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Saturday, October 30, 2021

Cher - All I Really Want to Do (1965)

Cher - All I Really Want to Do (1965) front coverCher - All I Really Want to Do (1965) back cover

Cher - All I Really Want to Do (1965)


Cher – All I Really Want to Do (1965): A Folk‑Pop Debut That Launched a Legend

Released on August 16, 1965, All I Really Want to Do is the debut solo studio album by American singer‑actress Cher. Issued on Imperial Records and produced by her then‑husband and musical partner Sonny Bono, the album marked Cher’s first major step as a solo artist separate from the hugely successful duo Sonny & Cher.

Blending elements of folk‑pop, *60s rock, and contemporary covers, the album’s blend of styles — especially its covers of Bob Dylan songs — helped position Cher as a unique voice in the vibrant music scene of the mid‑1960s.

🎤 Album Background & Style

Recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles and released during the peak of the folk‑rock era, All I Really Want to Do showcases Cher’s distinctive contralto voice over rich, layered arrangements created by Sonny Bono with contributions from arranger Harold Battiste.

While many tracks are cover versions of well‑known songs by other artists — including three by Bob Dylan — Cher makes them her own with a sincere, conversational delivery that was youthful yet full of attitude.

Upon its release, the album became both a commercial and critical success, reaching No. 16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and peaking at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart.

📀 Tracklist – All I Really Want to Do

  1. All I Really Want to Do (Bob Dylan)

  2. I Go to Sleep (Ray Davies)

  3. Needles and Pins (Sonny Bono / Jack Nitzsche)

  4. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Bob Dylan)

  5. He Thinks I Still Care (Dickey Lee)

  6. Dream Baby (Sonny Bono)

  7. The Bells of Rhymney (Idris Davies / Pete Seeger)

  8. Girl Don’t Come (Chris Andrews)

  9. See See Rider (Traditional)

  10. Come and Stay with Me (Jackie DeShannon)

  11. Cry Myself to Sleep (Mike Gordon)

  12. Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan)

This mix of folk, rock, and pop covers — plus a handful of Sonny Bono originals — gave the album both mainstream appeal and artistic variety that helped define 1960s music trends.

🧑‍🎤 Mini Bio: Cher

Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) began her career in the early 1960s singing backup and releasing a handful of singles under various pseudonyms. After teaming with Sonny Bono, the duo achieved massive success with their hit “I Got You Babe” in 1965.

Riding that momentum, Sonny arranged a solo deal that led to All I Really Want to Do, showcasing Cher’s early folk‑pop sound and launching her solo recording career. Over the decades she became one of the best‑selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 100 million records worldwide, and the only solo artist with Billboard Hot 100 hits in seven consecutive decades.

Cher’s career has spanned genres — from folk and pop to disco, rock, and dance — and includes acting achievements like an Academy Award for Moonstruck and a historic presence in fashion and television.

📜 Discography Highlights

Cher’s prolific recording career includes a wide range of studio albums from the 1960s to the present. Below is a selected overview focusing on her evolving sound and commercial successes:

  1. All I Really Want to Do (1965)

  2. The Sonny Side of Chér (1966)

  3. Chér (1966)

  4. With Love, Chér (1967)

  5. 3614 Jackson Highway (1969)

  6. Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (1971)

  7. Half‑Breed (1973)

  8. Dark Lady (1974)

  9. Take Me Home (1979)

  10. Cher (1987)

  11. Heart of Stone (1989)

  12. Love Hurts (1991)

  13. Believe (1998)

  14. Living Proof (2001)

  15. Closer to the Truth (2013)

  16. Dancing Queen (2018)

  17. Christmas (2023)

🌟 Top 5 Cher Albums (Sales & Impact)

Here are five of Cher’s most influential and successful studio works, chosen for their cultural impact and commercial success:

  1. Believe (1998) – Cher’s biggest global hit album featuring the iconic dance‑pop title track.

  2. Heart of Stone (1989) – Multi‑platinum pop‑rock success.

  3. Love Hurts (1991) – International chart‑topper, especially in Europe.

  4. Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (1971) – Early 1970s breakthrough solo album.

  5. All I Really Want to Do (1965) – Her landmark debut solo album that introduced her as an individual artist.

🎉 Fun Facts & Trivia

  • Chart competition: Cher’s version of “All I Really Want to Do” competed on the charts with a version by The Byrds released at the same time; Cher’s peaked higher in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

  • Bob Dylan covers: The album includes three Bob Dylan songs, showcasing how folk and pop were intersecting in the mid‑1960s.

  • Producer role: Sonny Bono not only produced the album but also wrote three original tracks featured on it.

🤔 Did You Know?

  • The album remained on the U.S. Billboard 200 for 24 weeks — a strong performance for a debut solo record in 1965.

  • While primarily known later for pop and dance hits, Cher’s very first solo success came from a folk‑pop interpretation of contemporary songs.

  • Many tracks on All I Really Want to Do were reissued in the 1990s along with her next two early albums in compilation editions.