Cher's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

6 December 2023, 15:06

By Tom Eames

Cher is one of the most successful pop singers of all time, with a legion of fans that stretch over seven decades.

From her folk-pop days as part of Sonny and Cher to her Goddess of Pop takeover in the 1990s, Cher is a tough act to beat in the entertainment game.

We've picked just 10 of her greatest-ever songs to make for a perfect Cher introduction playlist:

Fernando (with Andy Garcia)

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) - Fernando Scene (8/10) | Movieclips

Sure, this one is cheesy as heck, but who didn't love the sight of Cher turning up to steal the show in the Mamma Mia sequel?
This moment was so amazing, Cher decided to record an entire album of ABBA covers. Because why not?
Dark Lady

Cher - Dark Lady (Official Music Video)

This 1974 track was Cher's last number one single in the US until 'Believe' 25 years later.
Written by The Ventures keyboard player Johnny Durrill, the song is about a woman who visits a famous fortune teller, who tells her to break up with her boyfriend. She later remembers where she smelt the fortune teller's perfume before: on her bed after a night with her lover. This won't end well.
Just Like Jesse James

Cher - Just Like Jesse James (The Farewell Tour)

This rock ballad gave Cher another top 10 hit around the world in 1989. The song is a reference to legendary Wild West bandit Jesse James.
Though, like with 'If I Could Turn Back Time', she has regularly said that she has never been a fan of the song despite its success!
I Found Someone

Cher - I Found Someone (Official Music Video)

This was originally a song by Laura Branigan in 1986, but Cher recorded a more popular version a year later.
- Read more: When Tom Jones and Cher brazenly flirted on stage, before performing a sensational duet in 1976
Michael Bolton provided backing vocals for the power ballad, and co-produced the top five hit.
Love Can Build a Bridge (with Neneh Cherry, Chrissie Hynde and Eric Clapton)

Cher - Love Can Build A Bridge [Official Music Video]

Originally by The Judds, it was later covered by this ultimate 1990s supergroup in 1995.
Recorded for Comic Relief that year, it was a number one single in the UK.
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves

Cher - Gypsys Tramps And Thieves

It's amazing to think that by 1971, Cher had already released seven albums! Taken from the album of the same name, this folk rock song was seen as an early comeback for Cher, after several years without a hit.
- Read more: When Tom Cruise and Cher secretly dated in the 1980s: 'There was a connection'
The song is the tale of a girl who was "born in the wagon of a travelling show," where her mother works as a dancer and her father does anything to earn money.
When she is 16, her family takes in a 21-year-old man and they have an affair. The girl says she's "in trouble" three months later, and the man disappears. The girl follows in her mother's footsteps of dancing in the show and has a daughter who is born in the exact same location as she was.
The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)

Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) [Official Music Video]

Originally by Merry Clayton and then Betty Everett, this 1960s classic was covered by Cher to great effect in 1990.
The song was recorded for her movie Mermaids, and it became her first solo number one in the UK.
I Got You Babe (as Sonny & Cher)

I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher Top of the Pops 1965

Cher first burst into the mainstream with this huge number one hit in 1965, when she was just 19.
- Read more: When Sonny & Cher reunited to perform 'I Got You Babe' for the very last time
Recorded with her then-husband Sonny Bono, the song was a perfect example of the flower power of the mid-1960s. However, we can't avoid thinking about Bill Murray being trapped in time in Groundhog Day whenever we hear it!
Believe

Cher - Believe [Official Music Video]

Just when you thought Cher had seen her chart career decline, she suddenly came back and scored the biggest worldwide hit of 1998.
- The Story Of… 'Believe' by Cher
'Believe' and its heavy use of Auto-Tune cemented Cher's position as a pop culture icon and spent seven weeks at the top of the UK singles chart.
If I Could Turn Back Time

Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time [Official HD Music Video]

Released in 1989, this power ballad anthem written by Diane Warren saw Cher score a huge comeback out of nowhere.
Cher didn't want to record it first, and had to be convinced. "I got on my knees and pleaded," said Warren. "I told her I wasn't going to leave the room until she said yes, and finally, just to get rid of me, she did."