Cheap Trick
Combining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a flair for the absurd, Cheap Trick provided the necessary links between '60s pop, heavy metal, and punk. Led by guitarist Rick Nielsen, the band's early albums were filled with highly melodic, well-written songs that drew equally from the crafted pop of the Beatles, the sonic assault of the Who, and the tongue-in-cheek musical eclecticism and humor of the Move. A canny student of '60s rock, Nielsen first worked with bassist Tom Petersson in the band Fuse, who released one album in 1969 before dissolving. Nielsen and Read Full BioCombining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a flair for the absurd, Cheap Trick provided the necessary links between '60s pop, heavy metal, and punk. Led by guitarist Rick Nielsen, the band's early albums were filled with highly melodic, well-written songs that drew equally from the crafted pop of the Beatles, the sonic assault of the Who, and the tongue-in-cheek musical eclecticism and humor of the Move. A canny student of '60s rock, Nielsen first worked with bassist Tom Petersson in the band Fuse, who released one album in 1969 before dissolving. Nielsen and Petersson continued working together in several formats until they teamed with drummer Bun E. Carlos and vocalist Robin Zander to form the definitive lineup of Cheap Trick in 1975. After developing a cult following after three outstanding albums -- 1977's Cheap Trick and In Color and 1978's Heaven Tonight -- and relentless touring, Cheap Trick scored an unexpected hit with 1978's At Budokan, a live album originally issued only in Japan that became their international breakthrough. Glossier production and fuzzy creative direction sapped the band's spirit on most of their work of the '80s, despite the commercial success of 1988's Lap of Luxury and its Number One single "The Flame." However, after leaving the major labels behind with 1997's Cheap Trick, the band enjoyed a creative second wind, reaffirming the strength of their formula on-stage and in the studio, and 2006's Rockford demonstrated they were far from a spent force. They later signed with the successful country label Big Machine and released 2016's Bang, Zoom, Crazy … Hello within months of being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, kicking off a productive streak that saw them release three albums within 18 months. Their sound provided a blueprint for both power pop and arena rock; it also had a surprisingly long-lived effect on both alternative and heavy metal bands of the '80s and '90s, who often relied on the same combination of loud riffs and catchy melodies.
Cheap Trick's roots lie in Fuse, a late-'60s band formed by Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson in Rockford, Illinois. The group released an album on Epic in 1969; after it failed to gain any attention, the band relocated to Philadelphia and changed their name to Sick Man of Europe. The group toured Europe unsuccessfully in 1972 and returned to Illinois in 1973. Not long after their return to Rockford, Nielsen and Petersson changed their band's name once more -- this time to Cheap Trick -- and added drummer Bun E. Carlos and vocalist Randy "Xeno" Hogan to the lineup. Hogan was fired the following year, making room for ex-folksinger Robin Zander to join the group. Between 1975 and the band's first album in 1977, Cheap Trick toured constantly, playing over 200 concerts a year while occasionally opening for the likes of the Kinks, Kiss, Santana, AC/DC, and Queen. During this time, the band built up a solid catalog of original songs that would eventually comprise their first three albums; they also perfected their kinetic live show.
Cheap Trick signed with Epic in 1976 and released their self-titled debut early the following year. The record sold well in America, yet it failed to chart. However, the group became a massive success in Japan, and the album went gold upon release. Later that year, the band released their second album, In Color. It backed away from the harder-rocking side of Cheap Trick, featuring slicker production and quieter arrangements that spotlighted the band's melodic skills instead. Due to their constant touring, the record made it into the U.S. charts, peaking at number 73. It became another gold-seller in Japan, however, where the musicians had become virtual superstars. Their Japanese concerts began selling out within two hours, and they packed the sizable Budokan Arena.
Cheap Trick's concerts at Budokan were recorded for possible release, although the live album didn't appear until the band's third album, 1978's Heaven Tonight. That third album captured both the loud, raucous energy of Cheap Trick's debut and the hook-laden songcraft of In Color, leading to their first Top 100 single, "Surrender," which peaked at number 62. However, the live performances on At Budokan (1979) captured the band's energetic, infectious live show, resulting in their commercial breakthrough in America. The album stayed on the charts for over a year, peaking at number four and eventually selling over three million copies. Meanwhile, a live version of "I Want You to Want Me" became their first Top Ten hit. Later that year, the group released their fourth studio album, Dream Police, which followed the same stylistic approach as Heaven Tonight. It also followed At Budokan into the Top Ten, selling over a million copies and launching the Top 40 hit singles "Voices" and "Dream Police." In the summer of 1980, the group released an EP of tracks recorded between 1976-1979 called Found All the Parts.
