If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits

Cher | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 9, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Interscope Records
• ASIN: B00004T0PP
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,307 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Pre-"Believe" Cher, February 28, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Even before "Believe," Cher's reputation as a dynamic entertainer should never have been in question. "If I Could Turn Back Time, Cher's Greatest Hits" proves this. It is the best retrospective of Cher's career from 1965 to 1992.
The album opens with the previously unreleased "Don't Come Cryin' To Me." Recorded during the "Heart of Stone" sessions, the Dianne Warren penned tune combines heartbreak with the signature Cher toughness. The album begins the walk down memory lane with "Love and Understanding," "Save Up All Your Tears," one of Cher's best singles, and "The Shoop Shoop Song," Cher's classic cover from the 1990 "Mermaids" soundtrack. "After All" is one of the great duets of the 80s, hitmaker Peter Cetera complements Cher's voice perfectly.
"If I Could Turn Back Time" is Cher's best single, with the possible exception of "Believe," and it sounds better than ever on this collection. Other highlights from the 80s include "I Found Someone," "Bang-Bang," a remake of Cher's 60s Sonny Bono penned hit, and "We All Sleep Alone." Cher's first journey into dance pop is represented by 1979's "Take Me Home." This song stands as a great contrast to the 80s rock hits.
"If I Could Turn Back Time" closes with a look back at the 70s Cher and the 60s Sonny and Cher. "The Way of Love" is Cher's best ballad and the song sounds better now than ever. Story songs "Dark Lady," "Half Breed" and the Cher signature "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" might be dated, but they are still fun. The album closes with the Sonny and Cher classic "I Got You Babe." The 1965 charttopper stands the test of time.
There might be a few omissions on this collection. Not included is the 1987 standout "Main Man," and the 60s Sonny and Cher classic "And the Beat Goes On." Released in 1999, the album also omits hits from the under-appreciated "It's A Man's World" album. The collection is otherwise a complete retrospective of the pre-"Believe" Cher.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars O.K...but not the complete anthology I have been waiting for, May 15, 2005

By 

Paul Tognetti "The real world is so much more... (Cranston, RI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

In 1999 Geffen records released this compilation of Cher's Greatest Hits. Up until that point "If I Could Turn Back Time" was the most extensive collection of Cher's hit singles available. But it certainly left something to be desired because Geffen failed to include any of Cher's important hits from her early days at Imperial records. Having said that "If I Could Turn Back Time" does include 15 of Cher's most popular recordings. "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves" went all the way to #1 in the fall of 1971 and was quickly followed by other huge hits like "Dark Lady", "Half Breed" and a personal favorite "The Way of Love". Her Top Ten hit from the height of the disco era "Take Me Home" is also included on this disc. It would be more than 8 years before Cher would reappear on the Billboard Hot 100. After signing a deal with Geffen records in 1987 Cher returned to the Top Ten with "I Found Someone". She remained a fixture on the charts over the next few years with great pop tunes like the title song "If I Could
Turn Back Time", a terrific remake of Betty Everett's "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" and her extremely popular duet with Peter Cetera "After All". You will find all of these among the 17 selections on this disc. The producers did make an effort to acknowledge her early work at Imperial records by attempting a remake of her 1966 hit "Bang Bang". Bad idea. This version can be best described as overproduced and well....dreadful.
In 1999, Cher stunned the music world by cranking out her biggest hit ever with "Believe". The tune would top the Billboard charts for 4 consecutive weeks. It is really quite remarkable when you consider that Cher was 53 years old at the time! The success of that single inspired Rhino records to release yet another Cher compilation cleverly titled "The Very Best of Cher". Here was an opportunity to correct the flaws I have been discussing in this collection. But alas, Rhino blew it as well by choosing to include only a pair of hits from her years at Imperial. Hits like "Alfie" and "You Better Sit Down Kids" are simply nowhere to be found. However, on balance I would have to say that given a choice I would probably opt for the newer Rhino offering. If you are in the market for a Cher anthology I would suggest that you carefully compare these two discs and choose the one more that is more to your liking.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cher if only Britney could be as talented than you, July 5, 2002

By 

James (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Its a shame such talent and good music Cher has is overlooked by Britney and her crazy songs. Cher has been around since 1965. Very impressive. This music is so nice, some you could dance too, some are soothing and others have important messages to them. This compilation was released around the same time as BELIEVE her big hit album. This compilation is here to remind us of how Cher's career went through the 60s 70s and 80s before the 90s release of BELIEVE. My favorites on this compilation is LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING, I FOUND SOMEONE, SAVE UP ALL YOUR TEARS, SHOOP SHOOP, JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES, GYPSYS TRAMPS AND THIEVES, DARK LADY, HALF BREED and of course the Sonny and Cher classic I GOT YOU BABE. This is obviously a MUST for any Cher fan and every other fan of Britney or any thing alse from that pop trash today. This is GOOD music and highly recommended!
GOOD WORK CHER!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAY TO GO