Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)

"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. Written by her then-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 single 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]

"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
Single by Cher
from the album The Sonny Side of Chér
B-side
Released1966
Recorded1966
GenreFolk rock
Length2:44
LabelImperial
Songwriter(s)Sonny Bono
Producer(s)Sonny Bono
Cher singles chronology
"Where Do You Go"
(1965)		 "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
(1966)		 "Alfie"
(1966)

History

The single proved successful, charting high in several countries worldwide. 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] On the other hand, 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.

Charts

Cover versions

Nancy Sinatra

Nancy Sinatra recorded one of the best-known covers of the song, for her 1966 album How Does That Grab You? Her version features tremolo guitar, played by her arranger, Billy Strange, [24] and 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 credits, Tarantino creates a literal, bloody interpretation of the song's chorus and the third verse, about a wedding day.[25] Her version also was the theme for BBC coverage of the 2005 Wimbledon tennis championships, and has been sampled on several hip-hop recordings, including the Audio Bullys (featuring Nancy Sinatra) top 3 UK hit "Shot You Down" in 2005.

Dalida

The song was also very popular in Italy in 1966 when it was covered in Italian by Dalida. The song reached #1 and stayed for 2 months winning her a gold record. Following her recording, several Italian singers including Mina, and the psychedelic bands Equipe 84 and I Corvi[26] covered her version. Her version was also included as main song of 2010 drama film Heartbeats.

Besides Dalida and Sinatra, artists who covered the song in 1966 include Stevie Wonder on his album Down to Earth, The Beau Brummels on Beau Brummels '66; Petula Clark on her album I Couldn't Live Without Your Love; and Gábor Szabó on his album Spellbinder. Sheila's version (with French lyrics) became a big hit in France in the summer of 1966; Claire Lepage's French-language cover was released in Canada (as "Bang! Bang!") in 1966.

Others

Other notable cover versions include the following:

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References
  1. "Cher – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  2. "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of April 23, 1966". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  3. The Sonny Side of Cher - Cher | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic
  4. "Record Reviews," Cashbox, March 5, 1966, p. 16.
  5. David Kent Australian Chart Book 1940-1969
  6. "Austriancharts.at – Cher – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Cher – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Cher – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5727." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  11. "Top Annuali Single: 1966" (in Italian). www.hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  12. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/60s/1966/CB-1966-08-27-OCR-Page-0070.pdf
  13. "Dutchcharts.nl – Cher – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  14. Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. p. 13. ISBN 978-1877443-00-8.
  15. "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec" (in French). BAnQ. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  16. http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html
  17. "Cher: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  18. "Cher Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Cher – Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 1, 2019. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON Cher"
  20. Australian-charts.com
  21. German Singles Chart (1966). "German Singles Chart; End of year charts". Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  22. "UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 1966 - Year End". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  23. "Billboard Top 100 - 1966". Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  24. "Guitarist Billy Strange Talks About Nancy Sinatra's 'Bang Bang' « Lost & Sound". Lostandsound.wordpress.com. 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  25. "Bang Bang: Pop! Goes the Murder Ballad". Murder Ballad Monday. Sing Out!. March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  26. "I Corvi - Bang bang (1966)". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  27. "Music from Grace and Frankie S3E04". Tunefind. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  28. "The End Credits Songs In 'Grace And Frankie' Season 3 Make Up A Soothing Soundtrack". Bustle. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  29. "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), by Nico Vega". Grace and Frankie. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  30. "Grace and Frankie season 3 end credit songs, a playlist on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  31. "Jazz Digital Songs: Oct 11, 2014". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  32. "Watch Beyoncé Sing "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" To Jay Z". BuzzFeed.
  33. uncnick157 (2006-09-27), Raconteurs Bang Bang, retrieved 2017-02-20
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