Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) by Cher

Album: The Sonny Side of Cher (1966)

Charted: 3 2

License This Song

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This was written by Cher's husband at the time, Sonny Bono.
In this song, Cher recalls playing childhood games with a boy when he would shoot her with his toy gun. They grow up together and get married but then he leaves her. She has again been shot down, but this time it's for real and she is devastated.
Cher re-recorded the song in 1987 on her self-titled album with Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora on guitar.
This was an international hit and Cher's biggest solo hit of the 1960s in the United States, selling over 3 million copies.
A cover by Nancy Sinatra released as an album track the same year was used in the opening scenes of the 2003 Tarantino film Kill Bill Volume 1. Tarantino had wanted to use "Bang Bang" for a while and he finally found a way to do it. "Why my version, I'm not sure," Sinatra recalled to Uncut magazine. "I guess it was the guitar, the lonely sound of Billy Strange's guitar. It caused a resurgence for me. People were stunned when they saw my name on the screen, they didn't know it was my recording. But Quentin really gave me a new start."

In 2005, the UK production duo Audio Bullys used Nancy Sinatra's rendition as a basis for a dance track, which reached #9 in the UK.
A live cover of the song by Lady Gaga was included as an iTunes Store bonus track on her collaboration jazz album with Tony Bennett, Cheek to Cheek. Gaga explained during a Reddit AMA that she changed a lyric to make it more personal to her. "I thought of my ex-lover, he married someone else," said the songstress. "Not for me, no church bells rang."

Comments: 8

Murphy from Va.To Jamie from NorCal
Why make such a crass comment. So you don’t like the song—that doesn’t make it a dumb song. There are plenty of songs I don’t much care for but I don’t insult the people who do like them by calling them dumb. I don’t know why some people feel the need to share such opinions that lack any intellectual critique and only serve to a show shallowness of thought. You could try in the future to explain aspects of the song that you find weak and say how you personally don’t connect with it. That would be less insulting to those who may enjoy the song.
Sam Williams from Sherman OaksHauntingly Beautiful, I’ve always wondered what inspired Sonny to write it. Cher just put out part one of her two part memoir, maybe there is some info about that in there. Honestly, there is definitely a Romani vibe to Sonny’s songs, but it’s unclear to me between the two of them who had that lineage. My guess would be Sonny as he was Italian. It’s especially apparent in songs like this and “Little Man”. So maybe Sonny had a really good imagination & a deep appreciation for his Romani heritage.
Jamie from NorcalOne of the dumbest songs ever recorded, this side of "In the Year 2525."
Stigs from Pa, UsaDon't say "Self-titled," that just means that they thought of the title themself, it could be anything. Instead say "Eponymous," because that means what you think self-titled means.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 6th 1966, "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Cher entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #75; and six weeks later on April 17th, 1966 it peaked at #2* {for 1 week} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
It also reached #2 in New Zealand...
Between 1965 and 2002 she, as a solo artist, had thirty-three Top 100 records; twelve made the Top 10 with four reaching #1; "Gypsys, Tramps, and Thieves" for two weeks in 1971, "Half-Breed" for two weeks in 1973, "Dark Lady" for one week in 1974, and "Believe" for four weeks in 1999...
Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian, will celebrate her 69th birthday in two months on May 20th {2015}...
* The week "Bang Bang" was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration" by the Righteous Brothers.
Ivan from Santiago, ChileNancy's cover is better,foe me.
Lester from New York City, NyTerry Reid covered this in 1968 on an album called, interestingly enough, 'Bang Bang, You're Terry Reid'.
Bob from Southfield, MiThis song was also covered by Vanilla Fudge on their first (Self-titled)album.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Mr. Blue SkyElectric Light Orchestra

It was never a big hit, but the uplifting "Mr. Blue Sky" has endured as Electric Light Orchestra's most popular song. Group leader Jeff Lynne wrote it when after two weeks of gloomy weather, the clouds parted to reveal a beautiful day.

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Sprinsteen said "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" was "the best love song I ever wrote."

Dixie ChickenLittle Feat

The Dixie Chicks got their name from the Little Feat song "Dixie Chicken." In 2020 they became "The Chicks" because Dixie refers to the American South in times of slavery.