You Better Sit Down Kids
by Cher

Album: With Love, Cher (1967)
Charted: 9
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Songfacts®:

  • Predating Sonny & Cher's bitter divorce by seven years, this song written by Sonny Bono is a heartrending story of a broken home. Back in the 1960s, divorce wasn't a common topic for popular songs, and this was possibly the first ever popular song to deal with divorce. As a result the song achieved plenty of attention in the media, which boosted its sales and helped it to earn a Gold certificate.
  • This was one of several releases on which Cher's music touched on difficult areas. Two others, which had been released as a singles the previous year, "I Feel Something's In The Air," which dealt with unwanted pregnancy, and "Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)" had proved less successful.
  • This was only released as a single in the US and Canada.

Comments: 6

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 10th 1968, Liza Minnelli performed a covered version of "You Better Sit Down, Kids" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
    The song was track six from her self-titled debut studio album, which was released the month before on February 8th, 1968..
    Cher's original version of the song had peaked at #9 three months earlier on December 17th, 1967...
    {See 2nd post below}.
  • Joanne from Long Island, Ny, UsaI don't believe Sonny has ever really gotten the credit he deserved as a song writer. Maybe because he played the comedy baffoon so well on the couples weekly TV show that people started forgetting his talents. This is one of the songs that proves what a good song writing talent he was.

    Although divorce was still very rare in the mid 1960s - when Sonny wrote this song - he had already been on BOTH SIDES of the 'better sit down kids' experience. Having gone through a divorce from first wife Donna (and having to break the news to his young daughter Christy from that marriage) .... but also, years earlier ... having been the 'kid' who had to 'sit down' and hear the news that his own father and mother were breaking up .

    MUSIC HAS HEALING POWERS ... In several years divorce would become much more common place in America and SONNY's words would help many people across America cope. Breaking the news to the children is probably one of the most difficult things in life ... Through the words of this song Sonny spoke on behalf of all loving, but imperfect, fathers. I've heard Lucie Arnaz speak very highly of the emotional power in this song having gone through the break up of her own father and mother's marriage ... Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 17th, 1967 "You Better Sit Down Kids" by Cher peaked at #9 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 22nd and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    Reached #7 in Canada...
    It was track one from her album, "With Love, Cher", the album peaked at #47 on 'Billboard's Top 200 Albums, chart...
    Two other songs from the LP made the Top 100 (the others were "Behind The Door" at #97 and "Hey Joe" at #94...
    A year later in 1968 it was covered by Roy Drusky, his version peaked at #28 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart...
    R.I.P. Mr. Drusty (1930 - 2004) and Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian, will celebrate her 68th birthday come next May 20th.
  • Guy from Woodinville, WaThis is such an impressive song from Sonny Bono in the early years of an act that nobody took very seriously. I always thought it was interesting that Cher sang from the male perspective. It struck me deeply at the time, then 5 years later when my parents divorced. It is very heartfelt. And Cher went on to become by far one of the highest-paid women in show business. Who knew!?!?
  • Cherasny from Baltimore, MdMaybe Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher sang this song years ago.
  • Larry from New York City, NyCher is singing as if she was the MALE not the FEMALE. Listen to the Lyrics or even read them. HINT: The lines states "Your Mother and I don't see eye to eye". Great Bono written song.
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