Love and Understanding explained

Love and Understanding
Cover:	Cherlau.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Cher
Album:	Love Hurts
B-Side:	Trail of Broken Hearts
Released:	May 21, 1991
Genre:	Pop
Label:	Geffen
Prev Title:	The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)
Prev Year:	1990
Next Title:	Save Up All Your Tears
Next Year:	1991

"Love and Understanding" is a song by American singer and actress Cher from her 20th studio album, Love Hurts (1991). Written by Diane Warren and produced by Warren and Guy Roche, it was released as the album's lead single in May 1991 by Geffen for the North American and Oceanian markets. B-side "Trail of Broken Hearts" appears on the soundtrack to the Tom Cruise film Days of Thunder and is not available on any Cher album.

Critical reception

AllMusic's Joseph McCombs highlighted the song and called it "pleasantly melodic."^[1] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as "a spirited pop tune that's framed with orchestral synth/strings and a hand-clapping rock beat. Simplistic lyrical message is delivered with warmth and sincerity. Sounds great on a summer day."^[2] Entertainment Weekly editor Jim Farber said it is "socially conscious in a way only Hollywood could conceive, tailor-made for one of those publicity-seeking charity functions."^[3]

Music video

The single's music video showed Cher and her backing band rehearsing the song, with interlocking scenes of her in an orange colored wig and her dancers dancing around her.

Personnel

• Cher: Vocals
• Jean McClain, Myriam Valle, Laura Creamer, Diane Warren: Backing vocals
• Michael Landau, Josh Sklair: Guitars
• Guy Roche: Keyboards, synthesizers
• Mark T. Williams: Drums

Production

• Produced by Diane Warren and Guy Roche
• Recorded by David Thoener and Frank Wolf at A&M Recording Studios, The Music Grinder and The Complex
• Assistant engineers: Mario Luccy, Ken Allardyce, Julie Last, Jeff DeMorris, Fred Kelly
• Mixed by David Thoener

Track listings

• US 7-inch and cassette single

1. "Love and Understanding" – 4:43
2. "Trail of Broken Hearts" – 4:30

• US and European 12-inch single

1. "Love and Understanding" (12-inch dance mix) – 5:25
2. "Love and Understanding" (Stringappella mix) – 4:20
3. "Love and Understanding" (Dub and Understanding mix) – 5:35
4. "Love and Understanding" (House of Love mix) – 5:45
5. "Love and Understanding" (Cher Some Love dub) – 4:10
6. "Trail of Broken Hearts" – 4:30

• European 7-inch and cassette single

1. "Love and Understanding" (edit) – 4:08
2. "Trail of Broken Hearts" – 4:30

• European CD single

1. "Love and Understanding" (edit) – 4:08
2. "Trail of Broken Hearts" – 4:30
3. "If I Could Turn Back Time" – 4:16

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1991–1992)	Peak position
Canada (The Record)^[4]	16
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[5]	18
Germany (Official German Charts)^[6]	20
Quebec (ADISQ)^[7]	11
Spain Top 40 Radio (Promusicae)^[8]	37
US Cash Box Top 100^[9]	12

Year-end charts

Chart (1991)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[10]	94
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[11]	93
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[12]	36
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[13]	100
Europe (European Hit Radio)^[14]	6
Germany (Official German Charts)^[15]	82
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[16]	86
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[17]	32

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	May 21, 1991		Geffen
United Kingdom	July 1, 1991			^[18]
Japan	July 21, 1991	Mini-CD		^[19]

External links

• Official website of Cher

Notes and References

1. http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-hurts-mw0000264020 Review by AllMusic
2. Larry . Flick . Single Reviews . . June 15, 1991 . 65 . October 22, 2020 . Larry Flick.
3. http://www.ew.com/article/1991/06/14/love-hurts Review by Entertainment Weekly
4. Hits of the World. Billboard. October 28, 2015.
5. Hits of the World. Billboard. October 28, 2015.
6. Web site: Cher - Top Titel. de. GfK Entertainment. October 28, 2015.
7. Web site: Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec. BAnQ. French. September 11, 2019.
8. Book: Fernando Salaverri. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
9. https://web.archive.org/web/20150603134241/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19891230.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 30, 1989
10. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1991. Ultratop. Dutch. October 28, 2015.
11. RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991. RPM. October 28, 2015.
12. RPM 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1991. RPM. October 28, 2015.
13. Web site: European Hot 100 Singles 1991, page 21. Music & Media. October 28, 2015.
14. Web site: European hit Radio 1991, page 20. Music & Media. October 28, 2015.
15. Web site: Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1991. de. GfK Entertainment. October 28, 2015.
16. Web site: Single Top 100 Van 1991. nl. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. October 28, 2015.
17. The Year in Music: 1991. Billboard. October 28, 2015.
18. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 21. June 29, 1991.
19. Web site: ラブ・アンド・アンダースタンディング シェール. Love and Understanding Cher. Oricon. ja. September 3, 2023.