Cher – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Description
| “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” | ||||
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| Single by Cher | ||||
| from the album The Sonny Side of Chér | ||||
| B-side | ||||
| Released | February 25, 1966 | |||
| Recorded | February 11, 1966 | |||
| Studio | Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | Folk rock | |||
| Length | 2:44 | |||
| Label | Imperial | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Sonny Bono | |||
| Producer(s) | Sonny Bono | |||
| Cher singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio | ||||
| Cher – “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” on YouTube | ||||
“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
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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 Living Proof: The Farewell Tour 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
[edit]
- 1966 US and European 7″ single
- “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” – 2:40
- “Our Day Will Come” – 2:28
- 1987 French 7″ single
- “Bang-Bang” – 3:51
- “I Found Someone” – 3:42
- 1993 French CD single
- “Bang-Bang” – 3:54
- “Whenever You’re Near” – 4:05
Charts
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Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit] _ad_-_Cash_Box_1966.jpg)
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Other versions
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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.[30] 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.[31]
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”.[32]
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.[33]
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.
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (live from Jazz at Lincoln Center) by Lady Gaga on YouTube |
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!.[34] The live recording was made available as an iTunes/Apple Music bonus track with her collaborative album with Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek.[35] Gaga’s rendition of “Bang Bang” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz Digital Songs Chart[36] and was well received by critics.[37][38][39][40] The singer would later include the song in her tours and residency shows.[41][42][43]
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 Minions: The Rise of Gru, which also features a version in Chinese by G.E.M., and several other modern covers of older songs.[44]
