Disco de Cher: “Backstage/Golden Greats”

Finally, the last Cher album for Imperial records makes its CD debut! Most of the songs have never been officially released on compact disc. The disc is in Stereo and sounds great with very little use of "no noise" tweaking.

However, don't be fooled by "Golden Greats". The track listing on this compact disc is different than the original US album. Missing are (1) Needles and Pins, (2) Dream Baby, (3) Elusive Butterfly, and (4) Take Me For a Little While. The last song would have repeated since it is already on "Backstage". Added to replace the four missing tracks are (1) I Feel Something In the Air, (2) The Bells of Rhymney, (3) Until It's Time For You To Go, and (4) Mama, When My Dollies Have Babies.

What BGO should have done was add the two B-side only tracks from her Imperial catalog: (1) She's No Better Than Me and (2) I'm Gonna Love You. Then, their Cher reissue campaign would have been complete!

Why Oh Why do the record companies never contact us fans?

This last Imperial(liberty) recording of Cher's last efforts for her first solo label is welcome indeed. It also shows Cher in the sparse arrangements of Harold Battiste ,famed New Orleans musician arranger and all around great musician- man. Cher is way upfront and clear- with an array of songs that were well chosen for her voice.There is a open and free quality to her voice,and Cher is comfortable in various music styles.This reissue is remastered and Cher is presented in the best light possible for these recordings.

Some of these arrangements are great. "Masters of war" a Dylan classic gets a vital and eerie Cher reading,and the Battiste arrangement sets the mood.Cher may challenge the new listener with the Swahili song,(Click song number 1 Marien Makeba). Dr. Johns' "I wasn't ready " has a nice easy rolling mature Cher reading.She is romantic and warm,and earthy,and loose.

Her reading of Bacharach/David "A house is not a home" may be it's most heart felt and emotionally affective reading.The arrangement is better than the Bono arrangement on "Alfie".It does not detract from the lovely vocal. Cher has a way of conveying pathos with conviction and tonal color.

As a Cher fan and collector this cd is a welcome addition to the Cher's library,and has the sonic fidelity I was hoping for.

The 2nd part of the cd is hardly impossible to find, but welcome. It reminds us of some of Cher's greatest folk folk gems.The best of the lot is "Where do you go" a pathos ridden teen anthem,"Bang Bang, (my baby shot me down) which is the original hit and the definitive version of arguably Sonny's greatest writing. Cher here is the moody internal Cher that her first legion of young fans loved. This collection may introduce a whole mass of younger fans to collect the BGO series of the first wave of Cher lps.Thanks BGO !

I love these songs,and this two for one collection is very pleasurable.

"Backstage" was the fifth solo release for Cher on Imperial Records, also her last. Unfortunately, the album did not chart and disappeared fairly quickly which is a shame, because it is chock full of nuanced vocal performances.

The material Cher interpreted on her Imperial recordings, and especially "Backstage," was the best songwriting of the time. Sonny, as her producer, definitely had his pulse on the great songs of the day. Cher interprets Dylan's "Masters of War" with all the anger the song commands. I love her rendition of Dr. John's "I Wasn't Ready," and her cover of Miriam Makeba's "The Click Song" is playful and makes for fun listening. The album opens with the great Moody Blues song "Go Now," punctuated by a great electric organ solo at the song's end.

"Backstage" is definitely one of Cher's sleeper albums that stands today as the best of her Imperial output. The collection contains an excellent essay by John Tobler, as well as the liner notes from the original albums.

Coupled with "Cher's Golden Greats," a compilation LP released at the end of her Imperial contract, the original album differed by four songs than what is represented here. The songs excluded were "Needles and Pins," "Dream Baby," and "Elusive Butterfly." The original album also included "Take Me For a Little While," which was from "Backstage." Included in their stead was "Until It's Time For You To Go" and "I Feel Something In The Air" (from "Cher"), "Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)" (from "With Love"), and "The Bells Of Rhymney" (from "All I Really Want To Do").

I really think BACKSTAGE is a great and underated album from Cher. She was only 22 years old when it was released and was already on her 5th studio album. the 2nd part of the CD is a compliation of her best songs and hits from her previous 4 albums from Imperial. This is a must have for cher fan's who want some of her early rare 60's music! Also look out for her new album later this year, November 2008! She's still going strong at 62!