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{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
{{Infobox song
| Name = You Better Sit Down Kids
| Cover =
| name = You Better Sit Down Kids
| cover = cher_you_better_sit_down_kids_alt.jpg
| Caption =
| Artist = [[Cher]]
| alt =
| from Album =
| type = single
| A-side =
| artist = [[Cher]]
| B-side =
| album = [[With Love, Cher]]
| B-side = {{ubl|"Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)"|alternate "[[Elusive Butterfly]]"}}
| Released = 1967
| Format = Vinyl
| released = October 2, 1967
| Recorded = 1966
| recorded = 1966
| Genre = Pop
| studio =
| Length = 3:19
| venue =
| Label = [[Imperial Records|Imperial]]
| genre = [[Pop (music)|Pop]]
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=42}}
| Writer = [[Sonny Bono]]
| Producer = Sonny Bono
| label = [[Imperial Records|Imperial]]
| writer = [[Sonny Bono]]
| Certification = Gold <small>([[RIAA certification|US]])</small>
| producer = Sonny Bono
| Chart position = * #9 <small>([[Billboard Hot 100|US]])</small>
| prev_title = [[Hey Joe]]
* #7 <small>([[Canada]])</small>
| Last single =
| prev_year = 1967
| next_title = The Click Song
| This single =
| Next single =
| next_year = 1968
| Misc =
}}
}}


"'''You Better Sit Down Kids'''" is a major hit single by American singer/actress [[Cher]] in 1967 from her fourth studio album ''[[With Love, Chér]]'', released in November 1967 by [[Imperial Records]]. The song was written by her then-husband [[Sonny Bono]]. Sung from a father's perspective, the lyrics tell the story of a divorce as explained to the couple's children. The song is featured on the compilation albums ''[[Cher's Golden Greats]]'' (1968), ''[[Superpack Vol. 1 and 2|Superpack Vol. 1]]'' (1972) and ''[[Gold (Cher album)|Gold]]'' (2005).


The song was well received by music critics. It peaked at number nine on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], becoming Cher's second top ten single after "[[Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)]]". “You Better Sit Down Kids” became a top 20 hit in Canada peaking at number twelve. It was covered by [[Roy Drusky]], [[Liza Minnelli]], [[Glen Campbell]] and Bono himself on ''[[All I Ever Need Is You (1971 Sonny & Cher album)|All I Ever Need Is You]]'' (1971).
'''"You Better Sit Down Kids"''' was a hit single release by American [[singer]]/[[actress]] [[Cher]] in 1967. The song was a top 10 hit in the [[United States]] (#9 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]]) and also a top 10 in [[Canada]] (#7). "You Better Sit Down Kids" was released only in those two countries, however.


==Background==
The song was arguably the first song ever released that dealt with divorce, as divorce was a somewhat taboo subject into the 1960s. The song garnered much attention in the media, leading to strong sales of the single, earning it a [[Gold Single|Gold]] certification in the US that same year.
The year of 1967 was full for [[Sonny & Cher]]. They released their third studio album ''[[In Case You're in Love]]'' in March which yielded the U.S. top ten single "[[The Beat Goes On (Sonny & Cher song)|The Beat Goes On]]" and the U.K. top five single "[[Little Man (Sonny & Cher song)|Little Man]]". In April, they promoted the musical comedy ''[[Good Times (film)|Good Times]]'' along with its [[Good Times (soundtrack)|soundtrack]]. Both of them were commercial failures. During the fall of 1967, they also released the compilation albums ''[[The Best of Sonny & Chér]]'' and ''[[Sonny & Cher's Greatest Hits]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Larocque|2013|pp=67–69}}</ref> In November 1967, "You Better Sit Down Kids" was released as a single alongside ''[[With Love, Chér]]''. Cher later recorded an Italian version of the song titled "Bambini Miei Cari (Sedetevi Attorno)".<ref>{{harvnb|Larocque|2013|p=74}}</ref>

==Composition==
Though a woman, Cher recorded the song without changing its explicitly masculine perspective.<ref name=Begop53 /> Like her other solo hits "[[Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)]]" and "[[Where Do You Go (Cher song)|Where Do You Go]]", this song was written by Bono.

