Sonny Bono's tight facial cover photo of his wife is an extension of the imagery from the previous Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves album jacket, as much as the music inside is a continuation of the moods this team created the year previous. The hit single, "Living in a House Divided," stalled in the Top 25, and without the distraction of the two major hits that the previous album had (certainly a luxury and not a bad thing), Snuff Garrett, Sonny Bono, Al Capps, and crew come back with a wonderful collection of songs from the pens of Al Stillman, Neil Sedaka, and Howard Greenfield, Hoyt Axton, Leon Russell, and others. Axton's "Never Been to Spain" hit the Top Five for Three Dog Night right before "The Way of Love" crested from Cher's previous album. She puts her stamp on this rendition, a production which should have had Chuck Negron and the Three Dog Night boys looking over their shoulders as Barbara Streisand had to when Gladys Knight remade "The Way We Were" and charted so quickly after Streisand hit with the same tune. It's interesting how Leon Russell's songs were showing up on albums by Helen Reddy and other female vocalists. Perhaps "Superstar" climbing the charts for the Carpenters got the veteran session man's catalog attention. His "Song for You" works well for the former Mrs. Bono. Neil Sedaka's "Don't Hide Your Love" almost makes the mark -- Cher answering herself on the record is a bit of a drawback -- it's too bad she didn't duet with Sedaka on this -- two years before "Laughter in the Rain" would bring him back to the public eye, the move for his career is obvious, and if you imagine him singing here, you realize it could have been a huge hit. Without a counterpoint, the song misses the target. Foxy Lady is an impressive collection of ten songs which holds up years later with more staying power than when it was first released. Initially it appeared as glitzy Vegas-style bubblegum for adults. Standing the test of time, "Living in a House Divided"; "It Might As Well Stay Monday (From Now On)"; "Down, Down, Down"; and the other titles here display Cher's rich expression and the superb production work of Sonny Bono and Snuff Garrett. Twenty-two years after this recording was released, Ru Paul would pen a tune called "Foxy Lady" and title his album as Cher did. Both acts should have given Jimi Hendrix his due with a champagne version of his classic -- a rendition as soulful as what Cher brings to Leon Russell's "Song for You" would have turned some heads. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
Foxy Lady is the eighth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released in July 1972 by Kapp Records. Following the commercial success of the previous album Cher, Cher again collaborated with Snuff Garrett (producer), Al Capp (arrangements) and her first ex-husband Sonny Bono (co-producer). Foxy Lady was also the second and last record for Kapp. The album was also promoted on Cher's successful "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" show.[1] After its release, it was well received by critics, but unlike her previous effort Cher, had only moderate success.
When it was released, Foxy Lady was in the charts with two other Cher-related albums, Cher's Cher and Sonny & Cher's comeback album All I Ever Need Is You. This period was very successful for Cher, in which she established herself as a solo recording artist and also as a TV personality (The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour). During this period Snuff Garrett helped with Cher's records.
Foxy Lady was produced mainly by Garrett; Bono was a co-producer for only three tracks: "A Song for You", a remake of Cher's 1969 Atco single "The First Time", penned by Bono, and "Don't Hide Your Love", the last single released from the album.[2] These collaborations were so stress filled that Garrett resigned as producer after the LP was finished. Bono then went on to produce Cher's next album Bittersweet White Light (MCA), which was a commercial flop.[2] Garrett was then approached to return to record Half-Breed; he accepted with the condition that Bono not produce any song.[2]
The opening track of the album starts strong with "Living in a House Divided", a song about divorce, but the album as a whole wasn't strong enough to compete with Cher's other early 70s solo records. The album contains two covers, "A Song For You" and "Never Been to Spain"; the latter was a top five hit in the US for rock band Three Dog Night before "The Way of Love". On this album, Cher again collaborated with Bob Stone, who previously wrote the song "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves". Two songs from the album were also later covered by American singer Maureen McGovern for her 1973 debut albumThe Morning After.[2]
Foxy Lady received positive reviews from music critics. Joe Viglione of Allmusic said of the songs that "the other titles here display Cher's rich expression and the superb production work of Sonny Bono and Snuff Garrett.", and called Foxy Lady "an impressive collection of ten songs which holds up years later with more staying power than when it was first released." Rolling Stone praised the album saying that it "is dynamite work and will take her right up the charts once again" and described it as "a sure and speedy chart topper for the "Foxy Lady"." Despite good sales of the first single, "Living in a House Divided", the album wasn't appreciated by the public, and unlike its predecessor, the record had limited success. The war between Garrett and Bono may have damaged the sales of the record.[2]
In 1976, when Cher was busy with "The Cher Show", a line of dolls was released by Mego Corporation. One outfit was dedicated to the album. The "Foxy Lady" outfit is in two pieces, a pink metallic with a overlaid black lace. This outfit also includes a black cape.[3] In 1999, the album and Cher's 1971 album Cher were reissued onto one CD called Cher/Foxy Lady, which featured all tracks from both. The original Foxy Lady album in its entirety remains unreleased on compact disc.
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Foxy Lady debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one hundred twenty at the end of July,[4] and after two weeks came in at #57. The highest position reached was at #43. The album also entered the Canadian Albums Chart and debuted at number seventy-five in late August, at a time when Sonny & Cher's album All I Ever Need Is You was also on the chart,[5] and reached its highest position (#39) in September. The album remained in the chart for fourteen weeks and exited in late November.[6]Foxy Lady did not enter into any European album charts.
Mego Sonny & Cher Toys (1976) ·Uninhibited (1987/88) ·Forever Fit (1991) ·Totally Uninhibited: The Life and Wild Times of Cher (1991) ·Aquasentials Skin Care (1992) ·Sanctuary Catalogue (1994/95) ·9: The Last Resort (1996) ·The First Time (1998) ·Barbie Cher Dolls (2000/07) ·Catalogue: Property From the Collection of Cher (2006)
