--- title: "Cher’s ‘Turn Back Time’ got musicians banned from making videos aboard Navy ships" description: "Cher's revealing outfit aboard the USS Missouri was not a big hit with the Navy brass who are still reluctant to allow music videos aboard." date: "2022-03-07" modified: "2023-02-28" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/music/cher-navy-music-video/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "History" - "Music" - "Navy" tags: - "Entertainment" - "Navy" --- # Cher’s ‘Turn Back Time’ got musicians banned from making videos aboard Navy ships ![cher singing aboard uss missouri us navy]() *(Criteron Studios)* The [USS Missouri has a long and storied history](). It earned numerous battle stars for its service in three American wars. It was the site where Japan signed its formal surrender that ended World War II. It was the last battleship produced by the United States. Decommissioned in 1955 and reactivated between 1984 and 1992, the battleship's retirement made an appearance in the 1992 movie "Under Siege." In 2012's "Battleship," its big guns made their last big bang—digitally, of course. But perhaps it's most *in*famous pop culture moment came in 1989, when Cher sang "If I Could Turn Back Time" in front of the ship's crew wearing only a one-piece bathing suit and stockings that didn't leave much to the imagination. ![cher turn back time video uss missouri]() *At least she was wearing a jacket. (Criterion Studios)* Almost no one but the director (and, presumably, Cher) was happy with the video. According to the book "[I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution]()," MTV pretty much banned the video outright because of the visibility of Cher's butt cheeks. The network later rolled that back and would play it only after 9pm, though MTV was still pushing the envelope. "Safe Harbor" programming for broadcasters in the U.S. began at 10pm back then. You can see how safe the harbor really is [in the music video](). The outfit completely surprised the U.S. Navy and its brass, who had given their blessing for the shoot. It also completely stunned the sailors. Once he saw the singer's costume on the set of the video, the Navy's entertainment liaison aboard the Missouri told the director to choose something else for Cher to wear. Or go tell her to change. The director, of course, declined, replying: "You go tell her she can't wear it." ![cher music video sailors ]() *The crew was fine with it. (Criterion Studios)* "I knew she had tattoos, but I never knew they were so big," Yeoman 2nd Class Don Cipriano [told the Los Angeles Times](), referring to the ones seen on Cher's butt, each of which can be seen in the video. While the yeomen were thrilled to death, once members of the Navy brass saw the video, the outrage letters began pouring in. "The U.S. Navy, a part of our government that should stand for what is good and honorable, is putting its stamp of approval on trash like this," [one viewer wrote](). "What kind of image did you hope it would give the Navy?" After all the flak the Navy took for the video, it decreed that never again would musicians be allowed to film music videos on ships of the U.S. Navy. In an attempt to placate the Navy, Cher later filmed parts of the song in a less-revealing outfit and without the crew present to include in the video, but the new version was too little, too late. And way too little for the Navy. For Cher, the song completely revived her 20-plus year long career, because it's not only a banger, it was her second consecutive number one hit on the Billboard charts and was a certified gold record. For everyone else, Cher's look in "Turn Back Time" became one of her most memorable and iconic. It was even called one of her [greatest of all time](). Meanwhile, Navy veterans still wonder why their heterosexuality has been an ongoing joke for every other branch of service. ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty **• [The original US Navy was an armada of American rebels and privateers]()** **• [Here’s what happened to the US Navy’s original six frigates]()** **• [How cribbage became the card game that rules the Navy’s Submarine Force]()** ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()