1991

Love Hurts

Album Review

Love Hurts Review by Cher Fan Club

Love Hurts, Cher's 20th studio album, released on June 18, 1991, marks a continuation of her exploration into rock and pop sounds. This album, while not as commercially successful in North America as her previous work, stood out in European markets, particularly the UK, where it topped the charts. Notable for its mix of covers and original tracks, it includes the UK number one hit "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" and "Love and Understanding." The album's themes revolve around love, loss, and resilience, delivered through Cher's powerful vocal performances.

Tracklist

Pick	#	Song	Writer(s)	Producer(s)
❤️	1	“Save Up All Your Tears”	Diane Warren, Desmond Child	Bob Rock, Richie Zito
	2	“Love Hurts”	Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant	Richie Zito
❤️	3	“Love and Understanding”	Diane Warren	Diane Warren, Guy Roche
	4	“Fires of Eden”	Mark Goldenberg, Kit Hain	Peter Asher
	5	“I’ll Never Stop Loving You”	David Cassidy, John Wetton, Sue Shifrin	Bob Rock, Richie Zito
	6	“One Small Step” (with Richard Page)	Barry Mann, Brad Parker, Wendy Waldman	Peter Asher
	7	“A World Without Heroes”	Gene Simmons, Lou Reed, Paul Stanley, Bob Ezrin	Steve Lukather
❤️	8	“Could’ve Been You”	Arnie Roman, Bob Halligan Jr.	Peter Asher
	9	“When Love Calls Your Name”	Jimmy Scott, Tom Snow	Peter Asher
	10	“When Lovers Become Strangers”	Diane Warren	Diane Warren, Guy Roche
❤️	11	“Who You Gonna Believe”	Gerald Marquez, Kevin Chalfant, Joe Marquez, Steve Fontano	Richie Zito
❤️	12	“The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)”*	Rudy Clark	-Peter Asher

*International Bonus Track

Singles

"The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" (1990)

🎼 From the film MERMAIDS
🪄 First recorded by Merry Clayton, popularized by Betty Everett

🥇 UK: #1 (5w)
🥇 NOR: #1 (4w)
🥇 AUT: #1 (3w)
🥇 ZWE: #1 (1w)
🥇 DNK: #1
🥇 EUR: #1
🥇 IRE: #1
🥇 LUX: #1
🥇 UK Airplay: #1
🥈 BEL Flanders: #2
🌟 FRA: #3
🌟 GER: #3
🌟 NZ: #3
🌟 POR: #3
🌟 AUS: #4
🌟 CAN AC: #4
🌟 SWI: #4
🌟 NLD: #5
🌟 US Radio Adds (BB): #6
🌟 ISL: #7
🌟 US AC (BB): #7
🌟 SWE: #10
🚀 CAN: #21
🚀 CAN Quebec: #25
🚀 US Billboard: #33
🪁 US Cash Box: #43
🪁 US Dance Sales (BB): #50

💿 AUS (ARIA): Platinum
📀 AUT (IFPI): Gold
📀 DNK (IFPI): Gold
📀 GER (BVMI): Gold
📀 NZ (RMNZ): Gold
📀 UK (BPI): Gold
🪙 FRA (SNEP): Silver

✍🏻 BILLBOARD review (Nov 10, 1990): "Fun and faithful cover of Betty Everett's pop nugget is lifted from the soundtrack to Cher's new film, MERMAIDS. Truly irresistible."

✍🏻 CASH BOX review (Nov 17, 1990): "Originally a soul-pop hit for Betty Everett in 1964, 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)' becomes more of a pop-rock song in Cher's hands. This remake, produced by Peter Asher, appears on the MERMAIDS Soundtrack."

📰 MUSIC WEEK—"Chart News" by Alan Jones (UK, May 11, 1991): "Cher's 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)' is the first number one single not to be released on 12-inch since Band Aid II's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' in December 1989. It's not Cher's first number one; she topped the chart first time out with former husband Sonny on 'I Got You Babe,' which nipped in for a fortnight at number one between chart-toppers by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in 1965. But it is her first solo number-one ... The interval of nearly 26 years that has elapsed between her first solo hit ('All I Really Want to Do') and her first solo number-one is the longest in chart history, with the exception of Jackie Wilson and Ben E. King ... but they both did it with reissued artefacts from their halcyon days, while Cher succeeded, much more credibly, with a brand new song and recording."

