Stars (Cher album)

Last updated
Stars
Cherstars.jpg
Studio album by
Cher
ReleasedApril 1975
Recorded1974–1975
Studio Sunset Sound (Hollywood, California)
Genre Pop
Length39:56
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Jimmy Webb
Cher chronology
Greatest Hits
(1974)		Stars
(1975)		 I'd Rather Believe in You
(1976)
Singles from Stars
  1. "Geronimo's Cadillac"
    Released: 1975

Stars is the twelfth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released in April 1975, by Warner Bros. Records. A covers album of rock, pop and other hits, Stars was one in a string of commercial disappointments for Cher in the late 1970s. [1] [2] It charted at number 153 on the Billboard 200 at the end of May 1975. [3] Cher's earnest delivery of ballads and uptempo numbers was overwhelmed in a market newly dominated by disco. After two more albums that sold even less well, Cher made a successful (if temporary) comeback in 1979 with the disco album Take Me Home . [4]

Contents

Production and release

In 1974, Cher began recording with Phil Spector. These sessions resulted in the songs "A Woman's Story", and a cover of The Ronettes' "Baby, I Love You". However, the album was eventually shelved. These songs were released as singles but were unsuccessful, and are now considered rarities ; "A Woman's Story" was eventually released in the 2024 compilation Forever Fan. Cher then turned to Jimmy Webb to record this album. Stars was the first record for Warner Bros. Records and was also her very first without Sonny's influence as it followed Cher's divorce with Sonny and the dissolution of her relationship with David Geffen. Another novelty was the lack of the acute accent ( ´ ) on the e in Cher's name, which was always present on past albums.

Only one (non-charting) single was released from the album, "Geronimo's Cadillac" (with the Jackson Browne song "These Days" on the B-side). In an attempt to boost sales, Cher appeared on The Carol Burnett Show and The Flip Wilson Show , performing "Love Hurts", "Just This One Time" and "Geronimo's Cadillac". [2]

The album has never been released on CD or iTunes. According to Billboard , Cher owned this album's master rights and Warner had no right to reissue. [5]

Cher had the album remastered and made available for streaming in its entirety on her official YouTube channel on July 16, 2021. [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Billboard (unfavorable) [8]

The album received unfavorable reviews from music critics. The Los Angeles Times said Cher's performances were uninspired, like a batting machine that always puts the ball over home plate, but never strikes anyone out. [9] Billboard gave the album an unfavorable review and said that the album's major problems are Cher's voice that sounds "strained and/or overdone on most of the cuts" and "the mood doesn't seem to change a great deal from song to song". They elected "Stars," "Love Hurts," "These Days" and "Geronimo's Cadillac" as the album's best cuts and praised the "excellent musicianship". AllMusic website retrospectively gave the album two out of five stars.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Enough" Tim Moore 3:13
2."Bell Bottom Blues"
4:13
3."These Days" Jackson Browne 4:15
4."Mr. Soul" Neil Young 3:07
5."Just This One Time" Jimmy Webb 4:53
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Geronimo's Cadillac"
3:03
2."The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall" Jimmy Cliff 3:33
3."Love Hurts" Boudleaux Bryant 5:05
4."Rock and Roll Doctor"
3:13
5."Stars" Janis Ian 5:21

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Chart (1975)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [10] 100
US Billboard 200 [11] 153

Related Research Articles

<i>Earthbound</i> (The 5th Dimension album) 1975 studio album by the 5th Dimension

Earthbound is the twelfth album by American pop group the 5th Dimension, released in 1975 by ABC Records. It is the last album for the group's original line-up of Billy Davis Jr., Marilyn McCoo, Florence LaRue, Lamonte McLemore and Ron Townson. After touring with the 5th Dimension in support of this album, Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo left the group to work as a duo and as solo artists.

<i>Lionel Richie</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie is the debut solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on October 6, 1982, on Motown Records. Originally intended as a side project at the suggestion of Motown, it was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores; he left the group shortly after the album's release. The first single from the album, "Truly", topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single "You Are" reached number four, and "My Love" reached number five. The album reached number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.

<i>A Christmas Album</i> (Amy Grant album) 1983 studio album by Amy Grant

A Christmas Album is the fifth studio album and the first Christmas album by Christian music singer Amy Grant. The album was recorded in nine studios in mid-1983 and was released later that same year.

<i>Another Passenger</i> 1976 studio album by Carly Simon

Another Passenger is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Elektra Records, on June 5, 1976.

<i>Love Hurts</i> (Cher album) 1991 album by Cher

Love Hurts is the twentieth studio album by American singer and actress Cher, released on June 18, 1991, by Geffen Records. The album was her final studio album with the record company after a 4-year recording contract. The lead single from the album in Europe was "The Shoop Shoop Song ", while other regions "Love and Understanding" acted as the lead. The follow-up singles were "Save Up All Your Tears", "Love Hurts", "Could've Been You" and "When Lovers Become Strangers". It peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart with the sales of 19,000 copies. In November 2011, Billboard stated that Love Hurts had sold 600,000 copies in the US. In Europe the album was a major success, peaking at number one and top 10 in several countries, including the UK where it spent 6 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Bittersweet White Light</i> 1973 studio album by Cher

Bittersweet White Light is the ninth studio album by American singer Cher. The album is composed mostly of covers of American pop standards and was released in April 1973 by MCA both in the UK and the US. It was the last solo Cher album to be produced by Sonny Bono, then her husband and performing partner. While the album is a favorite among Cher fans, critical reviews were mixed and Bittersweet White Light was Cher's first commercial failure of the 1970s.

