The YouTubes algorithm recently served me up the Cher’s song “I’d Rather Believe in You” and I was thinking how much I love Jeff Porcaro’s drumming on the song, probably my favorite drum part in a Cher song (and one of my favorite Cher vocals, too).

And in the middle of procrastinating the writing of a twine short story, I went looking to see what the Internets thought of Cher’s drummers (and guitarists and bass players).

Guitar

While doing this I found a whole world of YouTubes of musicians-who-want-to-play-that-song and they make videos breaking things down.

Like breaking down…

Steve Lukather did a lot of Cher’s Geffen-era, 80s rock ballads. Here’s some internet info on Steve Lukather’s best, including “Turn Back Time.”

For example, Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro are all over the 1991 album Love Hurts: https://jeffsstamp.web.fc2.com/diskfile/cfile/cher6a.html

Examples of Steve Lukather on Cher songs:

I didn’t love Cher’s guitar sounds in the 80s, tbh. But then I can generally say I didn’t like the guitar solos from the 1980s. Cher’s seem much more subdued than most of them. But all of them, subdued or extroverted, were kind of predictably dull in their own ways.

For context, what I do like: I know there’s a lot of Lindsey Buckingham controversy (and I for one have checked out of Fleetwood Mac’s century-long drama) but here is an example of a solo that gives me feels. It’s always an unpredictable eddy with Buckingham and then I end up delighted at minute 3:42.

But anyway, we would be remiss not to mention Cher’s love of the guitarist and the Take Me Home song “Git Down (Guitar Groupie)” (1979) which had most of Toto on it, Steve Lukather (guitar), Jeff Porcaro (drums) and David Hungate (bass).

For a song about guitars and ahem, “living from lick to lick,” this guitar part feels a bit lowkey.

Maybe the solos are not allowed to upstage the Cher. JK.

Bass & Drums

Some breakdown examples of bass parts in Cher songs:

“The Beat Goes On” is, of course, the ultimate example, which reminds me why my favorite bass moments in Cher songs necessarily go back to Sonny and Carol Kaye in the 1960s:

And researching this I learned that the Wrecking Crew Facebook page claims the iconic drums in “Half Breed” (1973) were also Hal Blaine.

Some people also think Hal Blaine did the drums in “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” (see here) but there are no credits publicly available for that one and I don’t think it’s the most interesting thing about that song anyway.

But the drums and bass of “He Aint Heavy, He’s My Brother” (1971) and “Somebody” (1972) of that same year are quite another delicious example. There’s also the dramatic remake of “I Got You Babe” (1972, in no small part because of the drumming of Matt Betton) and the fabulous heartbeat of “All I Ever Need Is You” (1972).

And those uncredited players (likely the Toto) carrying Cher through the 1970s: “Living in a House Divided” (1972) and “Train of Thought” (1974) ….and “Take Me Home” (getting sultry in 1979 with Ed Greene on drums and Ed Watkins on bass).

Speaking of which I actually do like the guitar solo (and the drums) in “Love and Pain” (1979, with Tim May/Ben Benay and Ronnie Zito).

In other random facts, today I learned that Van Dyke Parks did the steel drum arrangements to the Jimmy Cliff song Cher covered in 1975 on her Stars album.

During all this exploring, A.I. kept trying to butt its big fat face into the conversation I was having with SERPs and it wants me to tell you “A Cowboys Work Is Never Done” (1972) has a “prominent drum roll” and I will concede to agree with A.I. there. It’s a very atmospheric effect all things considered.