Half-Breed (album)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Half-Breed
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 1973
Recorded1973
Genre
Length34:09
LabelMCA
ProducerSnuff Garrett
Cher chronology
Bittersweet White Light
(1973)
Half-Breed
(1973)
Dark Lady
(1974)
Singles from Half-Breed
  1. "Half-Breed"
    Released: September 1973
  2. "Carousel Man"
    Released: 1973

Half-Breed is the tenth studio album by American singer-actress

RIAA
.

Production and release

The second album released by Cher in 1973 was Half-Breed. After the failure of the previous

Cher and the minor hit Foxy Lady, recording another narrative ballad album.[3]

The

Bee-Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart", and The Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road".[3][4] All the songs that Cher covered in the album were originally number-one hits by the original artists on the US "Billboard 200
" in the early 1970s.

David Paich contributed on "David's Song" and for the arrangements in the album. The last song of the album, "Chastity Sun", was re-written by Cher.[3][4] Originally entitled "Ruby Jean & Billy Lee", it was a song by soft rock band Seals and Crofts released in their 1973 album Diamond Girl. The re-written version by Cher was a dedication to her first child, Chaz Bono.[4]

In August 1993, the original album was combined with Dark Lady and issued on one CD. Called Half Breed/Dark Lady, this release included all the tracks from both original albums. In contrast, several budget CDs have also been released titled Half Breed (note the lack of hyphen) by various labels. These albums use different covers, and contain only two tracks from the original album alongside selected tracks from other Cher albums, including Cher, Foxy Lady, and Dark Lady. The original Half-Breed album in its entirety remains unreleased on compact disc.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic(not rated) link
Rolling Stone(unfavorable) link
The Rolling Stone Album Guide [5]

Half-Breed has received mixed reviews from music critics. Rolling Stone reviewer Paul Gambaccini gave the album a negative review for the production work of Snuff Garrett, and commented that "Cher's amazingly powerful voice is not being used effectively, and it is frustrating to hear it squandered on rubbish." Peter Fawthrop of AllMusic later gave the album three-and-a-half stars and pointed out that the title track is "the only song here which would turn up on a greatest-hits collection", and that "there are plenty of other melodic, hippie-era tunes which are tailor-made for nights around the campfire." About the album style, he wrote: "Melancholy and bittersweet from start to finish, there are enough charms to keep it lighthearted".

Commercial performance

Half-Breed debuted on the

gold.[2]

The album also charted in the Canadian album chart and reached No. 21. In Europe, it charted only on the Norway album chart. Like a number of her previous albums, it did not enter the UK Albums Chart.

Singles

Like her previous successful albums Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves and Foxy Lady, only two singles were released. "

Adult Contemporary chart at No. 3. It reached number one in Canada and in New Zealand. The song was performed live in The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
, featuring Cher dressed as an Indian. A second and final single, "Carousel Man", was released 1973. It peaked at No. 11 in the Billboard Airplay chart.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?"
3:21
6."Carousel Man"Johnny Durrill3:02
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."David's Song"
James Seals
  • Cher
  • 4:14

    Personnel

    • Cher –
      lead vocals
    • Snuff Garrett – record producer
    • Al Capps – arrangement assistance
    • David Paich – arrangement assistance
    • Lennie Roberts – sound engineer
    • Richard Grant – album art concept
    • Gene Trindl – cover photo
    • J. Engstead – liner photos

    Charts and certifications

    References

    1. ^ "Half Breed by Cher : Reviews and Ratings - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
    2. ^ a b "American album certifications – Cher – Half Breed". Recording Industry Association of America.
    3. ^ a b c d "Half-Breed Review". CherScholar.com. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
    4. ^ a b c "Half Breed". Justplaincher.net. Archived from the original on 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
    5. . rolling stone cher album guide.
    6. ^ "Billboard LP's". Books.google.com. 22 September 1973. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
    7. .
    8. ^ "Cher - Half-Breed Canadian chart positions". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
    9. ^ Billboard charts - Cher Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
    10. ^ "American album certifications – Cher – Half-Breed". Recording Industry Association of America.