Released 1965 Genre Psychedelic pop Label Atco Records | Recorded 1965 Length 3:00 Producer(s) Sonny Bono | |
"Laugh At Me" was Sonny Bono's only hit song as a solo artist under the name Sonny. The song was released in 1965 and reached #1 in Canada on the RPM national singles chart (to be knocked off the top spot the following week his own Sonny & Cher single, "Baby Don't Go"). It peaked at #10 in the U.S. and at #9 in the United Kingdom. Thus, Sonny hit the Top 10 in all three countries as a solo artist before Cher. The song was written and produced by Bono after he was refused entrance to Montoni's Restaurant in Hollywood because of his "hippie attire." The song begins with Sonny saying, “I never thought I'd cut a record by myself but I got somethin' I wanna say. I want to say it for Cher and I hope I say it for a lot of people”.
Although Bono would have a great deal of success with Sonny & Cher with his then-wife Cher, Bono had very little success as a solo artist with the exception of "Laugh At Me". Bono only released one other single as a solo artist, "The Revolution Kind"; however, his second single only scratched the top 100 before disappearing from the charts (reaching #70); he also released an album in 1967, Inner Views, which failed to chart.
"Laugh At Me" has been released on the Sonny & Cher album "The Wondrous World of Sonny & Cher" (1966), the Sonny & Cher compact disc The Beat Goes On, as well as the Rhino handmade release of Sonny Bono's only solo album, Inner Views. A live version, originally from Sonny & Cher Live (1971), was also released on the Sonny & Cher collection, All I Ever Need: Kapp/MCA Anthology, with Sonny beginning the quip, "I'll do a medley of my hit."
The Beach Boys recorded the song in September 1965 as an out outtake in for their album Beach Boys' Party!.
"Laugh At Me" was covered by Mott the Hoople in 1969 for their first LP, Mott The Hoople, and later by Ian Hunter on Welcome to the Club.
In October 2011, Sonny's child, Chaz Bono, danced to "Laugh At Me" on Dancing With The Stars. Chaz said the song relates to his parents life, as well as his: "if you've got a problem with me it's your problem."