A song can only do so much on its own in its quest to become a hit single. The recording of the song needs to rise to the occasion and maximize the potential within the words and music. “I Want You To Want Me” offers one of the most airtight examples of this theory. After limping out in a studio version, Cheap Trick put out a live take that unleashed the song’s excellence and made it a smash.
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Hit Hunting
Like seemingly all bands of note throughout the history of rock and roll, Cheap Trick faced pressure to come up with commercial success from their record company. Coming off a critically acclaimed self-titled debut album in 1977 that positioned them as the savior of power pop, the band tried to adjust with the follow-up In Color, which arrived later that same year.
Producer Tom Werman was tasked with delivering a sound that was a tad more radio-friendly. The hope was that the band could capitalize on their budding renown. Rick Nielsen, who wrote most of their material, tried to comply as well.
To that end, he wrote the song “I Want You To Want Me”, which was partly inspired by the ear candy of ABBA. When it came time to record the song, Nielsen was sidelined in favor of session player Jay Graydon. In addition, another session ace, Jai Winding, delivered some jaunty, saloon-style piano fills.
“Want” Live
In Color did not deliver on the commercial expectations that the record company had for it. “I Want You To Want Me” went nowhere as a lead single. The band also expressed disappointment in the finished album. But at least they had the opportunity to go reclaim the material when they played it live.
In the spring of 1978, Cheap Trick made sure to put Japan on their itinerary, as their early records had proven especially popular there. The band enjoyed a kind of Beatlemania when they arrived, with screaming fans appearing everywhere they turned. When they played live at the Nippon Budokan, the reaction was overwhelming.
The band made the decision to release those shows as Live At Budokan in America in 1979. “I Want You To Want Me”, rendered in much more rocking form than what the studio version offered, was re-released as a single. And it took off, giving the band its first-ever Top 10 hit.
Behind the Lyrics of “I Want You To Want Me”
If you want something, make sure to ask for it. That seems to be the logic behind “I Want You To Want Me”. The narrator is reaching out to the person he’s addressing, asking for affection while unconcerned about his pride. “I’d love you to love me,” Robin Zander beckons. “I’m beggin’ you to beg me.”
This guy is going to make sure he looks spiffy when he makes his request. “I’ll shine up my old brown shoes,” he promises. “I’ll put on a brand new shirt.” Later, he suggests that the timing might be right for her to give in to his charm offensive. “Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I see you cryin’,” Zander asks.
“I Want You To Want Me”, in its live version, shows off the unstoppable forward momentum of Cheap Trick at their best. The song reached the point it was always destined to be, even after taking a somewhat unsatisfactory studio detour.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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