<i>The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb</i> 1972 studio album by The Supremes

The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb is the twenty-sixth studio album released by The Supremes on the Motown label in 1972. It stands as a unique entry in The Supremes' discography as it was the only album produced by a non-Motown artist, the accomplished songwriter and producer Jimmy Webb. This album also marked the final appearance of Jean Terrell as the lead singer of The Supremes during the early 1970s.

<i>Words and Music</i> (Jimmy Webb album) 1970 studio album by Jimmy Webb

Words and Music is the second album by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb, released in 1970 by Reprise Records. This was the first album authorized by the artist.

<i>Two the Hard Way</i> 1977 studio album by Allman and Woman

Two the Hard Way is the collaborative studio album by American singer and actress Cher and American singer and keyboardist Gregg Allman. It was released in November 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The album, billed to "Allman and Woman", was a critical and commercial failure.

<i>Id Rather Believe in You</i> 1976 studio album by Cher

I'd Rather Believe in You is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released in September 1976 by Warner Bros. Records. This album was a commercial failure and failed to chart.

<i>Breakwater Cat</i> 1980 studio album by Thelma Houston

Breakwater Cat is the tenth album by American singer Thelma Houston, released in 1980 on RCA Records. The 12" single "Suspicious Minds" became a popular club hit. Breakwater Cat contains five songs written by Jimmy Webb, who was also the executive producer of the album.

<i>Nicolette</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Nicolette Larson

Nicolette is the debut album by Nicolette Larson, released in 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. It reached #15 on the US pop charts and #1 in Canada and was certified Gold in both markets.

<i>Geronimos Cadillac</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Michael Martin Murphey

Geronimo's Cadillac is the debut album of American singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey, released on May 25, 1972, by A&M Records. Recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville and London, the album is considered one of his finest albums. The title track was Murphey's first Top 40 hit, and was also recorded by Cher and Hoyt Axton. Geronimo's Cadillac peaked at number 160 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Under the Covers</i> (Dwight Yoakam album) 1997 studio album by Dwight Yoakam

Under the Covers is the seventh studio album, and the first covers album recorded by Dwight Yoakam. It peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, and No. 92 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Live</i> (Barbara Mandrell album) 1981 live album by Barbara Mandrell

Live is a live album by the American country music singer Barbara Mandrell, released in August 1981.

<i>Inspirational Journey</i> 2000 studio album by Randy Travis

Inspirational Journey is the thirteenth studio album by American country music artist Randy Travis. It was released on October 24, 2000 by Word Records. The album was originally recorded during Travis' tenure on Warner Bros. in the late 1990s, but was not released until 2000.

<i>Southern Nights</i> (Glen Campbell album) 1977 studio album by Glen Campbell

Southern Nights is an album by American singer and guitarist Glen Campbell, released in 1977 by Capitol Records. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and one of the singles from the album, "Southern Nights", also reached the number one spot on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts.

<i>Plain Dirt Fashion</i> 1984 studio album by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Plain Dirt Fashion is the fifteenth studio album by American country folk group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, released in 1984 by the record label Warner Bros. Records. This album went to #8 on the US Country charts. The three singles from this album all charted in the top 3. "Long Hard Road " went to 1, "I Love Only You" went to 3, and "High Horse" went to 2. The album is noteworthy for covers of both Meat Loaf's 1978 hit "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and Bruce Springsteen's 1981 single "Cadillac Ranch".

<i>Solitaire</i> (Andy Williams album) 1973 studio album by Andy Williams

Solitaire is the thirty-first studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released in the fall of 1973 by Columbia Records and was an attempt to move away from his formulaic series of recent releases that relied heavily on songs that other artists had made popular.

<i>I Love You So</i> 1979 studio album by Natalie Cole

I Love You So is an album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released on March 19, 1979, by Capitol Records, The album reached peak positions of number 52 on the Billboard 200 and number 11 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart.

References

  1. ↑ "Billboard Review - Cher's Stars (1975)". www.billboard.com. April 19, 1975. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Dr. Billy Ingram (2012). "Cher's Lost Records". www.tvparty.com. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ Cher - Chart History Billboard.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  4. ↑ Bego, Mark (2001). Cher: If You Believe. Taylor Trade. pp. 98, 129. ISBN   9780815411536.
  5. ↑ "Ask Billboard: Sharing Cher On CD". Billboard. 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  6. ↑ Cher - Stars | Completely Restored & Remastered | Out July 16, 9 July 2021, retrieved 2021-07-11
  7. ↑ "Cher-Stars : Allmusic Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". www.allmusic.com. 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Billboard® • Newspaper ("Top Album Picks") (p. 60)" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  9. ↑ Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2021). Cher: The Unauthorized Tell-All Biography. Graymalkin Media. p. 253. ISBN   9781631683008.
  10. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 61. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  11. ↑ "Billboard 200". Billboard magazine. May 31, 1975. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.