Following the recording of the George Martin-produced All Shook Up, Petersson left the group in the summer of 1980 to form a group with his wife, Dagmar. He was replaced by Jon Brant. Released toward the end of 1980, All Shook Up performed respectably, peaking at number 24 and going gold, yet the single "Stop This Game" failed to crack the Top 40. One on One, the group's seventh album and the first recorded with Brant, appeared in 1982. Although it peaked at number 39, the record was more successful than All Shook Up, eventually going platinum. Nevertheless, the group was entering a downhill commercial slide, despite the fact that its music was becoming increasingly polished. Next Position Please, released in 1983, failed to launch a hit single and spent only 11 weeks on the charts. Standing on the Edge (1985) and The Doctor (1986) suffered similar fates, as the group were slowly losing their creative spark.
Petersson rejoined the band in 1988 and the group began work on a new record with the help of several professional songwriters. The resulting effort, Lap of Luxury, was a platinum Top 20 hit, featuring the number one power ballad "The Flame" and a Top Ten version of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel." Busted, released in 1990, wasn't as successful as Lap of Luxury, peaking at number 48 and effectively putting an end to the group's commercial comeback.
Cheap Trick soldiered into the new decade by signing with Warner Bros. in 1994 and releasing Woke Up with a Monster, which peaked at number 123 and spent two weeks on the album chart. That same year, Epic released a sequel to At Budokan, aptly titled Budokan II. Compiled from the same shows as At Budokan, the record served as an an effective reminder of why the group had become so popular in the late '70s.
In 1995, Cheap Trick asked to leave Warner's roster after the label's chief executives, Lenny Waronker and Mo Ostin, departed. The band then decided to go back to the basics, and several alt rock superstars who had been influenced by Cheap Trick gave the band opportunities to restore their reputation. The Smashing Pumpkins had them open their tour in 1995, and the group played several dates on the 1996 Lollapalooza Tour. That same year, the box set Sex, America, Cheap Trick appeared to positive reviews, and the band signed with the fledgling indie label Red Ant before setting to work on a new album. Early in 1997, the group released a Steve Albini-produced single on Sub Pop, which was followed by the eponymous Cheap Trick, their acclaimed debut for Red Ant, in the spring. Unfortunately, Red Ant filed for bankruptcy seven weeks after the album's release, sadly putting a sudden halt on the group's building momentum.
On April 30, 1998, the group launched a four-night residency in Chicago, devoting each show to reprising one of their first four albums in its entirety. Those shows later yielded a 1999 live LP, Music for Hangovers, which the musicians issued on their own Cheap Trick Unlimited label. A band-authorized hits collection followed in 2000. By the dawn of the new millennium, Cheap Trick were still without a label, but had retained their loyal following by continually touring the world. Appropriately, another live set saw the light of day in 2001. Entitled Silver, the double-disc album (and companion DVD) documented the band's star-studded, career-spanning 25th anniversary show on August 28, 1999. The band also recorded another studio album, released in 2003 as Special One. It was followed in 2006 by Rockford, named in tribute to the band's hometown, and then The Latest in 2009. Cheap Trick also maintained a heavy touring ethic, canvassing America that summer alongside Def Leppard and releasing their tribute to the Beatles with Sgt. Pepper Live. In late 2015, Cheap Trick signed with powerhouse country label Big Machine Records, and their first album for their new sponsors, Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello, was released in April 2016--the same month the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was the first Cheap Trick release since the departure of drummer Bun E. Carlos from the band. Daxx Nielsen, Rick's son, became the group's new percussionist in 2010. Wasting no time, the band returned with their second album for Big Machine, the rollicking We're All Alright!, in June 2017. They had barely caught their breath when they were back with their first holiday album, Christmas Christmas, in October 2017.
In Another WorldIn Another World, the band's first proper studio album since We're All Alright, appeared in April 2021.
Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Studio Albums
(1977) Cheap Trick
(1977) In Color
(1978) Heaven Tonight
(1979) Dream Police
(1980) All Shook Up
(1980) Found All The Parts
(1982) One on One
(1983) Next Position Please
(1985) Standing on the Edge
(1986) The Doctor
(1988) Lap of Luxury
(1990) Busted
(1994) Woke Up With A Monster
(1997) Cheap Trick
(2003) Special One
(2006) Rockford
(2009) The Latest
(2016) Bang, Zoom, Crazy...Hello
(2017) We're All Alright!
