This might be the last 45 Single I had in my box of vinyl that is anywhere near worth mentioning. It is Cher’s 1971 single for “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves”. It is from her seventh album for which it is the title song. It is also Cher’s first #1 song as a solo artists. “Believe” it or not, she has only had 4 #1 songs as a solo artist (not counting the Dance charts).
I don’t have the cover jacket for the album, only the 45 itself. The cover is below…
The song is about a girl who was born in a wagon and raised by her parents who were what people called Gypsies. They earned money preaching and selling “their services” (if you know what I mean). In their travels, they pick up young man the tender age of 21. He ends up sleeping with the 16 year old girl and winds up pregnant. The boy disappears and the girl ends up having her baby in a wagon and she ends up selling her services for money. Her life went full circle.
It is a great song and was perfectly performed by Cher. This was a big comeback song for her and she is still doing it at the tender age of 71. There isn’t much Cher was not able to due with her career. She went to the top of the music world and the top of the movie world.
The video shot for the song was Cher’s very first music video as a solo artist. It was filmed from her show with former husband Sonny Bono. The show of course as Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.
The B-Side was a song called “He’ll Never Know”. It is a sad song about a secret she has kept from her husband. Their son is really only hers. Someone was a bad girl in that marriage. The guilt and sorrow she feels is brought to life by Cher’s very distinguishable voice.
“Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves”
My mama used to dance for the money they’d throw
Papa would do whatever he could
Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of
Doctor Good[CHORUS]
Gypsys, tramps, and thieves
We’d hear it from the people of the town
They’d call us Gypsys, tramps, and thieves
But every night all the men would come around
And lay their money down
Picked up a boy just south of
Mobile Gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal I was sixteen, he was twenty-one
Rode with us to Memphis
And papa woulda shot him if he knew what he’d done
[CHORUS]
I never had schoolin’ but he taught me well
With his smooth southern style
Three months later I’m a gal in trouble
And I haven’t seen him for a while, uh-huh I haven’t seen him for a while, uh-huh
She was born in the wagon of a travellin’ show
Her mama had to dance for the money they’d throw
Grandpa’d do whatever he could
Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of
Doctor Good
[CHORUS]
[CHORUS FADES]
2 Loud 2 Old Music 
Loved it when it came out (I’m old) and still love it today.
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I was around 3 and I don’t remember it specifically but I remember the Sonny & Cher show.
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