HEART OF STONE By Cher

Back in 1989 when I bought a copy of Cher’s Heart of Stone, her 19th studio album, I loved the Optical Illusion Art cover. Op-Art was big in those days and having Cher sit next to a heart of stone that looks like a skull if you look at it the right way was memorable. The album was first released with the Op-Art artwork and later re-released the album with a more conventional cover. This original front cover album art is a painting by Octavio Ocampo that features Cher sitting beside a stone heart. However, when examined from a distance, it’s clear this is also a painting of a human skull in profile (note the midriff folds of Cher’s dress forming the teeth. The artwork was changed shortly after its release, making this copy with the original artwork a collector’s item.

Heart of Stone contains several hits that made the charts. “If I Could Turn Back Time” made it to Number Three on the Billboard chart. The album sold 4 million albums and Cher went on the road for her Heart of Stone Tour (1989-1990). Heart of Stone was Geffin Records first Number One International album. Are you a Cher fan? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

1.If I Could Turn Back TimeDiane WarrenWarrenGuy Roche4:16
2.Just Like Jesse JamesWarrenDesmond ChildChild4:06
3.You Wouldn’t Know LoveWarrenMichael BoltonBolton3:30
4.Heart of StoneAndy HillPete SinfieldPeter Asher4:21
5.“Still in Love with You”BoltonBob HalliganBolton3:08
6.“Love on a Rooftop”WarrenChildAsher4:22
7.“Emotional Fire”WarrenChildBoltonChild3:53
8.“All Because of You”Jon LindSue SchifrinLind3:30
9.“Does Anybody Really Fall in Love Anymore?”WarrenChildJon Bon JoviRichie SamboraChild4:12
10.“Starting Over”BoltonJonathan CainBolton4:09
11.“Kiss to Kiss”LindMary D’astuguesPhil GaldstonLind4:23
12.After All” (with Peter Cetera) (love theme from Chances Are)Tom SnowDean PitchfordAsher4:07

22 thoughts on “HEART OF STONE By Cher

  1. Steve Oerkfitz

    No. Not a fan at all. An album full of songs by that hack Diane Warren. Often in tandem with other hacks such as Desmond Child and Michael Bolton. I classify her with Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton and Celine Dion. The only good thing about this record is it doesn’t contain the odious Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves or Half Breed.

    Reply
  2. Michael Padgett

    I thought she was at least minimally competent as an actress but her music just never got through to me, and it’s unlikely that it would have even if I’d heard more of it. Steve’s comparisons are totally apt. I don’t recognize a single one of the songs listed.

    Reply
  3. Jeff Meyerson

    Gack! “If I Could Turn Back Time” is one of the WORST songs in history IMHO. It is one that I immediately change the station or turn off the music, in a category with – but even worse than – Diana Ross’s hideous take on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” or Manilow’s “Copacabana” or the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” (which rhymed “Port au Prince” and “glimpse” – or maybe it was “glince”?)

    I loved her in MOONSTRUCK and thought she did a good job inn several other acting roles, and I liked her early stuff with Sonny. Though she always had an incredibly narrow range as a singer, she made it work for her.

    Reply
  4. wolf

    I have to admit that I’m a big fan of Sonny&Cher and I was really sad when they split.
    And I also like most of the songs she did on her own.
    Some of her songs like Gypsys Tramps … were really important imho (and many critics had similar ideas).

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, Cher continues to be popular here. I saw her perform in Las Vegas a few years ago and she was great. I also saw the Cher Broadway show with an enthusiastic audience.

      Reply
      1. wolf

        George, I envy you for this!
        Somehow on all my trips to the USA (over 20 of them in 30 years …) I never managed to be at the right place and at the right time for concerts – only once in the House of Blues for Steve Winwood and later I even did a trip through Texas following him.
        But I’ve senn that concerts by famous artists have become extremely expensive in the USA, in Germany and Britain they were still a lot cheaper.

  5. Beth Fedyn

    Love Cher. I’ll have to order this.
    As for Moonstruck, not a fan but it’s one of Joe’s favorite movies. I guess you gotta be Italian.

    Reply
    1. Todd Mason

      I think it helps to Not be Italian to enjoy MOONSTRUCK.. It’s THREE’S COMPANY-broad and inane, by me…I blame Shanley MUCH more than Cher. Whose music I don’t like. As a quarter-Italian, 3/16ths Cherokee, a big no to the not important songs throughout her career.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *