TAKE!?

Don't get me wrong Cher, I do love you, but you're a goose sometimes.

I am one of Cher's biggest fans and have almost every one of her collections, including the original vinyl recordings. I was disappointed in this compilation because it failed to include so many of her best works. Though this includes her geatest hits, it leaves out so many hidden gems. Every Cher collection I have besides the original recordings contains the same songs. It gets old after a while. I would love to see some of her original vinyl albums made into Compact Discs. Cher has obvious talent that puts other singers (who shall remain unnamed) to total shame. Her unique voice is mysterious and deep and allows you to melt into the music without cringing from the usual squeaky voices of other singers. I would indeed recommend this collection to people as their first Cher CD, but I would also tell them to purchase other compilations.

Cher is simply the best. This is a great music compilation. Cher just keeps on doing the best. Her music put other artists such as Madonna, Kelley Clarkson, Britney Spears, and others to shame. Cher is the greatest.

ALL THE GREATEST HITS OF CHER IN ONE DOUBLE ALBUM, ONLY 16 TRACKS PER CD TO BRING YOU THE SOUND QUALITY THAT A REMASTER DESERVES, "TAKE ME HOME" (FULL VERSION) SOUNDS GREAT, THIS IS THE ONE TO BUY.