Strong Enough (Cher song)

"Strong Enough"
Single by Cher
from the album Believe
Released February 19, 1999
Recorded 1998
Genre Disco
Length

Album Version 3:44

Radio Edit 3:33
Label Warner Bros/Wea
Writer(s) Mark Taylor, Paul Barry
Producer(s) Mark Taylor
Cher singles chronology
"Believe"
(1998)		 "Strong Enough"
(1999)		 "All or Nothing"
(1999)

"Strong Enough" is a song by American recording artist Cher from her twenty-third studio album Believe (1998). The song was released as the second single from the album. It was released on February 19, 1999 by Warner Bros, and WEA. The song's composition and musical style is strongly reminiscent of 70's disco music. The song received positive reviews from music critics, many calling it a highlight to Believe. The song had less success in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number fifty-seven, but did top the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play charts. It also went into a top ten in UK, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, France, New Zealand, Spain, Italy and Finland.

Background and reception

"Strong Enough" was released as the second international single from Cher's twenty-third studio album Believe, which was released in 1998. However it was not successful in the US until it received more airplay following the release of promotional remixes. The song, along with "Believe", has become one of her most successful songs to date.

"Strong Enough" received favorable reviews from music critics. Allmusic wrote that "Cher herself merely moves through the beat factory with one drab vocal range, blending butt-shaker."[1]

Chart performance

"Strong Enough" had peaked at number fifty-seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, staying in the charts for twelve weeks. The song didn't receive much attention in the United States, but when the promo remixes were released, the song had peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play. It also peaked at number thirty-one on the U.S. Pop Songs, number twenty-nine on the U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and number forty on the U.S. Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks.[2]

Elsewhere, the song was successful, mostly getting in the top ten in most countries. The song had peaked at number six in New Zealand, and also peaked at number eleven in Australia.[3] The song was also very well received in Europe. The song had also peaked at number seven in Finland, until falling out the third week and number three in France, staying in the charts for twenty-four weeks.[4] The song had also peaked at number twenty-one in Sweden, five in Switzerland, four in Austria, eleven in The Netherlands and sixteen in Norway. The song also debuted at number five on the UK Singles Chart, until descending the rest of the way, finally finishing at number fifty-six.[5]

Music video

Cher performing "Strong Enough" at her 2014 Dressed to Kill Tour during a gladiator-themed segment of the show.

The music video for Strong Enough was directed by Nigel Dick and was released worldwide in early 1999. A promo VHS tape and CD-R were also released in the U.S., but are very rare. The video promo also includes the remixed version of the video.

In this video, Cher is a computer virus and her role is an advisor who tells a bad boyfriend the reasons why his girlfriend (played by Shannyn Sossamon) will leave him. Other participations in this video include teens in a party, two women, two robbers and lots of gothic instrument players.

A couple of months after the release of the original music video for Strong Enough, Dan-O-Rama (best known for his work remixing videos) created the "Vocal Club Edit" video for this song. He used the Strong Enough (Pumpin' Dolls Vocal Epic Club) remix and Club 69 Future Edit* promo only for Djs in 2000. The original music video is also featured on 'The Very Best Of Cher: The Video Hits Collection'

Live performances

Cher performed the song on the following concert tours:

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of all single releases of "Strong Enough".

US/Canadian Maxi-Single (9 44644-2)[6][7]

  1. "Strong Enough"
  2. "Strong Enough" (Club 69 Future Anthem Mix 1)
  3. "Strong Enough" (Pumpin' Dolls Vocal Epic Club)
  4. "Strong Enough" (Male Version)
  5. "Strong Enough" (Club 69 Phunk Mix)
  6. "Strong Enough" (Marc Andrews Remix Edit)
  7. "Strong Enough" (Pumpin' Dolls Cashmere Club Mix)
  8. "Strong Enough" (D-Bop's Melt Mix)
  9. "Strong Enough" (Club 69 Future Anthem Short Mix Edit)
  10. "Strong Enough" (Pumpin' Dolls Radio Edit)

Canadian 2 x 12" Vinyl (2 27570)[7][8]

Same tracklist of the US 2 x 12 Vinyl.[7]

US 2 x 12" Vinyl (PRO-A-9719)[7][9]

Japananese Strong Enough/Believe EP (JPN-WPCR-10224 )[7][10]

