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Strong Enough (Cher song)

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"Strong Enough"
Single by Cher
from the album Believe
ReleasedFebruary 22, 1999 (1999-02-22)
GenreDisco
Length
  • 3:44 (album version)
  • 3:33 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mark Taylor
Cher singles chronology
"Believe"
(1998) 		"Strong Enough"
(1999) 		"All or Nothing"
(1999)
Music video
"Strong Enough" on YouTube

"Strong Enough" is a song by American recording artist Cher from her 22nd studio album, Believe (1998). The song was released as the second single from the album on February 22, 1999, by Warner Music. The song's composition and musical style is strongly reminiscent of 1970s disco music. The song received positive reviews from music critics, many calling it a highlight to Believe and comparing it to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".[1][2] "Strong Enough" peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Dance Club Play chart. Worldwide, it reached number one in Hungary and entered the top 10 in 14 other countries.

Background and reception

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"Strong Enough" was released as the second international single from Cher's twenty-second studio album, Believe, which was released in 1998. However it was not successful in the US until it received more airplay following the release of promotional remixes. The song, along with "Believe", has become one of her most successful songs to date.

"Strong Enough" received favorable reviews from music critics. Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet stated that the song "will be as great for the distressed" as Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".[1] Michael Gallucci from AllMusic wrote that "Cher herself merely moves through the beat factory with one drab vocal range, blending butt-shaker."[3] Randy Cordova from The Arizona Republic described the song as a "thumping retro-disco tune".[4] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that it "picks up right where "Believe" left off." He noted that the "retro-disco" song is "irresistibly catchy, jubilant as a prayer revival, and an ideal partner as kids prepare to buddy up with radio as school finishes up. Everything about this anthemic track is obvious from the first listen: Cher is again in peak form, set in front of a string-laden, thump-happy beat that will have folks tapping toes and snapping fingers from Maine to Minnesota." He also added that "no doubt, this is the biggest no-brainer hit we've heard this year."[5] Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo from BuzzFeed commented, "Always overshadowed by "Believe", "Strong Enough" was also a great '90s dance song!"[6] The Daily Vault's Michael R. Smith said that "this is the most comfortable and relaxed she has ever sounded musically."[7] A reviewer from Irish Independent picked it as one of the "highlights" from the Believe album, noting it as "rousing".[8] Deborah Wilker from Knight Ridder said "Strong Enough" is the best song of the album, calling it a "catchy feminist chant" and "her very own "I Will Survive"".[2]

Chart performance

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"Strong Enough" had peaked at number fifty-seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying in the charts for twelve weeks. The song did not receive much attention in the United States, but when the promo remixes were released, the song had peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play. It also peaked at number thirty-one on the Billboard Pop Songs, number twenty-nine on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and number forty on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks.[9]

Elsewhere, the song was successful, mostly getting in the top 10 in most countries. The song had peaked at number six in New Zealand, and also peaked at number eleven in Australia.[10] The song was also very well received in Europe. The song peaked at number one in Hungary, and had also peaked at number seven in Finland, until falling out the third week and number three in France, staying in the charts for twenty-four weeks.[11] The song had also peaked at number twenty-one in Sweden, five in Switzerland, four in Austria, eleven in The Netherlands and sixteen in Norway. The song also debuted at number five on the UK Singles Chart, until descending the rest of the way, finally finishing at number fifty-six.[12]

Music video

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Cher performing "Strong Enough" at her 2014 Dressed to Kill Tour during a gladiator-themed segment of the show.

The accompanying music video for "Strong Enough" was directed by British director Nigel Dick and was released worldwide in early 1999. A promo VHS tape and CD-R were also released in the US, but are very rare. The video promo also includes the remixed version of the video.

In this video, Cher is a computer virus and her role is an advisor who tells a bad boyfriend the reasons why his girlfriend (played by Shannyn Sossamon) will leave him. Teens in a party, two women, two robbers and many gothic instrument players also appear in the video.

A couple of months after the release of the original music video for Strong Enough, Dan-O-Rama (best known for his work remixing videos) created the "vocal club edit" video for this song. He used the "Strong Enough" Pumpin' Dolls Vocal Epic club remix and Club 69 Future edit promo only for DJs in 2000. The original music video is also featured on 'The Very Best Of Cher: The Video Hits Collection'.

Legacy

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In 2020, the Chicago Tribune listed "Strong Enough" as one of the "25 Pride anthems of all time", and stated that "one could easily interpret the lyrics to be about a repressive society that she is no longer willing to tolerate."[13]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[79] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[80] Platinum 50,000*
France (SNEP)[81] Gold 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[82] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[83] Gold 400,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom February 22, 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 WEA [84]
March 8, 1999 12-inch vinyl [85]
Japan April 21, 1999 CD [86]
United States May 11, 1999
Warner Bros. [87]
Canada May 25, 1999 CD WEA [88]

Notable cover versions

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  • British pop group Steps covered the song live and added to their concert setlist, which is performed along with "Stomp".[89]

References

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  3. ^ Review by AllMusic Retrieved October 25, 2013
  4. ^ Cordova, Randy (June 16, 1999). "Cher: Ageless diva survives and thrives". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  5. ^ Flick, Larry (May 22, 1999). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 25. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (March 11, 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  7. ^ Smith, Michael R. (September 6, 2009). "Cher - Believe". The Daily Vault. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
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