Book Review – 'I Got You Babe: A Celebration of Cher'
Cher fundamentally proves that talent, audacity, and the refusal to disappear quietly are a potent combination for surviving – and thriving – across decades of fickle fame.
If there are absolutes in life, one of those is Cher. Music, fashion, awards, opinions, culture, and the ability to sit in that rarified realm of one-name recognition. Has there been a moment when we ‘turned back time,’ switched on our AM transistor radio, flicked on the TV, scrolled on social media, and not seen an image of Cher that hasn’t given us pause for instant recognition?
No small wonder that the title of author Annie Zaleski’s latest book is I Got You Babe: A Celebration of Cher. A force of nature who has charged forth with both feet on the ground, spangles a-glitter be damned and wise witty words of wisdom. If she is falling into areas of heartbreak (witness her son Elijah’s controversial conservatorship battle) across a six-decade career, she is not going to back down or hide. The former Bonnie Jo Mason is going to make you sit up and pay attention.
Ringo, I Love You YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! - Bonnie Jo Mason(Cher) Stereo 1964/℗© Mother Bertha & Hill and Range (BMI)/YouTube
The lushly illustrated book is jammed-packed with dozens of images of the icon throughout her 60-plus years career. From her early days with husband Sonny Bono and their forays into California psychedelic pop to the music variety shows they hosted, to her solo endeavors, both musical and celluloid, the numerous glam tours, the legendary looks bestowed on her by designer Bob Mackie — who, by the way, is still going strong at age 85 — and her Oscar-winning performance in 1988’s Moonstruck, one is fully immersed in what can be termed as a ‘Cher-abration.’
Zaleski slingshots from the well-known anecdotes (her difficult relationship with Sonny and the deep love intertwined in overtones of his overbearing authority) and tumultuous marriage to Gregg Allman, to the thoughtful insights she brings to Cher’s charitable endeavors, ranging from her early work in the AIDS community to her recent support in the rescue of Kaavan, an elephant that she sponsored and helped move from its restraint in Pakistan to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia.
Cher & The Loneliest Elephant - Official Trailer 2021/© Paramount+/Smithsonian Channel/YouTube
The march from Cher’s humble beginnings as the daughter of a single mother, to a TV personality, an outlier in the fashion world, and the numerous ups and downs in her love life are documented by Zaleski’s sourced material from across the decades (the author did not personally interview Cher for this book). From those insights, one pieces together a woman who naturally flouted authority, gravitated to a flamboyant lifestyle, yet to this day, remains grounded, channeled by her mother’s headstrong personality (amidst the typical maternal clashes, Cher remained devoted to her until her passing in 2022 at age 96), solid bonds with her half-sister Georgeanne and transgender son Chaz.
Adept at staying ahead of trends — or even initiating them herself — Cher embodies a uniquely characteristic tone that has inspired people from diverse walks of life and difficult upbringings. Zaleski takes care to showcase Cher’s accomplishments without resorting to tabloid sensationalism and keeps the focus on the 78-year-old’s self-deprecating humor, persistence in individual accomplishments (including her well-deserved 2024 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) and reminding everyone, as Cyndi Lauper states in the forward, “With her, you didn’t feel like you were talking to a famous person, even though she is one of the more famous people in the world.”
Cher - Believe (Official Music Video) [4K Remaster]/℗© 1998 Brian Higgins, Paul Barry, Steve Torch, Stuart M. Lennen/YouTube
I Got You Babe: A Celebration of Cher by Annie Zaleski releases May 6 from Running Press, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. Pre-orders are available from Hachette here.
Zaleski’s essay on Cher from the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame programme is available to read here.
