Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)

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“Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)”
Single by Cher from the album The Sonny Side of Cher
B-side	"Needles and Pins " "Our Day Will Come "
Released	1966
Format	7" single
Recorded	1966
Genre	Pop/Rock
Length	2:44
Label	Imperial Records
Writer(s)	Sonny Bono
Producer	Sonny Bono
Certification	3xPlatinum (as of 1984), (US)
Cher singles chronology
"Where Do You Go" (1965) "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (1966) "Alfie" (1966)

“Bang Bang”
Single by Cher from the album Cher
B-side	"I Found Someone"
Released	1988
Recorded	1986 - 1987
Genre	Rock
Length	3:48
Label	Geffen
Writer(s)	Sonny Bono
Producer	David Geffen
Cher singles chronology
"Skin Deep" (1988) "Bang Bang" (1988) "Main Man" (1988)

"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" is the name of a song written by Sonny Bono. In 1966, Cher released it as the second single from the album The Sonny Side of Cher. Nancy Sinatra later covered the song in 1967, though Cher's version is—by far—the most successful rendition of the song.

[edit] History and covers

The single proved successful, charting high on many national charts worldwide. In the United States, it was Cher's biggest solo hit of the 1960s, peaking at #2. The single sold over 3 million copies, in the US alone, by 1984. In 1987, Cher released this song as a single again from her album Cher. However, that time, it failed to chart. This was Cher's first top-three hit in the UK, charting at #3. It would be her last top-three hit, until The Shoop-Shoop Song, twenty-two years later.

Also in 1967, Nancy Sinatra released her version of the song on her album How Does That Grab You?. This version remained relatively obscure until it was used in the opening scenes of the 2003 movie Kill Bill Volume 1. This exposure caused Sinatra's version to be the one chosen by Audio Bullys when, in 2005, they used a sample of the song for their top ten UK hit "Shot You Down", credited officially to Audio Bullys featuring Nancy Sinatra.

Other artists who recorded this song include Stevie Wonder for his 1966 album Down to Earth, Petula Clark in 1966 for her album I Couldn't Live Without Your Love, Vanilla Fudge for their 1967 album Vanilla Fudge, Terry Reid for his 1968 album Bang Bang You're Terry Reid, Frank Sinatra for his 1981 album She Shot Me Down, Cliff Richard, Paul Weller on his 2003 compilation album Fly On The Wall - B Sides And Rarities and Isobel Campbell on her 2005 EP This Is Just The Same. The German artist Rainald Grebe used the refrain for his tragicomic song "Bengt Bangt" in his program "Lagerfeuer des Grauens". Japanese pop/rock singer Minako Honda recorded a Japanese cover on her 1989 album WILD CATS (as MINAKO with WILD CATS).

This song has also been very popular in the Sixties in Italy and has been covered by the following artists: Mina, Dalida and the band Equipe 84. Dalida also sang it in French, as did Sheila. Still in France, Jacno and Mareva Galanter did a cover of the song (2006). In Quebec, Claire Lepage did a French cover in 1966.

John Balance from Coil performed "Bang Bang" during the live concerts of the band in 2002-2004. His versions of this song can be found on Coil live albums Live Four and Selvaggina, Go Back Into The Woods. The Raconteurs regularly performed the song in concert during 2006.

In November 2006, the Greek music producer and world-renowned mixing engineer Antonis Karalis released his debut worldwide single "To Be Continued" with another version of "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". He perform, record, arrange, mix and master the track.

The singer and model Carla Bruni performs it in the Lancia Musa TV advertisement, which was broadcast in Europe in January 2008.

A remix of this song was played during the 2005 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

[edit] Charts

Cher version