The Way of Love: The Cher Collection

• Artist: Cher
• Rating:
• Release Date: November 21, 2000
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

This collection is a good attempt at bringing together Cher's more popular recordings from the mid-'60s to her Casablanca years in the late '70s, and the results are almost a total success. Most of her U.S. Top 40 hits are included (save for "Where Do You Go" and "Alfie"), as well as a few tracks with Sonny ("All I Ever Need Is You," "When You Say Love," live versions of "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On," and the campy "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done"). The bulk of the material comes from her albums Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, Foxy Lady, Bittersweet White Light, Half Breed, and Dark Lady, as well as a few rarities, including "Classified 1A," which, at the time of its release, was deemed un-American and shelved away. This collection showcases Cher not only as a rock, pop and, folk star, but also as an interpreter of standards ("What'll I Do"), as well as contemporary hits (her covers of the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" and Paul McCartney's "My Love" are quite notable). This set also includes her signature smashes, ranging from "Bang Bang," "The Way of Love," "Half Breed," "Dark Lady," and "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" to her 1979 disco hit "Take Me Home." Unfortunately, however, "Take Me Home" is the sole representative of her stint with Casablanca. Had they included its two follow-ups, "Hell on Wheels" and "Wasn't It Good," as well as "Alfie" and "Where Do You Go," this collection would have been absolutely definitive. It does, however, stand as a more-than-adequate representation of the singer's work from that period, and with its excellent song selection, liner notes, and photographs, provides a fantastic look back at this singer's amazing career. ~ Jose Promis, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
The Way of Love	Al Stillman, Jack Dieval	Cher	(2:31)
All I Really Want to Do	Bob Dylan	Cher	(2:58)
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)	Sonny Bono	Cher	(2:44)
You Better Sit Down Kids	Sonny Bono	Cher	(3:42)
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves	Bob Stone	Cher	(2:37)
All I Ever Need Is You	Jimmy Holiday, Eddie Reeves	Sonny & Cher	(2:40)
He'll Never Know	Gloria Sklerov	Cher	(3:29)
When You Find Out Where You're Goin', Let Me Know	Linda Laurie	Cher	(2:18)
I Hate to Sleep Alone	Peggy Clinger	Cher	(2:28)
Touch and Go	Jerry Fuller	Cher	(2:01)
Living in a House Divided	Tom Bahler	Cher	(2:58)
It Might as Well Stay Monday (From Now On)	Bodie Chandler	Cher	(3:01)
Song for You	Leon Russell	Cher	(3:16)
When You Say Love	Steve Karman, Bill Rice, Jerry Foster	Sonny & Cher	(2:28)
Don't Ever Try to Close a Rose		Cher	(2:47)
Don't Hide Your Love	Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield	Cher	(2:49)
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart	Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb	Cher	(3:22)
Two People Clinging to a Thread	Harry Lloyd, Gloria Sklerov	Cher	(2:42)
Don't Put It on Me	Sonny Bono	Cher	(2:38)
Classified 1a	Sonny Bono	Cher	(2:58)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Half-Breed	Al Capps, Mary Dean	Cher	(2:45)
A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done	Sonny Bono	Sonny & Cher	(3:17)
Never Been to Spain	Hoyt Axton	Cher	(3:26)
My Love	Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney	Cher	(3:34)
The Greatest Song I Ever Heard	Dick Holler	Cher	(2:50)
Carousel Man	Johnny Durrill	Cher	(3:03)
David's Song	David Paich	Cher	(3:26)
Melody	Cliff Crofford	Cher	(2:34)
Chastity Sun (AKA Ruby Jean and Billie Lee0	Dash Crofts, James Seals	Cher	(4:15)
Dark Lady	Johnny Durrill	Cher	(3:28)
Train of Thought	Alan O'Day	Cher	(2:35)
I Saw a Man and He Danced With His Wife	Johnny Durrill	Cher	(3:14)
Make the Man Love Me	Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil	Cher	(3:18)
Dixie Girl	Johnny Durrill	Cher	(3:24)
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)	Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster	Cher	(3:53)
Am I Blue	Harry Akst, Grant Clark	Cher	(3:45)
What'll I Do?	Irving Berlin	Cher	(2:29)
The Beat Goes On [Live]	Sonny Bono	Sonny & Cher	(9:41)
I Got You Babe [Live]	Sonny Bono	Sonny & Cher	(3:26)
Take Me Home	Michele Aller, Bob Esty	Cher	(6:46)

Credits

Cher (Vocals), Cher (Main Performer), Sonny Bono (Arranger), Sonny Bono (Producer), Bob Esty (Arranger), Bob Esty (Producer), Vartan (Art Direction), Norman Seeff (Cover Photo), Lisa Sutton (Liner Notes), Mike Ragogna (Compilation Producer), Erick Labson (Mastering), Barry Korkin (Editing Assistant), Snuff Garrett (Producer), Beth Stempel (Production Coordination), Jason Pastori (Photo Research), Denis Pregnolato (Producer)