(2021) In Another World
(1978) At Budokan
(1978) Budokan II
(1998) At Budokan: the Complete Concert
(1999) Music for Hangovers
(2001) Silver
Cheap Trick's roots lie in Fuse, a late-'60s band formed by Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson in Rockford, Illinois. The group released an album on Epic in 1969; after it failed to gain any attention, the band relocated to Philadelphia and changed their name to Sick Man of Europe. The group toured Europe unsuccessfully in 1972 and returned to Illinois in 1973. Not long after their return to Rockford, Nielsen and Petersson changed their band's name once more -- this time to Cheap Trick -- and added drummer Bun E. Carlos and vocalist Randy "Xeno" Hogan to the lineup. Hogan was fired the following year, making room for ex-folksinger Robin Zander to join the group. Between 1975 and the band's first album in 1977, Cheap Trick toured constantly, playing over 200 concerts a year while occasionally opening for the likes of the Kinks, Kiss, Santana, AC/DC, and Queen. During this time, the band built up a solid catalog of original songs that would eventually comprise their first three albums; they also perfected their kinetic live show.
Cheap Trick signed with Epic in 1976 and released their self-titled debut early the following year. The record sold well in America, yet it failed to chart. However, the group became a massive success in Japan, and the album went gold upon release. Later that year, the band released their second album, In Color. It backed away from the harder-rocking side of Cheap Trick, featuring slicker production and quieter arrangements that spotlighted the band's melodic skills instead. Due to their constant touring, the record made it into the U.S. charts, peaking at number 73. It became another gold-seller in Japan, however, where the musicians had become virtual superstars. Their Japanese concerts began selling out within two hours, and they packed the sizable Budokan Arena.
Cheap Trick's concerts at Budokan were recorded for possible release, although the live album didn't appear until the band's third album, 1978's Heaven Tonight. That third album captured both the loud, raucous energy of Cheap Trick's debut and the hook-laden songcraft of In Color, leading to their first Top 100 single, "Surrender," which peaked at number 62. However, the live performances on At Budokan (1979) captured the band's energetic, infectious live show, resulting in their commercial breakthrough in America. The album stayed on the charts for over a year, peaking at number four and eventually selling over three million copies. Meanwhile, a live version of "I Want You to Want Me" became their first Top Ten hit. Later that year, the group released their fourth studio album, Dream Police, which followed the same stylistic approach as Heaven Tonight. It also followed At Budokan into the Top Ten, selling over a million copies and launching the Top 40 hit singles "Voices" and "Dream Police." In the summer of 1980, the group released an EP of tracks recorded between 1976-1979 called Found All the Parts.
Following the recording of the George Martin-produced All Shook Up, Petersson left the group in the summer of 1980 to form a group with his wife, Dagmar. He was replaced by Jon Brant. Released toward the end of 1980, All Shook Up performed respectably, peaking at number 24 and going gold, yet the single "Stop This Game" failed to crack the Top 40. One on One, the group's seventh album and the first recorded with Brant, appeared in 1982. Although it peaked at number 39, the record was more successful than All Shook Up, eventually going platinum. Nevertheless, the group was entering a downhill commercial slide, despite the fact that its music was becoming increasingly polished. Next Position Please, released in 1983, failed to launch a hit single and spent only 11 weeks on the charts. Standing on the Edge (1985) and The Doctor (1986) suffered similar fates, as the group were slowly losing their creative spark.
Petersson rejoined the band in 1988 and the group began work on a new record with the help of several professional songwriters. The resulting effort, Lap of Luxury, was a platinum Top 20 hit, featuring the number one power ballad "The Flame" and a Top Ten version of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel." Busted, released in 1990, wasn't as successful as Lap of Luxury, peaking at number 48 and effectively putting an end to the group's commercial comeback.
Cheap Trick soldiered into the new decade by signing with Warner Bros. in 1994 and releasing Woke Up with a Monster, which peaked at number 123 and spent two weeks on the album chart. That same year, Epic released a sequel to At Budokan, aptly titled Budokan II. Compiled from the same shows as At Budokan, the record served as an an effective reminder of why the group had become so popular in the late '70s.
