Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) Explained

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Cover:Cher Bang Bang cover 7 inch.png
Border:no
Type:single
Artist:Cher
Album:The Sonny Side of Chér
Released:February 25, 1966
Recorded:February 11, 1966
Studio:Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California
Genre:Folk rock
Length:2:44
Label:Imperial
Producer:Sonny Bono
Prev Title:Where Do You Go
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:Alfie
Next Year:1966

"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" is the second single by American singer-actress Cher from her second album, The Sonny Side of Chér (1966). It was written by her husband Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week (behind "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" by The Righteous Brothers), eventually becoming one of Cher's biggest-selling singles of the 1960s.[1] [2]

History

The single proved successful, charting high in several countries. It became Cher's first million-selling single and her first top 3 hit in the UK (and her last until "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" reached No. 1 in 1991).Critic Tim Sendra, in his album review of The Sonny Side of Cher, gave the song a mixed review: "The only track that has any real zest is the Bono-written novelty 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)', the kind of dramatic song Cher could knock out in her sleep but also a song with no real heart."[3] The reviewer for Cashbox said the song was "inventive" and predicted it would become a "blockbuster" hit. The reviewer praised its "plaintive, blues-soaked" style, as well as the "interesting Gypsy-ish backing".[4]

In 1987, Cher recorded a rock version of the song for her 1987 Platinum-certified comeback album Cher. Produced by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the song featured backing vocals by Jon Bon Jovi and Michael Bolton, among others and was released as a promotional single in 1988. Cher performed this version on her Heart of Stone Tour and on and it was played instrumentally on the Dressed to Kill Tour in 2014, Classic Cher in 2017–2020 and the Here We Go Again Tour in 2018–2020.

Track listing

  1. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" – 2:40
  2. "Our Day Will Come" – 2:28
  1. "Bang-Bang" – 3:51
  2. "I Found Someone" – 3:42
  1. "Bang-Bang" – 3:54
  2. "Whenever You're Near" – 4:05

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1966)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 11
Finland (Suomen virallinen singlelista)[6] 18
Italian Singles[7] 2
Japanese Singles[8] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 2
New Zealand (Listener)[10] 2
Norway[11] 4
Quebec (ADISQ)[12] 4
scope=rowSouth Africa (Springbok Radio SA Top 20)[13] 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1966)Position
Australian Singles Chart[14] 89
Japanese Singles[15] 11
South Africa (Springbok Radio SA Top 20)[16] 94
UK Singles (OCC)[17] 53
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 60
US Cash Box Top 100[19] 46
West Germany (Official German Charts)[20] 114

Other versions

Nancy Sinatra recorded one of the best-known covers of the song, for her 1966 album How Does That Grab You? Featuring tremolo guitar played by her arranger, Billy Strange, Sinatra's version had a resurgence in popularity when it was used in the opening credits of the 2003 Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill Volume 1. In the sequence preceding the opening credits, Tarantino creates a literal, bloody interpretation of the song's chorus and the third verse, about a wedding day.[21] Sinatra's cover was also sampled and she was officially featured in the 2005 electro house track "Shot You Down" by Audio Bullys, which peaked at #3 in the United Kingdom and #20 in Australia.

French singer Sheila covered the song in 1966 in French. Released as Bang-bang, the song peaked at number one on the French charts.[22]

Bengali-Pakistani pop singer Alamgir sang the Urdu version of this song titled "Mere Lafzo Ki Mehkar Tu" (you are the fragrance of my words). The second section of the song is sung to the tune of Mary Hopkins' song "Those Were the Days." The tunes of both songs were mashed together in this version. Pakistani pop singer Tina Sani also sang a version of this song with Alamgir. In another version, Alamgir mashed up the English and Urdu versions, the first section being Bang Bang and the second version being Mere Lafzo Ki Mehkar Tu.

Yugoslav singer Đorđe Marjanović covered the song and included it in his 1967 EP "Devojke".[23]

Vanilla Fudge, an American band known predominantly for their slow extended heavy rock arrangements of contemporary hit songs, included the song in their eponymous album released in 1967.[24]

The song was also popular in Italy in 1966, when it was covered in Italian by Dalida, reaching number one and charting for two months, winning her a gold record. It appeared on her 1967 album, Piccolo Ragazzo.

Terry Reid released the song on the album, “Bang Bang You’re Terry Reid” on October 30, 1968, on Epic Records.

Lady Gaga performed "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" in July 2014 at Jazz at Lincoln Center, for the TV special Cheek to Cheek Live!.[25] The live recording was made available as an iTunes/Apple Music bonus track with her collaborative album with Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek.[26] Gaga's rendition of "Bang Bang" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Jazz Digital Songs Chart[27] and was well received by critics.[28] [29] [30] [31] The singer would later include the song in her tours and residency shows.[32] [33] [34]

David Guetta released a version of the song in 2014 as the single "Shot Me Down". Alternating between Sinatra's musical arrangement in the verses (sung by Skylar Grey) and driving EDM instrumental breaks, the single was certified gold and platinum in multiple countries.

Dua Lipa also covered the song in 2017.

