Good Times

AMG Review of Good Times

Tim Sendra
All Music Guide

Sonny & Cher were big stars in 1967. So they made a movie. I'll bet it's pretty funny. The pictures on the CD booklet look kind of silly. The music is quite nice. Sonny broadens his approach a little for the occasion. The record kicks off with a "Pet Sounds in an elevator" version of "I Got You Babe" and ends with a comic acoustic version of "I Got You Babe" wherein Cher hams up the vocals and Sonny tries some flamenco guitar stylings. Breaks a finger or two, one suspects. Lots of nice songs in between. "It's the Little Things" is three and a half minutes of pure pop, Spector-ian girl plus boy wonder. Sonny only steals from the best. Sonny. Underrated as a producer, overlooked as a songwriter, laughed at as a singer and a person -- how wrong is that? Just listen to the music. The songs are hummable and funny. The records sound great, jam-packed with hooks. And c'mon, the guy isn't that bad a singer, probably better than you. All this and Cher, too. So give the man some respect, buy the record, ignore the less-than-pristine CD sound quality, and laugh and love with Sonny & Cher.