In 1995, Cheap Trick asked to leave Warner's roster after the label's chief executives, Lenny Waronker and Mo Ostin, departed. The band then decided to go back to the basics, and several alt rock superstars who had been influenced by Cheap Trick gave the band opportunities to restore their reputation. The Smashing Pumpkins had them open their tour in 1995, and the group played several dates on the 1996 Lollapalooza Tour. That same year, the box set Sex, America, Cheap Trick appeared to positive reviews, and the band signed with the fledgling indie label Red Ant before setting to work on a new album. Early in 1997, the group released a Steve Albini-produced single on Sub Pop, which was followed by the eponymous Cheap Trick, their acclaimed debut for Red Ant, in the spring. Unfortunately, Red Ant filed for bankruptcy seven weeks after the album's release, sadly putting a sudden halt on the group's building momentum.
On April 30, 1998, the group launched a four-night residency in Chicago, devoting each show to reprising one of their first four albums in its entirety. Those shows later yielded a 1999 live LP, Music for Hangovers, which the musicians issued on their own Cheap Trick Unlimited label. A band-authorized hits collection followed in 2000. By the dawn of the new millennium, Cheap Trick were still without a label, but had retained their loyal following by continually touring the world. Appropriately, another live set saw the light of day in 2001. Entitled Silver, the double-disc album (and companion DVD) documented the band's star-studded, career-spanning 25th anniversary show on August 28, 1999. The band also recorded another studio album, released in 2003 as Special One. It was followed in 2006 by Rockford, named in tribute to the band's hometown, and then The Latest in 2009. Cheap Trick also maintained a heavy touring ethic, canvassing America that summer alongside Def Leppard and releasing their tribute to the Beatles with Sgt. Pepper Live. In late 2015, Cheap Trick signed with powerhouse country label Big Machine Records, and their first album for their new sponsors, Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello, was released in April 2016--the same month the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was the first Cheap Trick release since the departure of drummer Bun E. Carlos from the band. Daxx Nielsen, Rick's son, became the group's new percussionist in 2010. Wasting no time, the band returned with their second album for Big Machine, the rollicking We're All Alright!, in June 2017. They had barely caught their breath when they were back with their first holiday album, Christmas Christmas, in October 2017.
In Another WorldIn Another World, the band's first proper studio album since We're All Alright, appeared in April 2021.
Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Studio Albums
(1977) Cheap Trick
(1977) In Color
(1978) Heaven Tonight
(1979) Dream Police
(1980) All Shook Up
(1980) Found All The Parts
(1982) One on One
(1983) Next Position Please
(1985) Standing on the Edge
(1986) The Doctor
(1988) Lap of Luxury
(1990) Busted
(1994) Woke Up With A Monster
(1997) Cheap Trick
(2003) Special One
(2006) Rockford
(2009) The Latest
(2016) Bang, Zoom, Crazy...Hello
(2017) We're All Alright!
(2021) In Another World
(1978) At Budokan
(1978) Budokan II
(1998) At Budokan: the Complete Concert
(1999) Music for Hangovers
(2001) Silver
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Surrender
Cheap Trick Lyrics
Mother told me, yes she told me
I'd meet girls like you
She also told me stay away
You'll never know what you'll catch
Just the other day I heard
Of a soldier's falling off
Some Indonesian junk
That's going 'round
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Father says your mother's right
She's really up on things
Before we married Mommy served
In the WACs in the Philippines
Now I had heard the WACs recruited
Old maids for the war
But Mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Whatever happened to all this season's
Losers of the year
Every time I got to thinking
Where'd they disappear
Then I woke up, Mom and Dad
Are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling
Got my Kiss records out
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Rick Nielsen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Netania Smith
Mother told me, yes, she told me I'd meet girls like you.
She also told me, "stay away, you'll never know what you'll catch."
Just the other day I heard a soldier falling off some Indonesian junk that's going round.
Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.
Father says, "your mother's right, she's really up on things."
"before we married, mommy served in the wacs in the Philippines."
Now, I had heard the wacs recruited old maids for the war.
But mommy isn't one of those, I've known her all these years.
Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.
Whatever happened to all this season's losers of the year?
Every time I got to thinking, where'd they disappear?
When I woke up, mom and dad are rolling on the couch.
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling, got my kiss records out.
Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.
Away.
Away.
Charlotte Entwisle-Phillips
Mother told me, yes, she told me I'd meet girls like you.
She also told me, "stay away, you'll never know what you'll catch."
Just the other day I heard a soldier falling off some Indonesian junk that's going round.
Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.
Father says, "your mother's right, she's really up on things."
"before we married, mommy served in the wacs in the Philippines."
Now, I had heard the wacs recruited old maids for the war.
