When I saw this image on the front page of the NYT Arts section today (in the music section online), I was immediately transported back to 1971, with my Cher "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" LP in hand.
Back in the day, you may know, photos of singers were rare, especially to a lass on PEI, and I anticipated a new Cher album for its cover art (this was before I knew about Rona Barrett's Hollywood).
This album art was shot by Richard Avedon, and I found the cover to be particularly disappointing to a six-year-old in search of glamour. (What? Was I really six? The numbers match, but I'm rather shocked.)
above: two Avedon photos of Cher.
The one on the left recalls the album cover; the one on the right recalls my childhood ambition.
Yes, I did conscript my best friend into playing Sonny to my Cher on stage. (Sorry, Susan.)
For this was no Bob Mackie Cher on the cover, but an edgy, Cher-via-Patti-Smith, stringy-hair-in-face Cher that I utterly appreciate now, but didn't get then.
Fortunately, the back cover had a glamour pose of Cher, which I recall to be a large head shot, with the singer's posture tilting attractively. It was also in black and white, and I remember tracing it so I could make a poster for my room.
And here I return to Marc Anthony. His lips, in this NYT photo, remind me of Cher's, in that Avedon black-and-white image, with lips of various values (artist jargon).
Can't locate a photo of the back cover on the Web, so if there are any Cher collectors out there with an image, do let me know!
2 comments:
I'm glad someone else appreciates Cher as much as I do.
She was rather avant garde, in hindsight. I just can't abide Mr. Anthony. I want to smack him for marrying J. Lo. You know he was in Big Night. I just rewatched it for the first time in ages (just as good as it was 13 years ago) and there he was.
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