Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs
By Sonny & Cher
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Track listing
- A1 It Never Rains in Southern California 3:47
- A2 I Believe in You 2:57
- A3 I Can See Clearly Now 3:30
- A4 Rhythm of Your Heart Beat 3:30
- A5 Mama Was a Rock & Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs 9:39
- B1 By Love I Mean 4:20
- B2 Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show 3:10
- B3 You Know Darn Well 3:16
- B4 The Greatest Show on Earth 3:45
- B5 Listen to the Music 3:59
- Total length: 41:53
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5 Issues
- Release view [combined information for all issues]
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Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs Gatefold, Paper/Cardboard Sleeve
1 Review
Before I launch full force into the review, I want to make one thing clear: I like Sonny and Cher. They were icons on TV when I was a little kid. My parents watched them after we'd gone to bed. How do I know? I remember getting up and going out to the living room and seeing Sonny and Cher on TV. I wasn't allowed to stay and watch (the first show I remember being allowed to stay up and watch after 8:00 was Six Million Dollar Man), but I've been aware of Sonny and Cher for as long as I can remember. I associate them with warm childhood memories.
Sonny and Cher also brought about my first encounter with divorce. Before they split up, I had no understanding of the concept. I actually remember my dad explaining the situation to me, how sad it was and how wrong they were for making the decision, especially with a kid of their own. My dad's like that. I mention that because Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs was the last studio album that Sonny and Cher put out as a couple. Their marital situation clearly had an impact on this record.
At their best, Sonny and Cher were about having good, semi-clean, campy fun. Cher would wear her outfits and insult Sonny, they'd sing their songs to cheesy arrangements and occasionally you'd hear something that might make you sit up a little and say to yourself "Hey, that's ain't half bad." Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs is a little different, there are no fun parts. It's not for lack of effort, mind you, but they just can't get things moving in the right direction. Everything that came naturally in the records and shows before this album now sounds forced. The arrangements are corny, but who cares? The life has left their relationship, and you can hear it on the tracks of this album.
Now, to the music. The next few sentences will seem to be contradictory unless you've actually listened to Sonny and Cher a bit, in which case I expect you'll understand exactly what I'm talking about. Cher has a rich, dark, deep voice that is very unique. Sonny's voice is also unique, but it's high, shrill and thin. Cher's voice is special, she's on her way to becoming a true diva on Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs. Sonny sings like a Linux system programmer. Here's the great contradiction: it's occasionally hard to tell who's singing on Sonny and Cher records. For whatever reason, as different as their voices are, Sonny and Cher's approach to music comes from the same place, and they sing in the same range. Sometimes Sonny's on the high parts, sometimes it's Cher. Ultimately, it was part of their charm. Sonny sings the first two lines of the album:
I got on board a westbound 747
Didn't think before deciding what to do
All of the talk about those TV breaks and the movies
They ain't true, Lord it sure ain't true
Cher takes over on those second two lines, and the transition is so subtle and seamless that a listener may not even notice if not paying attention.
The song selection (normally a strength for the duo) is weak in comparison to some of their other albums. They do an upbeat version of "I Can See Clearly Now". The title track is nine and a half minutes of Vegas psychedelia. Who needs that? They sing Neil Diamond's goofy "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show". "By Love I Mean" is practically a solo Cher effort. As such, it might just be the best track on the record. It's really a country song, too, so if you've ever wanted to know what Cher would've sounded like singing a Nashville style country number, this is your chance. My favorite track, however, is "You Know Darn Well I Would". Sonny sings the choruses just like he thinks Dylan would've delivered them. It's classic hipster Sonny Bono.
Look, if you're wondering whether or not this record is worth listening to, just look at the cover. If you think Sonny and Cher look like they're having a great time and are living the life--if you honestly think that after really taking that cover in--then chances are you'll love this record. If, on the other hand, you see a couple of unhappy souls surrounded by the debris of their struggle to hold their lives and their relationship together, then I think that you will find, as I do, that the music on Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs is really just another item to add to the flotsam and jetsam seen on the front cover.
Sonny and Cher also brought about my first encounter with divorce. Before they split up, I had no understanding of the concept. I actually remember my dad explaining the situation to me, how sad it was and how wrong they were for making the decision, especially with a kid of their own. My dad's like that. I mention that because Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs was the last studio album that Sonny and Cher put out as a couple. Their marital situation clearly had an impact on this record.
At their best, Sonny and Cher were about having good, semi-clean, campy fun. Cher would wear her outfits and insult Sonny, they'd sing their songs to cheesy arrangements and occasionally you'd hear something that might make you sit up a little and say to yourself "Hey, that's ain't half bad." Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs is a little different, there are no fun parts. It's not for lack of effort, mind you, but they just can't get things moving in the right direction. Everything that came naturally in the records and shows before this album now sounds forced. The arrangements are corny, but who cares? The life has left their relationship, and you can hear it on the tracks of this album.
Now, to the music. The next few sentences will seem to be contradictory unless you've actually listened to Sonny and Cher a bit, in which case I expect you'll understand exactly what I'm talking about. Cher has a rich, dark, deep voice that is very unique. Sonny's voice is also unique, but it's high, shrill and thin. Cher's voice is special, she's on her way to becoming a true diva on Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs. Sonny sings like a Linux system programmer. Here's the great contradiction: it's occasionally hard to tell who's singing on Sonny and Cher records. For whatever reason, as different as their voices are, Sonny and Cher's approach to music comes from the same place, and they sing in the same range. Sometimes Sonny's on the high parts, sometimes it's Cher. Ultimately, it was part of their charm. Sonny sings the first two lines of the album:
I got on board a westbound 747
Didn't think before deciding what to do
All of the talk about those TV breaks and the movies
They ain't true, Lord it sure ain't true
Cher takes over on those second two lines, and the transition is so subtle and seamless that a listener may not even notice if not paying attention.
The song selection (normally a strength for the duo) is weak in comparison to some of their other albums. They do an upbeat version of "I Can See Clearly Now". The title track is nine and a half minutes of Vegas psychedelia. Who needs that? They sing Neil Diamond's goofy "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show". "By Love I Mean" is practically a solo Cher effort. As such, it might just be the best track on the record. It's really a country song, too, so if you've ever wanted to know what Cher would've sounded like singing a Nashville style country number, this is your chance. My favorite track, however, is "You Know Darn Well I Would". Sonny sings the choruses just like he thinks Dylan would've delivered them. It's classic hipster Sonny Bono.
Look, if you're wondering whether or not this record is worth listening to, just look at the cover. If you think Sonny and Cher look like they're having a great time and are living the life--if you honestly think that after really taking that cover in--then chances are you'll love this record. If, on the other hand, you see a couple of unhappy souls surrounded by the debris of their struggle to hold their lives and their relationship together, then I think that you will find, as I do, that the music on Mama Was A Rock And Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs is really just another item to add to the flotsam and jetsam seen on the front cover.
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Catalog
1 Jan 2024
4 Dec 2023
26 Oct 2023
10 Oct 2023
25 Jul 2023
21 Jun 2022
28 May 2022
-
A1
It Never Rains in Southern California
-
A2
I Believe in You
-
A3
I Can See Clearly Now
-
A4
Rhythm of Your Heart Beat
-
A5
Mama Was a Rock & Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs
-
B1
By Love I Mean
-
B2
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
-
B3
You Know Darn Well
-
B4
The Greatest Show on Earth
-
B5
Listen to the Music
20 May 2022
3 May 2022
17 Jan 2022
17 Nov 2021
16 Oct 2021
15 Jul 2021
18 Jun 2020
14 Mar 2020
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