"Love and Understanding" (1991)

💡 B-side: "Trail of Broken Hearts" (from the film DAYS OF THUNDER)

🥇 UK Airplay: #1
🌟 US AC (BB): #3
🌟 US Radio Adds (BB): #3
🌟 CAN AC: #5
🌟 AUT: #6
🌟 IRE: #7
🌟 LUX: #7
🌟 BEL Flanders: #9
🌟 NLD: #9
🌟 UK: #10
🚀 CAN: #11
🚀 CAN Quebec: #11
🚀 US Cash Box: #12
🚀 US Billboard: #17
🚀 EUR: #18
🚀 GER: #20
🚀 FRA: #21
🚀 AUS: #23
🚀 NZ: #25
🚀 SWE: #29

✍🏻 BILLBOARD review by Larry Flick (Jun 15, 1991): "Cher previews her forthcoming disc, LOVE HURTS, with a spirited pop tune that's framed with orchestral synth/strings and a hand-clapping rock beat. Simplistic lyrical message is delivered with warmth and sincerity. Sounds great on a summer day."

"Save Up All Your Tears" (1991)

🪄 Originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler

🌟 EUR Radio Adds: #3
🌟 UK Airplay: #4
🚀 CAN AC: #16
🚀 US AC (BB): #16
🚀 GER Airplay: #17
🚀 AUT: #18
🚀 EUR Airplay: #18
🚀 IRE: #30
🚀 CAN: #32
🚀 US Cash Box: #27
🚀 UK: #37
🚀 US Billboard: #37
🪁 GER: #56
🪁 EUR: #76
🫧 AUS: #114

✍🏻 BILLBOARD review (Oct 12, 1991): "Rousing, guitar-driven pop/rocker should have ushered in media icon's current LOVE HURTS opus. Song's unshakable hook and Cher's aggressive vocal are a perfect top 40 radio marriage. Sounds like a well-deserved smash."

✍🏻 CASH BOX review by Fred L. Goodman (Oct 19, 1991): "The ever-cosmetically changing Cher, belts out this single of her confidence in an ex-lover's fate of crying over dumping her. It wouldn't be surprising if he just didn't recognize her. With her hair now red, and freshly inflated lips, if it hadn't been for the tattoos and her name on the single, I wouldn't have recognized her either. The voice though, is easily recognizable, vintage Cher all the way."

💬 DMA interview by Johnny Danza and Dean Ferguson (Jan 1999): "Nobody liked ['Save Up All Your Tears'] but me."

💬 ROLLING STONE interview by Mim Udovich (Apr 15, 1999): "[When asked what her favorite Cher single was besides 'Believe'] There are two, and neither one of them was a hit. One was 'I Paralyze,' and the other was 'Save Up All Your Tears.'"

"Love Hurts" (1991)

🪄 First recorded by the Everly Brothers, popularized by Nazareth
📍 Released only in Europe

🚀 UK Airplay: #39
🪁 UK: #43

✍🏻 MUSIC & MEDIA review (Dec 21, 1991): "Millions have sung this Boudleaux Bryant composition before, from the Everly Brothers to Gram Parsons and Nazareth. If they all can get away with it, why not Cher? It's the title track and fourth single off her current hit album. Expect a new entry in Chartbound first week of January."

"Could've Been You" (1992)

🪄 Originally recorded by Bob Halligan
📍 Released only in Europe and Australia

🚀 UK Airplay: #17
🚀 UK: #31
🪁 EUR: #73
🪁 GER: #75

✍🏻 PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS review (UK, Apr 11, 1992): "Definitely a case of 'nice tattoo, shame about the record.' Typical Cher A.O.R. (Average Overrated Rock to you and me). Watch out for a Cher exclusive on TOP OF THE POPS on Thursday—big deal!"

"When Lovers Become Strangers" (1992)

📍 Released only in North America

🌟 CAN AC: #10
🚀 US AC: #15
🚀 CAN Quebec: #33
🚀 CAN: #37

✍🏻 GAVIN REPORT review by Diane Rufer and Ron Fell (Apr 24, 1992): "Cher interprets another Diane Warren composition about loss of love between two people and how it's time to let go."

✍🏻 CASH BOX review by Randy Clark and Bryan DeVaney (May 16, 1992): "Cher's amazing 25-year career has seen many facets, from pop singer to television star, to actress and back to pop singer once again. This Diane Warren-penned and co-produced rock ballad (with Guy Roche) is from Cher's latest album, LOVE HURTS, which has spawned hits, 'Love and Understanding' and 'Save Up All Your Tears.' This latest release features a more AOR production and seems like more the direction she wants to go."

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