The lyrics are from the perspective of a father informing his children that he and their mother are separating.<ref name=Begop53 /> The song starts slow, then, after a few stanzas, a fast bridge section has the father giving some orders to the kids, including to "Say your prayers before you go to bed, and be sure to get to school on time". The song starts in the key of B, and goes up a half step on each stanza, except during the Bridge section, which is in the key of B-Flat. The last stanza and the Coda are done in the key of F.

==Reception==
Mark Bego, author of ''Cher: If You Believe'', praised Cher's performance on "You Better Sit Down Kids", saying that "she turned it into a soap-opera storytelling, at which she vocally excelled".<ref name=Begop53>{{harvnb|Bego|2001|p=53}}</ref> Joe Viglione from [[Allmusic]] also wrote a favorable review of the song, calling it "the moment in the sun" of the album and describing it as a "tremendous performance".<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/with-love-cher-mw0000373039 |title=With Love, Cher music review |author= Joe Viglione |publisher= AllMusic |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> A ''Billboard'' article listing Cher's biggest songs, ranked the "You Better Sit Down Kids" as the seventeenth.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Cher's Biggest Billboard Hits|author=Caulfield, Keith|access-date=April 4, 2017|magazine=Billboard|date=May 20, 2016|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/1563030/chers-biggest-billboard-hits}}</ref>

"You Better Sit Down Kids" debuted on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] chart dated October 28, 1967 at number 79.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1967-10-28 |title=Music: Top 100 Songs – The Week of October 28, 1967 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> The song eventually peaked at number nine on the chart dated December 23, becoming Cher's second solo top ten song after "[[Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)]]" a year earlier.<ref name=bb /> In Canada, the song entered the ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' at number 78 on the chart dated November 4, 1967.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.100111&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.100111.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.100111 |title=The RPM 100 – Week of November 4, 1967 |magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]] |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> It then reached number twelve.<ref name=rpm /> "You Better Sit Down Kids" appeared on the 1967 year-end chart at number sixty.<ref name=rpm1967 />

==Cover versions==
Many artists covered "You Better Sit Down Kids" shortly after its release. In 1968, [[Roy Drusky]] brought the song to country music audiences. His version peaked at number 28, spending 10 weeks on the Billboard country chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/1968-05-18|title=Top Country Songs Chart – The Week of May 18, 1968|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group|access-date=March 26, 2017}}</ref> The same year, [[Liza Minnelli]] covered the song on her [[Liza Minnelli (album)|self-titled]] studio album released by A&M Records.<ref>{{cite web|last=Griffith |first=JT |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/liza-minnelli-1968-mw0000847062 |title=Liza Minnelli [1968] – Liza Minnelli |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> [[Glen Campbell]] covered the song on his twelfth album ''[[Wichita Lineman]]'', released by [[Capitol Records]].<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Eder |first=Bruce |title=Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell |publisher=AllMusic |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/wichita-lineman-mw0000611196 |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> The jazz group The Raymonde Singers Etcetera included the song on their album "Feelin'".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/feelin-mw0000925609 |title=Feelin' – The Raymonde Singers Etcetera & The Union Gap |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> [[Gary Puckett & The Union Gap]] also released a version of the song on their 1968 album, ''[[Woman, Woman (album)|Woman, Woman]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Viglione |first=Joe |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/woman-woman-r47317 |title=Woman, Woman – Gary Puckett &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref> Later, Sonny Bono himself recorded a solo version on their 1971 album ''[[All I Ever Need Is You (1971 Sonny & Cher album)|All I Ever Need Is You]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Bego|2001|p=73}}</ref>

