For years, theologists have been studying the concept of rebirth. But all this time they have been talking to the wrong people. They needed to talk to Cher. Now in her fifth decade of producing chart-topping music, Cher has been a long-haired sex symbol, a movie star, a disco queen and a Grammy award-winning pop princess. Now she is back with blonde hair and a brand new CD, “Living Proof.”
The CD, which starts off with the electrifying dance beat, “The Music’s No Good Without You,” follows much the same format as her 1998 “Believe” for which she won her very first Grammy. The songs are all fast moving and worthy of the club scene with pulsating beats, synthesized effects and an unmistakable unique style.
So far, Cher’s first single off of “Living Proof” has been getting adequate radio play on Connecticut’s two Top 40 radio stations, WKSS 95.7 and KC 101.3. “Song for the Lonely,” while not the best track on the CD, was mostly likely chosen to be the first single because Cher dedicated the song to the fallen heroes in New York City and Washington D.C.
The two best tracks on the CD besides the superior “The Music’s No Good Without You,” are “Different Kind of Love Song” and “Body to Body, Heart to Heart.”
Cher, who turns 56 on May 20, recorded most of “Living Proof” in a studio in England. While the style of the CD is fresh and unique, there is not much variety within the CD. Of course, the songs have different topics and lyrics, but many of the tracks, especially towards the end of the CD share the same beat and tone.
Cher has long been criticized for being flashy and a bit eccentric. She first made headlines in the mid-60s when she joined forces with a then unkown songwriter named Sonny Bono. The two had a smash hit with “I Got You Babe” and became overnight celebrities.
Changing of the times led to the decline of their popular folk music and they transformed themselves into variety show hosts in the 70’s with “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.”
Feeling suffocated, Cher divorced Sonny and remarried bad boy Gregg Allman. The marriage lasted less than a month.
Cher came back full force in the 80s as an actress in movies such as “Silkwood,” which earned her an Oscar nomination. She finally won the golden statuette for 1987’s “Moonstruck.”
During the 80’s she also had several hit songs, including “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Love and Understanding.”
Then stricken with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the early 90’s, Cher took a few years off and came back as an infomercial guest for hair care products, a move that made her the butt of many late night jokes.
But she surprised everyone by releasing “Believe,” a CD full of tantalizing dance tracks.
Cher has proved herself over and over again with several excellent albums. “Living Proof” is no exception. She truly is unsinkable.