Caroline Polachek recorded a funky, upbeat cover of "Bang Bang" for the soundtrack of the 2022 film , which also features a version in Chinese by G.E.M., and several other modern covers of older songs.[35]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cher – Awards. AllMusic. August 7, 2017.
  2. Billboard Hot 100 – Week of April 23, 1966 . Billboard. August 7, 2017.
  3. Web site: The Sonny Side of Cher . Tim . Sendra . AllMusic . August 29, 2021.
  4. "Record Reviews", Cashbox, March 5, 1966, p. 16.
  5. David Kent Australian Chart Book 1940-1969
  6. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Cher. 46. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 5 September 2022. fi.
  7. Italy's Best Sellers. Cash Box. November 12, 1966. June 4, 2020.
  8. Web site: Cash Box. 1966-08-27. Americanradohistory.com. March 16, 2022.
  9. Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. p. 13. .
  10. Web site: flavour of new zealand - search listener. Flavourofnz.co.nz. 17 May 2018. 29 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200729030413/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=568#n_view_location. dead.
  11. Norway's top 20 Best Sellers. Arbeiderbladet. May 21, 1966. June 4, 2020.
  12. Web site: Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec. BAnQ. fr. September 11, 2019. August 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180809215510/http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/collections_patrimoniales/musique/collection_numerique/bd_specialisee/palmares/. dead.
  13. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Songs (A-B). www.rock.co.za.
  14. Web site: australian-charts.com - Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts). australian-charts.com.
  15. Web site: Japan 1966 Year in Review. Cash Box magazine. 17 January 2022.
  16. Web site: BANG BANG (MY BABY SHOT ME DOWN) – CHER. www.rock.co.za.
  17. Web site: UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 1966 - Year End. Official Charts Company. 19 December 2014.
  18. Web site: Billboard Top 100 - 1966. 2009-09-15.
  19. Web site: The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1966. https://web.archive.org/web/20121004182236/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1966YESP.html. October 4, 2012. dead. . Cash Box magazine.
  20. Web site: German Singles Chart. German Singles Chart; End of year charts . 1966 . 2010-08-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20100718132936/http://ki.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/~topsi/deu1966/deu_1966t.html. 18 July 2010 . live.
  21. Web site: Bang Bang: Pop! Goes the Murder Ballad. March 2, 2015. Murder Ballad Monday. Sing Out!. March 23, 2016. February 20, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160220083409/http://singout.org/2015/03/02/bang-bang-pop-goes-murder-ballad-2/. dead.
  22. Web site: July 9, 1966 . Hits of the World . Billboard Magazine.
  23. Web site: Đorđe Marjanović – Devojke. 1967 . Discogs.
  24. Web site: Vanilla Fudge by Vanilla Fudge. December 25, 2022. Apple Music. December 25, 2022.
  25. Lady Gaga Shows Off Pipes in 'Bang Bang' Video. Strecker. Erin. September 30, 2014. October 23, 2021. Billboard. live. https://archive.today/20211023182353/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6266679/lady-gaga-bang-bang-video/. October 23, 2021.
  26. Web site: Cheek to Cheek by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga on Apple Music. iTunes Store. 23 September 2014. Apple Inc.. August 26, 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160921204440/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/cheek-to-cheek/id909514735. September 21, 2016.
  27. Chart History – Lady Gaga. October 23, 2021. Billboard. Billboard. October 23, 2021. dead. https://archive.today/20211023194650/https://www.billboard.com/music/lady-gaga/chart-history/JDT/song/862011. October 23, 2021.
  28. News: Caroline. Sullivan. Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga review – cheeky fun from jazz royalty and pop's Mother Monster. June 9, 2015. October 23, 2021. The Guardian. live. https://archive.today/20211023175124/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/09/tony-bennett-and-lady-gaga-review-cheek-to-cheek. October 23, 2021. mdy-all.
  29. News: Mikael. Wood. Review: In Las Vegas, Lady Gaga solves the problem of 'A Star Is Born'. January 21, 2019. October 23, 2021. Chicago Tribune. live. https://archive.today/20211023174402/https://www.chicagotribune.com/la-et-ms-lady-gaga-enigma-jazz-piano-las-vegas-review-20190121-story.html. October 23, 2021. mdy-all.
  30. News: Richard. S. He. Every Lady Gaga Song, Ranked. August 30, 2020. October 23, 2021. Vulture.com. dead. https://archive.today/20200830170802/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-lady-gaga-songs-ranked.html. August 30, 2020. mdy-all.
  31. News: 5 reasons why you shouldn't miss Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's PBS special. Duren. Rand. October 22, 2014. October 27, 2014. The Dallas Morning News. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141025033557/http://popcultureblog.dallasnews.com/2014/10/5-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-miss-tony-bennett-and-lady-gagas-pbs-special.html/. October 25, 2014.
  32. News: Gordon. Barr. Review: Lady Gaga at the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle. February 5, 2017. October 23, 2021. Evening Chronicle. live. https://archive.today/20211023113714/https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/lady-gaga-superbowl-newcastle-review-8158978. October 23, 2021. mdy-all.
  33. Web site: Farber. Jim. Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett check to cheek and in sync at Radio City Music Hall. New York Daily News. June 19, 2015. June 20, 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160307020601/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/lady-gaga-tony-bennett-shine-radio-city-music-hall-article-1.2264768. March 7, 2016.
  34. Glitz, glamour and Gaga: 'Jazz & Piano' provides quintessential Vegas show experience. Mazur. Kevin. October 20, 2021. October 20, 2021. Las Vegas Sun. https://archive.today/20211021114017/https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/oct/20/glitz-glamour-and-gaga-jazz-piano-provides-quintes/. October 21, 2021.
  35. Web site: 2022-07-01 . Caroline Polachek Covers Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang" For 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' - . 2022-07-11 . mxdwn Music . en-US.

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