Prisoner is the sixteenth studio album by American singer-actress Cher, released on October 22, 1979 by Casablanca Records. Prisoner had a more moderate success, mostly due to the dance track "Hell on Wheels".
Album information
Prisoner (initially planned to be released under the title Mirror Image) was Cher's second album of 1979, and was released months after Take Me Home.
This was the last album of Cher's to date to be produced by Bob Esty, with Esty and Michelle Aller contributing several of the songs. Compared to the disco style of Take Me Home, Prisoner featured a relatively new wave sound. Prisoner also marked the first time that Cher released an album which featured songs that were written exclusively for her [1].
Cher appeared on the album's cover virtually naked and draped in chains, spurring controversy among some women's rights groups for her perceived "sex slave" image.
Originally the album was planned to be titled "Mirror Image," pointing out Cher's known brave-side and her newly found 'wild disco' side. Since Cher wasn't really into the album (she wanted to "rock out") she kept on refusing songs in one hand and adding songs in the other hand. "Boys & Girls", a more rock-based song was added by Cher. Since there was nothing left from the album's original plan, the title was changed into "Prisoner" before release.[2]
Prisoner has been released on CD together with the first Casablanca Records album Take me Home, in a CD entitled, The Casablanca Years. This CD unites all the tracks from both albums, merging them onto one single CD.
Promotion
To promote the release of the album, the song "Shoppin'" was performed in an American television show. She recorded also an exclusive show called "Cher...and Other Fantasies", featuring sketches, the unreleased tracks "Like a Number", a new version of "More than You Know" and the song "Ain't Nobody's Business" which was performed in the Take Me Home Tour.
Track listing
Side A
- "Prisoner" (David Paich) – 5:50
- "Holdin’ Out For Love" (Tom Snow, Cynthia Weil) – 4:23
- "Shoppin' " (Michele Aller, Bob Esty) – 4:30
- "Boys and Girls" (Billy Falcon) – 3:54
Side B
- "Mirror Image" (Michael Brooks, Bob Esty) – 4:52
- "Hell on Wheels" (Michele Aller, Bob Esty) – 5:38
- "Holy Smoke!" (Michele Aller, Bob Esty) – 4:56
- "Outrageous" (Michele Aller, Bob Esty) – 3:10
Notes
- All song was producer by Bob Esty
- In 1987 a CD titled "Outrageous" was released. This CD contains remixes of all the songs from the original album. Through the years these remixes have been re-released on various compilations. The titles differ from "Holdin' Out For Love" to "Prisoner" and "All I Really Want To Do". These remixes are often combined with songs from Cher's 1965 album "All I Really Want To Do." However, these remixes don't sound good at all, and being combined with early 60's recordings of Cher, these cd's are not worth buying at all.
Singles
"Hell on Wheels", the lead single from the album reached number three on the French Singles Chart and unfortunately reached only number fiftynine on the US Billboard Hot 100. To promote the single a video was filmed. In it, Cher was featured wearing rollerblades being followed by some truckers. The song was also included in original soundtrack to the film, Roller Boogie.
"Holdin Out For Love", the second and final single release, was a commercial failure, as it didn't enter any charts.
Credits
Personnel
Production
Design
References
- ^ "Prisoner Review". Cherscolar.com. http://www.cherscholar.com/recordreview.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
- ^ Taraborelli, J. Randy (1992). Cher - A Biography. St Martins Pr. ISBN 0312131704.
External links
