“Dark Lady” was a 1974 #1 hit for singer/actress Cher in the US, Canada, and Sweden; the track also reached the top 20 throughout much of the rest of Europe, New Zealand, and Africa, according to About.com. The title track from her eleventh studio album, it was her third US #1 hit; she didn’t top the pop chart again until her worldwide smash hit “Believe,” nearly a quarter century later (1998). The album was released just as her divorce from Sonny Bono became public.
The tune features quite a repetitive melody in the verses — but Cher’s storytelling flair, a varying phrase length (5/6/5/6 measures in each verse, with an extra instrumental measure thrown in just before the chorus), and a half-step modulation (2:01) win the day. Many thanks to our Twitter follower Yellow Walrus (@biggytupac) for this submission!
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