Hell on Wheels (song)

According to J. Randy Taraborrelli 's biography, "Hell on Wheels" was recorded because Cher admitted to being a roller-skating fanatic.{{cite book |author=J. Randy Taraborrelli |title=Cher - A Biography (Update Version) |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=1992 |pages = 256 |isbn=0-312-13170-4}} The single was released with "Git Down (Guitar Groupie)", a song from the album Take Me Home on its B-side. Both songs were released as a 12" extended version and both versions are not yet released on CD.

In 1979, "Hell on Wheels" was included in original motion picture soundtrack to the film Roller Boogie{{cite news |last=Dagaard |first=Colin |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JgsVAAAAIBAJ&pg=3668,6581403&dq=they+fall+in+love+on+roller+skates&hl=en|title=They Fall in Love On Roller Skates |publisher=Toledo Blade |date=1979-09-02 |access-date=2009-12-30}} as the track number one. After the released of the soundtrack album, "Hell on Wheels" was released in Japan with a different artwork, featuring a photo of Cher bottom center, taken from the After Dark magazine,{{cite news |title=After Dark |publisher=Danad Publishing Company |date=1979-02-01 }} and with a still of Linda Blair and Jim Bray. The song was released with "Git Down (Guitar Groupie)" on its B-side. Strangely "Git Down (Guitar Groupie)" in the Japanese single was a "Theme from Roller Boogie",Hell on Wheels Japanese 7" liner notes, Philips Records (1979) despite the song never appeared in the movie or in the soundtrack album.

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| description = Los Angeles Times said that the song "latches onto the roller-skating craze as tenaciously-and stylishly-as the Beach Boys latched onto surfing."{{cite news |title=Pop Album Briefs |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1979-12-23 }}

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"Hell on Wheels" initially received mixed reviews from critics. The review of the Los Angeles Times newspaper describes the song as the best cut of the album and noted "'Hell on Wheels', latches onto the roller-skating craze as tenaciously-and stylishly-as the Beach Boys latched onto surfing.{{cite news |title=Pop Album Briefs |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1979-12-23 }} Joel Flegler of the Fanfare Magazine, while reviewing the Roller Boogie soundtrack gave a negative review for all the songs, using the word 'worse' in reference to the length of the album.{{cite book |author=Joel Flegler |title=Fanfare, Volume 4, Numbers 1-3|publisher=J. Flegler |year=1980 |pages = 312 }} Another critic said that every song of the album had the same rock influence, and about the song said that was "her trendy roller-disco effort".{{cite book |title=Stereo review, Volume 44 |publisher=CBS Magazines |year=1980 |pages = 138 }}. However, in 1999, Randy Cordova from The Arizona Republic praised the song, calling it a "roller-disco anthem".{{cite web |last=Cordova |first=Randy |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PEIfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4114,8180833&dq=eternal+diva+a+portrait+of+cher&hl=en |title=Eternal Diva: A Portrait of Cher |publisher=The Herald Journal |date=1999-06-25 |access-date=2009-12-31}}

Despite a worldwide commercial release, "Hell on Wheels" did not manage to achieve any success other than on the Billboard Hot 100 where it had a moderate performance. It debuted at number 81 on September 15, 1979, peaking its highest position (59) on October 13.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-10-13.pdf|title=Billboard® • Newspaper (p. 86)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 27, 2025}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-09-15.pdf|title=Billboard® • Newspaper (p. 76)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 27, 2025}} "Hell On Wheels" was also her last hit for Casablanca Records.{{cite book |author=Dafydd Rees, Luke Crampton |title=Rock Movers and Shakers: An A-Z of People Who Made Rock Happens |publisher=ABC-Clio Inc; Rev Enl edition |year=1991 |pages = 96 |isbn=0-87436-661-5}}

The video for "Hell on Wheels" was tough for Cher to shoot. She was required to skate down steep, mountainous roads while sporting a broken arm. In the video, Cher is roller skating and being followed by a huge truck driven by two men which use the maximum speed of the truck to catch up with her. Following this, Cher convinces many people with different types of transportation to follow and take a ride with her.

"Hell on Wheels" was Cher's first professional video. Some consider "Take Me Home" to be her first professional clip, though this was lifted from her highly rated 1979 TV special Cher...and Other Fantasies. "Hell on Wheels" is one of the 1970s pioneer music videos to be produced in the MTV style before MTV itself existed, and now it is considered to be one of the first modern music videos.{{cite book |author=J. Randy Taraborrelli |title=Cher - A Biography (Update Version) |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=1992 |pages = 258 |isbn=0-312-13170-4}}

The video was premiered on the late night NBC television show The Midnight Special.{{cite news |title=TV guide, Volume 27 |publisher=Triangle Publications |year=1979 }} Promotional clips were also shown during a 1979 interview with Phil Donahue on The Phil Donahue Show. Despite "Hell on Wheels" being her first official music video, it was never released on The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection.

==In popular culture==

Considered a roller disco anthem,{{cite web |last=Cordova |first=Randy |date=1999-06-25 |title=Eternal Diva: A Portrait of Cher |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PEIfAAAAIBAJ&pg=4114,8180833&dq=eternal+diva+a+portrait+of+cher&hl=en |access-date=2009-12-31 |publisher=The Herald Journal}} "Hell On Wheels" has appeared on movies and commercials. In 1979, the song was featured on the Roller Boogie soundtrack, used in the opening sequence.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-27 |title=Roller Boogie. Soundtracks |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079822/soundtrack/ |website=IMDb|language=en-US}} In 2019, the song was the theme song for Michael Kors' Fall campaign ad with Bella Hadid and Mayowa Nicholas.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/eVx3d5ZqbPs Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190823175938/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVx3d5ZqbPs Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVx3d5ZqbPs| title = Hell On Wheels {{!}} Bella Hadid for Fall 2019 | website=YouTube| date = 20 August 2019 }}{{cbignore}}

• Cher – main vocals
• Michelle Aller – background vocals
• Richard Tee – Hammond B3 organ
• Mike Baird – drums
• John Pierce – bass guitar
• Steve Lukather, Ira Newborn – guitar
• Dan Wyman – synthesizer, programming
• Bob Esty – piano, synthesizer, background vocals
• Alan Estes, Oliver C. Brown – percussion
• Sid Sharp – concertmaster

;Technical

• Larry Emerine – co-producer, engineer
• Harry Langdon – photography

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.cher.com Official website of Cher]

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{{Cher songs part 1}}

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Category:1979 singles

Category:Cher songs

Category:Casablanca Records singles

Category:American disco songs

Category:Songs written by Bob Esty

Category:1979 songs