Dark Lady
by Cher

Album: Dark Lady (1974)
Charted: 36 1
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a woman who visits a famous fortune teller. The fortune teller (the "dark lady") tells her to break up with her boyfriend. Later on, the shocked protagonist remembers where she smelt the fortune teller's perfume before: on her bed after a night with her lover. She returns to the dark lady with a gun and finds her beau making love to the fortune teller. In a split decision, she pulls the trigger and kills the dark lady.
  • Keyboard player Johnny Durrill, who was a member of The Five Americans and The Ventures, wrote this song.

    Johnny Durrill submitted it to Cher's producer, Snuff Garrett, who had some definitive feedback. "When I was on tour in Japan with the Ventures, I was writing an interesting song," Durrill explained. "I telegraphed the unfinished lyrics to Garrett. He said to 'make sure the bitch kills him.' Hence, in the song both the lover and fortune teller were killed. That song became 'Dark Lady' which Cher cut; it went to #1 in 1974. Garrett provided me access to artists such as Cher and Sinatra and other opportunities such as soundtracks." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Brett - Edmonton, Canada, for above 2
  • According to Durrill, everyone but Cher knew they had a hit on their hands. He said: "Everybody knew it was a hit the minute they heard Cher's vocal on the playback, though she didn't particularly like it."
  • Two music videos were made. The first was a live performance on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour; the second was a cartoon by John David Wilson's animation studio that follows the song's story.
  • This was Cher's last chart-topper in the US until "Believe" hit #1 in 1998.
  • Cher offered her thoughts on this song in a 1991 interview with Vox: "'Dark Lady' was a pain in the ass because there was no place to take a breath - there were so many words in that stupid song!"

Comments: 12

  • Tim from Florida"She dealt two cards, a queen and a three
    And mumbled some words that were so strange to me
    Then she turned up a two-eyed jack"
    According to https://bit.ly/3AOhFjT, the cards have the following meaning:
    The queen of spades represents a manipulative woman.
    The three of spades represents tears from bad news.
    The jack of clubs represents someone who may be your friend.
    So the cards dealt in the song can be roughly translated accurately to the situation.
  • Jennifur SunI wonder considering who produced it if that is members of the Wrecking Crew playing on this song ? Cara Yes she kills both of them and Greg try google or maybe a local music store
  • Jennifur SunI wonder considering who produced it if that is members of the Wrecking Crew playing on this song
  • Ricky from Ohsweken, Ontario CanadaKristin - Bessemer, Al; according to a 70s CD I have Sonny turned it down for (& I quote from the CD liner notes) "fearing it would offend people down south only to release songs like Half Breed & Dark Lady which would go on to offend other people everywhere."
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxGo on YouTube and query for the animated video that was created for this song's use on the Sonny and Cher Show. It makes the song more fun to hear.
  • Paul from Detroit, MiHmmm .... Gypsies, Tramps and Theives, Half Breed and then Dark Lady. She loved singing about odd women in the 70's. All reached #1.
  • Breanna from Henderson, NvThis is a great song, I love that she kills them in the end, great ending isn't it.
  • Kristin from Bessemer, AlI find it very suprising that she would record this song, but Sonny Bono (at the time), was very reluctant for her to record "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia"
  • Greg from New York, NyI have been looking every for a Chord Progression Chart for Dark Lady. Does anyone know where I can get one?

    Thanks
  • Cara from Santa Barbara, CaShe does kill her boyfriend and "the dark lady"
    in the song.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI rhought the protagonist killed both her boyfriend and the fortune teller in the song.
  • Jeffri from San Diego, CaHi John, Long time. I just heard Dark Lady and remembered when we were living on Cherokee in Hollywood next to Mary when you wrote it.

    What are you up to?

    Love,
    Jeffri
see more comments

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