1979 Cher – Prisoner
Prisoner (initially planned to be released under the title Mirror Image) was Cher’s second album of 1979, and was released nine months after Take Me Home.
This was the last album of Cher’s to date to be produced by Bob Esty, with Esty and Michelle Aller contributing several of the songs. Compared to the disco style of Take Me Home, Prisoner featured a relatively New Wave sound. Prisoner also marked the first time that Cher released an album which featured songs that were written exclusively for her.
The producer wanted to take advantage of Cher’s image and the media obsession with her. On the front cover of the album, she appears to be completely naked, with long hair draped to cover her breasts. She is wrapped in chains and wearing a wide metal collar. Her wrists and ankles are tightly shackled with wide metal bands. The cover spurred controversy among some women’s rights groups for her perceived “sex slave” image.
Originally the album was planned to be titled “Mirror Image,” pointing out Cher’s known brave-side and her newly found ‘wild disco’ side. Since Cher wasn’t really into the album (she wanted to “rock out”) she kept on refusing songs on one hand and adding songs on the other hand. “Boys & Girls”, a more rock-based song was added by Cher. Since there was nothing left from the album’s original plan, the title was changed into “Prisoner” before release.
Prisoner has been released on CD together with the first Casablanca Records album Take me Home, in a CD entitled, The Casablanca Years. This CD unites all the tracks from both albums, merging them onto one single CD.
Tracks
1 Prisoner (David Paich) 5:49
2 Holdin’ Out For Love (Cynthia Weil, Tom Snow) 4:19
3 Shoppin’ (Bob Esty, Michele Aller) 4:35
4 Boys & Girls (Billy Falcon) 3:57
5 Mirror Image (Michael Brooks, Bob Esty) 4:53
6 Hell On Wheels (Bob Esty, Michele Aller) 5:35
7 Holy Smoke! (Bob Esty, Michele Aller) 4:56
8 Outrageous (Bob Esty, Michele Aller) 3:12
Biography
Musicians
1 Prisoner
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Jeffrey Porcaro |
Guitar (solo) | Steve Lukather |
Guitar | David Williams |
Guitar | Robby Krieger |
Piano | David Paich |
Sax | Gary Herbig |
Sax | Kim Hutchcroft |
Trombone | Bill Reichenbach |
Trumpet | Gary Grant |
Trumpet | Jerry Hey |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Background Vocals | Michele Aller |
Vocals | Cher |
2 Holdin’ Out For Love
Bass | John Pierce |
Keyboards | Tom Snow |
Background Vocals | Michele Aller |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Vocals | Cher |
3 Shoppin’
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Rick Shlosser |
Guitar | Ira Newborn |
Piano | Bob Esty |
Background Vocals | Arnold McCuller |
Background Vocals | Luther Vandross |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Vocals | Cher |
4 Boys & Girls
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Alvin Taylor |
Guitar (solo) | Steve Lukather |
Guitar | Ira Newborn |
Guitar | Joey Brasler |
Organ | John Hobbs |
Piano | John Hobbs |
Percussion | Larry Emerine |
Background Vocals | Michele Aller |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Vocals | Cher |
5 Mirror Image
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Alvin Taylor |
Guitar | Ira Newborn |
Talk Box | Robby Krieger |
Piano | Bob Esty |
Synthesizer | Bob Esty |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Vocals | Cher |
6 Hell On Wheels
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Mike Baird |
Guitar (solo) | Steve Lukather |
Guitar | Ira Newborn |
Piano | Bob Esty |
Synthesizer | Bob Esty |
Programming | Dan Wyman |
Percussion | Alan Estes |
Percussion | Oliver Brown |
Background Vocals | Michele Aller |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Vocals | Cher |
7 Holy Smoke!
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Rick Shlosser |
Guitar | Ira Newborn |
Organ | Richard Tee |
Piano | Bob Esty |
Tambourine | Victor Feldman |
Timpani | Victor Feldman |
Background Vocals | Laura Creamer |
Background Vocals | Ginger Blake |
Background Vocals | Linda Dillard |
Background Vocals | Michele Aller |
Vocals | Cher |
8 Outrageous
Bass | John Pierce |
Drums | Alvin Taylor |
Guitar | Ira Newborn |
Piano | Bob Esty |
Sax | Gary Herbig |
Sax | Kim Hutchcroft |
Trombone | Bill Reichenbach |
Trumpet | Jerry Hey |
Trumpet | Gary Grant |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Background Vocals | Michele Aller |
Background Vocals | Bob Esty |
Vocals | Cher |
Liner Notes
Producer – Bob Esty
Co-producer – Larry Emerine
Arranged By (Horns) – Jerry Hey (Tracks 1, 8)
Arranged By (Strings) – Bob Esty (Track 8)
Arranged By – Bob Esty
Contractor – Trevor Veitch
Conductor – Bob Esty
Engineer – Larry Emerine
Engineer (Additional) – Stephen Marcussen
Mastered By – Darrell Johnson
Photography – Harry Langdon
Mastered At Precision Lacquer
Recorded At Studio 55, Los Angeles
Phonographic Copyright Casablanca Record And Filmworks Inc