Heart of Stone (Bucks Fizz song)

"Heart of Stone" is a song written by Andy Hill and Pete Sinfield for the band Bucks Fizz in 1988, and recorded by the band at Abbey Road Studios in London. The following year it was recorded by Cher as the title track of her album of the same name.[1]

"Heart of Stone"
Single by Bucks Fizz
from the album The Story So Far
B-side"Here's Looking at You"
Released25 October 1988
RecordedOctober 1988
GenrePop rock
Length4:22
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Andy Hill
Bucks Fizz singles chronology
"Keep Each Other Warm"
(1986)		 "Heart of Stone"
(1988)

Bucks Fizz version

"Heart of Stone" was originally recorded by Bucks Fizz and released as a single in 1988. It was the group's 20th single and their last one to chart, reaching number 50 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1988.[2] The single was accompanied by a Promotional video of the group performing the song inside and outside of a country mansion.[3] The mansion was owned by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees who claimed that his house was haunted by the ghost of a gardener who enjoys playing pranks on the Gibb family. As a reference to this, a gardener was fleetingly seen in some shots.[4]

Soon after this, the group released The Story so Far, a greatest hits album, which featured "Heart of Stone" as the only new track (at a shortened 3:58). Bucks Fizz recorded several other songs at this time, but due to the low chart position of this single, went unreleased until they were unearthed for a compilation album of unreleased Bucks Fizz songs, The Lost Masters in 2006. Member Cheryl Baker later recorded a lead vocal for the track which was also included on The Lost Masters collection. Journalist Mark Frith said that the song was "a gutsy pop classic".[5]

Track listing

7" single

  1. "Heart of Stone" (4.22)
  2. "Here's Looking at You" (5.49)

12" single

  1. "Heart of Stone" (4.29)
  2. "Here's Looking at You" (5.49)
  3. "My Camera Never Lies" (3.43)

Cher version
"Heart of Stone"
Single by Cher
from the album Heart of Stone
B-side"All Because of You"
ReleasedJanuary 23, 1990
RecordedNovember 1988
GenrePop rock
Length4:18
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Peter Asher
Cher singles chronology
"Just Like Jesse James"
(1989)		 "Heart of Stone"
(1990)		 "You Wouldn't Know Love"
(1990)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Heart of Stone" is the fourth North American and third European single release from American singer/actress Cher's nineteenth studio album Heart of Stone. The video featured Cher in a dark room with old clips of herself projected onto screens in the background. The video was shot in the first week of 1990. It made the Top 20 in the United States, Ireland and Poland. It narrowly missed the Top 40 in the UK. Her vocal range spans from a D3 and belting up to an Eb5, making her vocal range here about 2 octaves and a semi-tone.

Critical reception

Bill Coleman from Billboard wrote, "Fave track from diva's current platinum opus is an acoustic-powered rocker destined to follow the top 10 success of its predecessors."[6] The Daily Vault's Mark Millan stated that "Heart of Stone" remains one of Cher's "finest moments to date." He added, "The lyrics are a tad confusing because it's half social commentary and half autobiographical, but it's a great soulful pop song."[7]

Personnel

Live performances

Cher performed the song on the following concert tours:

Track listing

Heart Of Stone CD Single[8]

  1. "Heart of Stone" (LP version) (4:18)
  2. "Heart of Stone" (Remix) (4:16)
  3. "All Because of You"

Charts
Chart (1990) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 70
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 26
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] 31
Ireland (IRMA)[12] 24
Poland (LP3)[13] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[14] 43
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 20
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 30
US Cash Box Top 100[17] 19

References
  1. (Bucks Fizz Guitarist) Ian Bairnson site with song clip
  2. Official Charts Company - Bucks Fizz - Heart Of Stone
  3. "Bucksfizztheearlyyears.co.uk - "Heart of Stone" Video shots". Archived from the original on 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  4. Brothersgibb.org Article on the mansion with references to the ghosts
  5. Mark Frith, Classic Pop Magazine, issue #5. June/July 2013. Anthem publishing
  6. Coleman, Bill (February 3, 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 85. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  7. Millan, Mark (March 8, 2011). "Heart Of Stone – Cher". The Daily Vault. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  8. "Heart Of Stone Single".
  9. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9018." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  11. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1240." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Heart of Stone". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  13. "Notowanie nr425-426" (in Polish). LP3. April 21, 1992. Retrieved February 28, 2019. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  14. "Cher: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  15. "Cher Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  16. "Cher Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  17. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 30, 1989
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