In 1989, pop icon Cher cemented a “massive comeback” with the single ‘If I Could Turn Back Time,’ but it was the song’s highly provocative music video that truly launched the hit into a commercial juggernaut. The clip, filmed aboard the sacred US battleship, the USS Missouri, sparked a firestorm of controversy that forced MTV to restrict its airplay—a move that ultimately transformed a simple fashion choice into a worldwide sensation.
The Iconic Setting and the Scandalous Wardrobe
The video, directed by Marty Callner, was shot on the USS Missouri, the historic vessel where World War II officially concluded. The US Navy had granted permission for the shoot, hoping to appeal to the “recruitable youth audience that watch MTV.” Early storyboards suggested a conservative look, perhaps a jumpsuit. However, Cher arrived at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard deck wearing a now-iconic, sheer Bob Mackie-designed ensemble. The outfit consisted of a leather jacket over a black fishnet body stocking and a thong-like bodysuit, revealing her tattooed posterior.
MTV’s Restriction and the Navy’s Fury
The military was immediately scandalized. A Navy liaison reportedly urged Callner to halt filming and convince Cher to change, a request the director famously refused. The resulting footage, showing Cher performing for enthusiastic sailors, was deemed too risqué for daytime viewing. Facing intense pressure and “a great deal of negative feedback from the audience” and family watchdog groups, MTV took the unusual step of restricting the video. Instead of “regular rotation,” ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ was relegated to air only after 9 p.m., the broadcast “watershed.”
The military backlash was even more severe. The internal “Navy’s Fury” stemmed from WWII veterans and officials who viewed the scantily-clad performance as a “desecration” of the revered historic battleship. The controversy was so intense that the US Navy ultimately banned all future music video productions aboard its ships.
Fueled by Fire: The Commercial Data
Despite, or perhaps because of, the public outcry and the MTV ban, the visibility of the video surged. The controversy made front-page news, fueling massive curiosity and guaranteeing the song’s commercial success. The track, written by Diane Warren, became a defining hit of Cher’s late 80s rock period. It peaked at Number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became Cher’s second consecutive solo number-one hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Globally, the single reached Number 1 on the singles charts in Australia and Norway, while hitting Number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The single’s explosive performance helped propel its parent album, Heart of Stone, to sell over 4 million copies worldwide by January 1991, solidifying Cher’s reputation. The “forbidden” outfit and the resulting “fury” served as a promotional mechanism far more effective than any paid marketing campaign.