==Track listing and formats==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*'''International 7" single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes | title = You Better Sit Down Kids | others = [[Cher]] |year = 1967 | type = US 7" Vinyl Single | publisher = [[Imperial Records]] | location = US | id = 66261}}</ref>
**A "You Better Sit Down Kids" – 3:42
**B "Elusive Butterfly" – 2:30

{{col-2}}
*'''Spanish 7" single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes | title = You Better Sit Down Kids | others = [[Cher]] |year = 1967 | type = Spanish 7" Vinyl Single | publisher = [[Liberty Records]] | location = Spain | id = H 235}}</ref>
**A "You Better Sit Down Kids" – 3:42
**B "Hey Joe" – 2:40
{{col-end}}

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Charts (1967)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|align="left"|Canadian Singles Chart<ref name=rpm>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.100135&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=v2a76h62to0aart05gg0u3agj2 |title=Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=October 1, 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|12
|-
|align="left"|Quebec ([[ADISQ]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/collections_patrimoniales/musique/collection_numerique/bd_specialisee/palmares/|title=Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec|publisher=[[Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec|BAnQ]]|language=fr|access-date=September 11, 2019|archive-date=August 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809215510/http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/collections_patrimoniales/musique/collection_numerique/bd_specialisee/palmares/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|align="center"|5
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|9|artist=Cher|access-date=28 March 2017|refname=bb}}
|-
|align="left"|US ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://98.130.35.56/archives/60s_files/19671223.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 12/23/67 |access-date=March 28, 2017}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|8
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1967)
! style="text-align:center;"|Position
|-
|Canadian Singles Chart<ref name=rpm1967>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.100151&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=dtlhqtcdftn9t40n27r4hds2h0 |title=Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|60
|}
{{col-end}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |last=Bego |first=Mark |title=Cher: If You Believe |publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing |location=New York |year=2001 |isbn=1461625920 }}
*{{cite book |last=Larocque |first=Jason |title=You Haven't Seen The Last of Me |publisher=Lulu.com |year=2013 |isbn=978-1300888581 }}

{{Cher songs part 1}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Cher songs]]
[[Category:1967 singles]]
[[Category:1967 singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Sonny Bono]]
[[Category:Cher songs]]
[[Category:Roy Drusky songs]]
[[Category:Glen Campbell songs]]
[[Category:Gary Puckett & The Union Gap songs]]
[[Category:1967 songs]]
[[Category:Imperial Records singles]]
[[Category:Songs about children]]
[[Category:Songs about parenthood]]
[[Category:Songs about divorce]]
[[Category:Songs about divorce]]
[[Category:Pop songs]]

{{1960s-song-stub}}

Latest revision as of 15:57, 22 October 2024

"You Better Sit Down Kids"
Single by Cher
from the album With Love, Cher
B-side
ReleasedOctober 2, 1967
Recorded1966
GenrePop
Length3:42
LabelImperial
Songwriter(s)Sonny Bono
Producer(s)Sonny Bono
Cher singles chronology
"Hey Joe"
(1967) 		"You Better Sit Down Kids"
(1967) 		"The Click Song"
(1968)

"You Better Sit Down Kids" is a major hit single by American singer/actress Cher in 1967 from her fourth studio album With Love, Chér, released in November 1967 by Imperial Records. The song was written by her then-husband Sonny Bono. Sung from a father's perspective, the lyrics tell the story of a divorce as explained to the couple's children. The song is featured on the compilation albums Cher's Golden Greats (1968), Superpack Vol. 1 (1972) and Gold (2005).

The song was well received by music critics. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Cher's second top ten single after "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)". “You Better Sit Down Kids” became a top 20 hit in Canada peaking at number twelve. It was covered by Roy Drusky, Liza Minnelli, Glen Campbell and Bono himself on All I Ever Need Is You (1971).

