Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves

About Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves

"Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" is a song by American singer and actress Cher for her seventh solo studio album Chér (eventually reissued under the title Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves) (1971). It was released on September 1, 1971, by Kapp Records as the album's lead single. The song was written by Bob Stone, and produced by Snuff Garrett. Since Sonny Bono's first attempts at reviving Cher's recording career had been unsuccessful, Kapp Records recruited Garrett as her producer and he chose Stone to write a song specifically for Cher, in order to cater more to an adult audience. Lyrically, the song describes the life of a girl who was "born in the wagon of a traveling show", and it contains themes of racism, teenage pregnancy and prostitution. Critically, "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" has been met with appreciation ever since its release. It earned Cher her first Grammy Award nomination in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance category. Commercially, it became her first solo number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Canadian Singles Chart, while reaching the top five in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and United Kingdom. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipment of one million copies across the United States. At the time of its release, "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" was the biggest-selling single in the history of MCA Records. more »