I Want You ... To Want Me

This week's edition of Retro Friday features the band Cheap Trick, and the song "I Want You To Want Me."

Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of Robin Zander on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Rick Nielsen on lead guitar and backing vocals, Tom Petersson on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Bun E. Carlos on drums and percussion.

Their biggest hits included "Surrender", "I Want You to Want Me", "The Flame" and "Dream Police".

In the Japanese press, they are often referred to as the "American Beatles". In October 2007, the Illinois Senate passed a resolution designating April 1 as Cheap Trick Day in the state. (Cheap Trick day in the state ... really?) The band was also ranked #25 in VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.

The song "I Want You to Want Me" first appeared on Cheap Trick's second album, In Color, in 1977. It was the first single released from that album but it didn't chart in the US. However, it was a #1 hit single in Japan. The band's popularity in Japan, as well as the success of their preceding single "Clock Strikes Ten" and their followup single "Surrender", paved the way for Cheap Trick's famous concerts at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in April 1978 that were recorded for the group's most popular album, Cheap Trick at Budokan.

A live version of "I Want You to Want Me" from the album Cheap Trick at Budokan was released in 1979 and became their all-time biggest selling single, reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, which translates into the sales of one million records. In Canada, it reached #2 in on the RPM national singles chart, remaining there for two weeks. It was also the band's highest charting single in Britain, where it reached #29.

For some reason, this song reminds me a lot of college. I can just picture us at a dance, or a club, or somewhere ... dancing and singing this song at the top of our lungs. It's a very musically fun, danceable tune, and it always makes me want to burst out into song whenever I hear it!

(Yes, here we are in all of our collegiate dancing glory!)



Okay, and here we go, a little Cheap Trick and "I Want You To Want Me." (Oh, and dig what the band is wearing! Oh my. Hello 1978!)



Cheers!

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