  1. "Strong Enough"
  2. "Strong Enough" (Pumpin' Dolls Remix Edit = Phat 'N' Phunky Club Mix)
  3. "Strong Enough" (Club 69 Future Anthem Mix 2)
  4. "Strong Enough" (Marc Andrews Remix)
  5. "Believe" (Album Version)
  6. "Believe" (Phat'n Dolls Remix Edit = Phat 'N' Phunky Club Mix)
  7. "Believe" (Almighty Definitive)
  8. "Believe" (Club 69 Phunk Club Mix)

UK CD Single Pt. 1 (WEA 201 CD1)[7][11]

  1. "Strong Enough"
  2. "Strong Enough" (Club 69 Future Anthem Short Mix Edit)
  3. "Strong Enough" (Marc Andrews Remix Edit)

Germany CD Single Pt. 2 (WEA 201 CD2)[7][12]

  1. "Strong Enough"
  2. "Strong Enough" (Male Version)
  3. "Strong Enough" (D-Bop's Melt Mix)

Promo CD Mexican (PCD1217) [7]

  1. "Strong Enough" (Album Version) 3:44
  2. "Strong Enough" (Marc Andrews Remix Edit) 7:31

Official mixes

D-Bop Remixes

Marc Andrews Remixes

Club 69 Remixes

Pumpin Remixes

Wayne G Remix - Not Official

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1999) [13] Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[14] 11
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[15] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[17] 4
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 16
Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart[18] 13
Denmark (Tracklisten) 5
Finland (Finland's Official List)[19] 7
France (SNEP)[4] 3
Germany (Media Control AG) 3
Ireland (IRMA) 11
Italy (FIMI) 10
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 11
New Zealand (RIANZ)[21] 6
Norway (VG-lista)[22] 16
Scottish Singles Chart[23] 4
Spain (PROMUSICAE) 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 21
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 5
Turkey Airplay Chart 1
UK Singles (The Official Chart Company)[26] 5
US Billboard Hot 100 57
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1
US Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales 3
US Billboard Adult Contemporary 29
US Billboard Adult Top 40 40
US Billboard Mainstream Top 40 31
US Billboard Top 40 Tracks 34

Year-end charts

Country (1999) Position
Australian Singles Chart[27] 65
Austrian Singles Chart[28] 40
German Singles Chart[29] 42
Netherlands Singles Chart[30] 56
Swiss Singles Chart[31] 39
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[32] 76

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[33] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[34] Platinum 50,000*
France (SNEP)[35] Gold 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[36] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Silver 200,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Preceded by
"Body" by Funky Green Dogs		 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
May 1, 1999 		Succeeded by
"It's Over Now" by Deborah Cox

Cover versions

References

  1. ↑ Review by Allmusic Retrieved October 25, 2013
  2. ↑ "Believe - Cher". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  3. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  5. ↑ "Cher - Strong Enough". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  6. ↑ Cher - Strong Enough
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 "Strong Enough Single".
  8. ↑ Cher - Strong Enough
  9. ↑ Cher - Strong Enough
  10. ↑ Cher - Strong Enough/Believe
  11. ↑ Cher - Strong Enough
  12. ↑ Cher - Strong Enough
  13. ↑ "Strong Enough", in Swiss, Austrian, Dutch, French, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Australian and New Zealand Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved January 25, 2009)
  14. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  15. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  16. ↑ "Cher - Strong Enough". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  17. ↑ "Cher - Strong Enough". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  18. ↑ RPM Official charts Canada
  19. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  20. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  21. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  22. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  23. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19990228/41
  24. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  25. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Cher - Strong Enough". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  26. ↑ UK Singles Chart . Retrieved October 31, 2010.
  27. ↑ Australian Recording Industry Association (1999). "ARIA charts — End of year charts". aria.com.au. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  28. ↑ 1999 Austrian Singles Chart (Retrieved August 27, 2010)
  29. ↑ 1999 German Singles Chart (Retrieved August 27, 2010)
  30. ↑ 1999 Dutch Top 40 (Retrieved August 27, 2010)
  31. ↑ 1999 Swiss Singles Chart (Retrieved August 27, 2010)
  32. ↑ "UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 1999 - Year End". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  33. ↑ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 1999 Singles". ARIA. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  34. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 1999". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  35. ↑ "French single certifications – Cher – Strong Enough" (in French). InfoDisc. Select CHER and click OK
  36. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Cher; 'Strong Enough')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  37. ↑ "British single certifications – Cher – Strong Enough". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Strong Enough in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search

External links