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Some classic rock songs are better the second time around. Cher released “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” as an uptempo song, but Nancy Sinatra’s ballad cover became more iconic. Sinatra discussed the movie that revived her cover.

Nancy Sinatra wanted to flip Cher’s ‘Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)’ on its head

During a 2013 interview with Vice, Sinatra was asked if she ever covered songs to improve them. “I don’t know that I had that in mind, but I think sometimes I did do it better than the original,” he said. “Like ‘Bang Bang.’ And no offense to Cher, because her record is great and it sold millions of copies. But I like turning a song around and really hearing what the lyric says.”

A journalist said Sinatra’s version of the tune emphasized its darkness. “Another thing I like to do is take guy songs and make them girly,” she replied. “Like ‘Day Tripper’ and some of the Beatles things. ‘Run for your life, little boy.'” Sinatra was referring to her cover of The Beatles’ “Run for Your Life.”

Quentin Tarantino wanted to use Nancy Sinatra’s cover in a movie for a long time

Sinatra’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” became more prominent when it appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Volume 1. Sinatra was asked to name her favorite example of her music appearing in the media. 

“Definitely Kill Bill, ‘Bang Bang,'” she revealed. “First of all, it was a complete surprise when Quentin Tarantino got in touch. And it was a delight to know that he’d been planning on it for all those years, even when it first came out in the late ’60s. And that was outstanding.”

Sinatra was also pleased when sexy female robots made an entrance to “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. “That was great too, that was funny,” she said.

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How Cher’s ‘Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)’ performed on the pop charts

Cher’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” became a big hit. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 11 weeks. The tune appeared on the album The Sonny Side of Chér, which includes an accent that the “Believe” singer doesn’t use anymore. The title refers to the fact that Sonny Bono produced the album. The Sonny Side of Chér climbed to No. 26 on the Billboard 200, lasting on the chart for 19 weeks.

After Kill Bill revived “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” the song became a standard. Lady Gaga covered it for her traditional pop album Cheek to Cheek. Will.i.am sampled the track for his tune “Bang Bang” which was on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. It also soundtracked commercials for the miniseries Bonnie & Clyde, which is loosely based on the lives of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

Cher’s “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” won the battle but Sinatra’s version might have won the war.

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