Background

[edit]

The year of 1967 was full for Sonny & Cher. They released their third studio album In Case You're in Love in March which yielded the U.S. top ten single "The Beat Goes On" and the U.K. top five single "Little Man". In April, they promoted the musical comedy Good Times along with its soundtrack. Both of them were commercial failures. During the fall of 1967, they also released the compilation albums The Best of Sonny & Chér and Sonny & Cher's Greatest Hits.[1] In November 1967, "You Better Sit Down Kids" was released as a single alongside With Love, Chér. Cher later recorded an Italian version of the song titled "Bambini Miei Cari (Sedetevi Attorno)".[2]

Composition

[edit]

Though a woman, Cher recorded the song without changing its explicitly masculine perspective.[3] Like her other solo hits "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and "Where Do You Go", this song was written by Bono.

The lyrics are from the perspective of a father informing his children that he and their mother are separating.[3] The song starts slow, then, after a few stanzas, a fast bridge section has the father giving some orders to the kids, including to "Say your prayers before you go to bed, and be sure to get to school on time". The song starts in the key of B, and goes up a half step on each stanza, except during the Bridge section, which is in the key of B-Flat. The last stanza and the Coda are done in the key of F.

Reception

[edit]

Mark Bego, author of Cher: If You Believe, praised Cher's performance on "You Better Sit Down Kids", saying that "she turned it into a soap-opera storytelling, at which she vocally excelled".[3] Joe Viglione from Allmusic also wrote a favorable review of the song, calling it "the moment in the sun" of the album and describing it as a "tremendous performance".[4] A Billboard article listing Cher's biggest songs, ranked the "You Better Sit Down Kids" as the seventeenth.[5]

"You Better Sit Down Kids" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated October 28, 1967 at number 79.[6] The song eventually peaked at number nine on the chart dated December 23, becoming Cher's second solo top ten song after "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" a year earlier.[7] In Canada, the song entered the RPM at number 78 on the chart dated November 4, 1967.[8] It then reached number twelve.[9] "You Better Sit Down Kids" appeared on the 1967 year-end chart at number sixty.[10]

Cover versions

[edit]

Many artists covered "You Better Sit Down Kids" shortly after its release. In 1968, Roy Drusky brought the song to country music audiences. His version peaked at number 28, spending 10 weeks on the Billboard country chart.[11] The same year, Liza Minnelli covered the song on her self-titled studio album released by A&M Records.[12] Glen Campbell covered the song on his twelfth album Wichita Lineman, released by Capitol Records.[13] The jazz group The Raymonde Singers Etcetera included the song on their album "Feelin'".[14] Gary Puckett & The Union Gap also released a version of the song on their 1968 album, Woman, Woman.[15] Later, Sonny Bono himself recorded a solo version on their 1971 album All I Ever Need Is You.[16]

Track listing and formats

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Larocque 2013, pp. 67–69
  2. ^ Larocque 2013, p. 74
  3. ^ a b c Bego 2001, p. 53
  4. ^ Joe Viglione. "With Love, Cher music review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  5. ^ Caulfield, Keith (May 20, 2016). "Cher's Biggest Billboard Hits". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  6. ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs – The Week of October 28, 1967". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Cher Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  8. ^ "The RPM 100 – Week of November 4, 1967". RPM. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  11. ^ "Top Country Songs Chart – The Week of May 18, 1968". Billboard. Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  12. ^ Griffith, JT. "Liza Minnelli [1968] – Liza Minnelli". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  13. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  14. ^ "Feelin' – The Raymonde Singers Etcetera & The Union Gap". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  15. ^ Viglione, Joe. "Woman, Woman – Gary Puckett | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  16. ^ Bego 2001, p. 73
  17. ^ You Better Sit Down Kids (US 7" Vinyl Single). Cher. US: Imperial Records. 1967. 66261.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ You Better Sit Down Kids (Spanish 7" Vinyl Single). Cher. Spain: Liberty Records. 1967. H 235.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec" (in French). BAnQ. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  20. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 12/23/67". Retrieved March 28, 2017.

References

[edit]
  • Bego, Mark (2001). Cher: If You Believe. New York: Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 1461625920.
  • Larocque, Jason (2013). You Haven't Seen The Last of Me. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1300888581.
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