Post by Pete70s on Oct 17, 2008 19:19:02 GMT -5
I have decided to bring this feature back for a second season, and what better time then now!
So the artist I've chosen this time is one of my all-time favorite bands: Cheap Trick! Known primarily for radio hits like "I Want You To Want Me", "Dream Police" and "The Flame", Cheap Trick has a strong back catalogue of 17 albums, all of which contain many worthwile tracks. Even the album that many consider their "worst" contains my favorite CT song!
So, here we go! (And, thanks to YouTube, I've been able to post most of these so you can hear them!)
"Heaven's Falling" (Next Position Please, 1983)
Todd Rundgren produced this album, and also wrote this song. While "Next Position Please" is somewhat uneven, this track always stood out for me. Here, give it a listen!
"All Those Years" (Rockford, 2006)
From their most recent album, hearing this song took me back to the summer of '89, when I was getting heavily into Cheap Trick, collecting all their albums. It reminded me of WHY I love this band so much!
"It's Only Love" (The Doctor, 1986)
Technically, I shouldn't count this as it WAS a single. However, it never charted. A SHAME, as it was right on the heels of "Tonight It's You" and should have been a great follow-up. Unfortunately, "The Doctor" tanked miserably, considered by many to be the nadir of their career. I first got into this song about a month before I graduated High School. I remember one sunny May morning, sitting in my car before school, playing this song over and over. Since that day, it's been my favorite CT song, bar none. Listen to it and tell me you don't want to play it over and over again. But, ignore the video: That silly Wang Chung "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" editing is irritating..
"You Drive, I'll Steer" (Busted, 1990)
I couldn't get a clip of this, but it's yet another great song from an album that not many say any good things about. It also references two previous CT albums in the lyrics: "In Color" and "Lap Of Luxury".
"Love Comes A-Tumblin' Down" (All Shook Up, 1980)
You may remember I reviewed this album a few years ago. Working with George Martin must have been the biggest thrill for them. I love the fact that All Shook Up is their darkest, most daring record. Not commercial by their earlier standards, but solid! "Love Comes A-Tumblin' Down" was written in response to the death of Bon Scott, it references a night in '79 when AC/DC shared a stage with Cheap Trick, and the two bands jammed on "Johnny B. Goode". Again, unfortunately, no clip...
"Little Sister" (Standing On The Edge, 1985)
This album did better than their previous two, thanks in part to "Tonight It's You". While they did go a little overboard with electronic effects, it's still a pretty good album. Here is the opening cut, (though I would have preferred the title track, I went with one that has a clip).
"Time Is Running" (One On One, 1982)
Roy Thomas Baker produced this album. It's a very 80's influenced work, but it works well for the most part. I like how, on the album, it kicks right into "Saturday At Midnight". In fact, there's very short gaps between all of the songs on "One On One". A Roy Thomas Baker thing, perhaps? He DID produce The Cars and Queen... Here's a totally overlooked cut from that album:
"Hot Love" (Cheap Trick, 1977)
For years I knew this as the song that kicks off their first album... UNTIL the 1998 remaster came out. On that reissue, the two sides are reversed. Apparently the band originally wanted the album sequenced that way. I have no idea why, because "Hot Love" is a GREAT opener for a debut album. It's short and blistering, 2 1/2 minutes of hard rock at it's finest..
"Can't Hold On" (Found All The Parts, 1980)
Part of the Budokan show that wasn't on the original album, this bluesy track is amazing! Thankfully, it found its way onto a 10-inch ep in 1980, and the complete Budokan reissue in the late 90's.
So that's it for now... Feel free to add more, or comments.
So the artist I've chosen this time is one of my all-time favorite bands: Cheap Trick! Known primarily for radio hits like "I Want You To Want Me", "Dream Police" and "The Flame", Cheap Trick has a strong back catalogue of 17 albums, all of which contain many worthwile tracks. Even the album that many consider their "worst" contains my favorite CT song!
So, here we go! (And, thanks to YouTube, I've been able to post most of these so you can hear them!)
"Heaven's Falling" (Next Position Please, 1983)
Todd Rundgren produced this album, and also wrote this song. While "Next Position Please" is somewhat uneven, this track always stood out for me. Here, give it a listen!
"All Those Years" (Rockford, 2006)
From their most recent album, hearing this song took me back to the summer of '89, when I was getting heavily into Cheap Trick, collecting all their albums. It reminded me of WHY I love this band so much!
"It's Only Love" (The Doctor, 1986)
Technically, I shouldn't count this as it WAS a single. However, it never charted. A SHAME, as it was right on the heels of "Tonight It's You" and should have been a great follow-up. Unfortunately, "The Doctor" tanked miserably, considered by many to be the nadir of their career. I first got into this song about a month before I graduated High School. I remember one sunny May morning, sitting in my car before school, playing this song over and over. Since that day, it's been my favorite CT song, bar none. Listen to it and tell me you don't want to play it over and over again. But, ignore the video: That silly Wang Chung "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" editing is irritating..
"You Drive, I'll Steer" (Busted, 1990)
I couldn't get a clip of this, but it's yet another great song from an album that not many say any good things about. It also references two previous CT albums in the lyrics: "In Color" and "Lap Of Luxury".
"Love Comes A-Tumblin' Down" (All Shook Up, 1980)
You may remember I reviewed this album a few years ago. Working with George Martin must have been the biggest thrill for them. I love the fact that All Shook Up is their darkest, most daring record. Not commercial by their earlier standards, but solid! "Love Comes A-Tumblin' Down" was written in response to the death of Bon Scott, it references a night in '79 when AC/DC shared a stage with Cheap Trick, and the two bands jammed on "Johnny B. Goode". Again, unfortunately, no clip...
"Little Sister" (Standing On The Edge, 1985)
This album did better than their previous two, thanks in part to "Tonight It's You". While they did go a little overboard with electronic effects, it's still a pretty good album. Here is the opening cut, (though I would have preferred the title track, I went with one that has a clip).
"Time Is Running" (One On One, 1982)
Roy Thomas Baker produced this album. It's a very 80's influenced work, but it works well for the most part. I like how, on the album, it kicks right into "Saturday At Midnight". In fact, there's very short gaps between all of the songs on "One On One". A Roy Thomas Baker thing, perhaps? He DID produce The Cars and Queen... Here's a totally overlooked cut from that album:
"Hot Love" (Cheap Trick, 1977)
For years I knew this as the song that kicks off their first album... UNTIL the 1998 remaster came out. On that reissue, the two sides are reversed. Apparently the band originally wanted the album sequenced that way. I have no idea why, because "Hot Love" is a GREAT opener for a debut album. It's short and blistering, 2 1/2 minutes of hard rock at it's finest..
"Can't Hold On" (Found All The Parts, 1980)
Part of the Budokan show that wasn't on the original album, this bluesy track is amazing! Thankfully, it found its way onto a 10-inch ep in 1980, and the complete Budokan reissue in the late 90's.
So that's it for now... Feel free to add more, or comments.