But mommy isn't one of those, I've known her all these years.
Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.
Whatever happened to all this season's losers of the year?
Every time I got to thinking, where'd they disappear?
When I woke up, mom and dad are rolling on the couch.
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling, got my kiss records out.
Mommy's alright, daddy's alright, they just seem a little weird.
Surrender, surrender, but don't give yourself away, ay, ay, ay.
Away.
Away.
Lucy fkn Rowe
"Surrender"
Mother told me, yes, she told me
That I'd meet girls like you
She also told me, "Stay away
You'll never know what you'll catch"
Just the other day I heard
Of a soldier's falling off
Some Indonesian junk
That's going round
Mommy's all right
Daddy's all right
They just seem a little weird
Surrender
Surrender
But don't give yourself away
Hey, heeeeeey
Father says, "Your mother's right
She's really up on things
Before we married, Mommy served
In the WACS in the Philippines"
Now, I had heard the WACS recruited
Old maids for the war
But mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years
Mommy's all right
Daddy's all right
They just seem a little weird
Surrender
Surrender
But don't give yourself away
Hey, heeeeeey
Whatever happened to all this season's
Losers of the year?
Every time I got to thinking
Where'd they disappear?
But when I woke up, Mom and Dad
Are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rollin'
Got my KISS records out
Mommy's all right
Daddy's all right
They just seem a little weird
Surrender
Surrender
But don't give yourself away
Hey, heeeeeey
Away
Away
Surrender
Surrender
But don't give yourself away
Surrender
Surrender
But don't give yourself away
[repeat to fade]
money walrus
Did you know that in the stanza
"Now, I had heard the WACS recruited
Old maids for the war
But mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years"
it was originally supposed to be,
"Now, I had heard the WACS recruited
Old maids, dykes, and whores,
But mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years"
The band made a quick last minute change because they thought it wouldn't be good for the public to hear that.
Geoffrey Glenn
I actually have a little bit of a story as to why I like this song so much. While, yes, part of it is because of my love for Guitar Hero, there's another, deeper reason for it. And that's this:
When I was in 8th grade (sometime around 2015-2016), there was a girl I had a crush on named Lucy, and she was really sweet. One day, I found out that she was into Cheap Trick just like I was, and as it turns out, one of the songs we both liked from the band was, in fact, "Surrender". I was surprised that we both ended up liking the same song, but really, in my mind, I think it brought us a little closer together. For awhile, I thought she would be the one, but then she told me that she was going to a different high school than me. Naturally, I was a little heartbroken, but I got the amazing chance to talk to her over the summer break since we got each other's phone number.
Fast forward to our freshman year of high school. I'm in the school marching band and one of the games the football team was playing... was against Lucy's school. My heart jumped and eyes widened when I saw it. I was gonna get to see her again! When I found out she was coming to the game, I was ecstatic.
On the ride there, I played "Surrender" in my headphones as we made our way towards the school. Come halftime and as my school's band was getting concessions and the like, the moment I found her, she rushed toward me with open arms. It felt so good to see her again. She was still that sweet girl I knew since 8th grade. Although the time we spent together was short-lived, I enjoyed every single minute of it. That was one of the best moments in my freshman year. (Oh, and if any of y'all were wondering, my school won 22-10.)
Since that day, however, I haven't heard or seen from Lucy since. I heard through some close friends that she's now in a rock band with her younger sisters, and from what I've heard, they're incredible (Maybe they could end up being the next big female rock band!). I'm hoping that someday I'll be able to see her again and we could remember the days when we connected over Cheap Trick. But until then, I'll keep listening to this very song to remind me of the time we spent with each other.
I'm hoping to see you again someday, Lucy. I don't know when it'll be, or how we'll find each other again, but I'll never forget the time we spent together in 8th grade. In the meantime, though, I'll be listening to "Surrender". Keep on rockin', girl!
Special McKinley
Don't really care how anyone got to listen to this song. You're here because it's an awesome song, that's all that really matters!
Cactus Boi
@Rockk no u
Cactus Boi
@Rockk What. The. Living. Hell.
Cactus Boi
@Grant Lehnardt I love it! It’s truly a work of art!
Cactus Boi
Exactly! My man!!!
Jack Carroll
I found this song through a radio mod for fallout 4
Jess S
Who’s jamming to Cheap Trick in 2021?? Timeless song...... 😎
Cactus Boi
Exactly! :D
InxsLEGOrailfan4449
Me
balinthrvth
I love it😎