One of the best known American power pop bands, the group's biggest hits over the years include "I Want You to Want Me", "Surrender", "Dream Police", "Don't Be Cruel" (a cover of Elvis Presley's hit), and "The Flame". Their most recent release, The Latest, has gained critical acclaim. They also wrote and performed the theme song for "The Colbert Report" as well as "That 70s Show", both tunes being fan favorites.
Nielsen and Petersson originally formed the group as Fuse in 1967, with Carlos joining the group several years later; however, when Zander joined as vocalist in 1972, the group was renamed Cheap Trick. Zander is considered one of the best hard rock vocalists of his era. For their part, Tom Petersson has been known for playing custom made 8, 12, and even a 18 string custom bass made by Modulus for Tom in 1981 and Rick Nielsen also has a penchant for unusual instruments. He owns and plays a five-necked solidbody electric guitar (it can be seen in the video for the song "She's Tight" among others).
Studio Albums
(1977) Cheap Trick [a.k.a Cheap Trick (1997)]
(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 [a.k.a Cheap Trick (1997)]
(2003) Special One
(2006) Rockford
(2009) The Latest
(2016) Bang, Zoom, Crazy...Hello
(2017) We're All Alright!
(2021) In Another World
[Live Albums]
(1978) At Budokan
(1978) Budokan II
(1998) At Budokan: the Complete Concert
(1999) Music for Hangovers
(2001) Silver
It's Only Love
Cheap Trick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seeming so much longer with the phone lines
Torn between decisions wrong or right
Ooh I wish I knew the stars tonight
'cause you could look around and see
The moving pictures of my mind's eye
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's only loveit's a miracle
There we meet at some forgotten point
On the streets of new york or was it london town
Maybe we were daydreaming out loud
Or maybe we nowhere
It doesn't matter now 'cause
You mean more to me than any hope or any dream
I know now
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's a wonder
It's only loveit's a miracle
When I say I miss you then I mean that I need you
When I say I need you then I mean that I miss you now
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's a wonder
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's a wonder
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's only loveit's a miracle
It's a wonder
It's only loveit's a miracle
In the song "It's Only Love" by Cheap Trick, the lyrics describe the feeling of loneliness and uncertainty in a relationship. The singer is struggling with decisions that are tearing them apart, and they wish they knew what the stars held for them. The chorus repeats that it's only love and it's a miracle and wonder, possibly indicating that the singer still feels hope despite the difficult situation. The second verse talks about the possibility of meeting in New York or London, maybe daydreaming out loud or not even remembering. Despite the uncertainty, the person means more than any hope or dream.
The song seems to be expressing the confusion and emotional turmoil that can come with a difficult relationship. The lyrics suggest that even though the situation might be uncertain and crazy, it's still worth it because it's love. The repetition of "it's only love" throughout the chorus reinforces this idea that love is what matters in the end. Overall, the song is a tribute to the power of love and its ability to sustain through even the toughest times.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonely days and lonely nights
The singer feels alone and isolated without their lover.
Seeming so much longer with the phone lines
The distance between them feels more palpable without being able to hear each other's voices.
Torn between decisions wrong or right
The singer struggles to make choices, unsure of what the right path to take in their life is.
Ooh I wish I knew the stars tonight
The artist yearns for guidance and clarity in the midst of their confusion.
'cause you could look around and see
The artist feels that their lover has the ability to intuitively understand them without needing explicit communication.
The moving pictures of my mind's eye
The singer's thoughts and emotions are constantly in flux and vividly imagined in their mind's eye.
There we meet at some forgotten point
The singer recalls a moment when they and their lover were deeply connected, but it feels more distant in the present.
On the streets of new york or was it london town
The artist is fuzzy on the exact details of the moment they're recalling, but they know that it was a significant and memorable experience.
Maybe we were daydreaming out loud
The artist and their lover were perhaps imagining a better future for themselves when they were together in that moment.
Or maybe we nowhere
It's possible that the moment they're recalling wasn't actually grounded in reality and was purely a figment of their imaginations.
It doesn't matter now 'cause
The singer recognizes that the precise details of the moment they're recalling aren't as important as the emotions that it evokes in them.
You mean more to me than any hope or any dream
The artist values their lover more than anything else in their life, even their own aspirations and desires.
When I say I miss you then I mean that I need you
The singer's longing to be with their lover is rooted in a deep need for their emotional support and connection.
When I say I need you then I mean that I miss you now
The singer's need for their lover is tied to the pain and loneliness they feel when they're apart.
It's only loveit's a miracle
Love is a powerful, transformative emotion that can feel miraculous in the way that it can change people's lives.
It's a wonder
The artist is in awe of the emotional depth and power of their love for their lover.
It's only loveit's a miracle
The artist reaffirms that their love is almost inexplicable in its intensity and ability to change them.
It's only loveit's a miracle
The singer repeats the refrain once more to emphasize the transformative power of love.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris Kriskovic
Groundbreaking use of ASL box. Amazing refrain. So, so verses.
I’m a life long CT fan (since 1978 when I didn’t get to go to the Grand Slam Jam because I was 11 but “How Are You” was getting tons of air play in Milwaukee). The Doctor wasn’t a very good album (no Woke up with a Monster but…). But this is an underrated song that, maybe, with a different producer, would have been a hit.
Raymond E Gist Jr
Very underrated song. I've always enjoyed it
gus4u2c
Should have been a bigger hit. Classic Cheap Trick.
gus4u2c
@Gary Carr Give me MORE!
gus4u2c
@Gary Carr why stop there? 🤷🏻♂️
gus4u2c
@Garrett Carr anything else you want to add? 🤷🏻♂️
Brenden DeSimone
I forgot how good this song is.
Kasey M
Love this song!
Heartboy1031
Catchy tune! Sounds like it would have been radio friendly. I was 10 years old in 1986, so I don't remember if it received much air time. I've never heard it played on any top 40 radio station (that plays 70's, 80's music or classic rock station) over the last several years. It must have not done well as a single. The band had been together over 10 years by this point & would have their biggest success two years later with 'The Flame'. Interesting career that they've had, you can never get bored with their catalog of music.
Brett Kelly
remember the studio version of I want you to want me? great song bad production