Cheap Trick is an American power pop/rock n roll band from Rockford, Illino… Read Full Bio ↴Cheap Trick is an American power pop/rock n roll band from Rockford, Illinois that's played for over four decades, and in 2016 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Having gained popularity in the late-70s centered within the Midwest and within Japan, the band members are Rick Nielsen (guitarist and main songwriter), Bun E. Carlos (born Brad Carlson) (drums), Robin Zander (vocals and guitars), and Tom Petersson (bass guitar). Though they have had only flirtations with mainstream national success such as the multi-platinum smash At Budokan, Cheap Trick has held a substantial following through regular touring and a hard-edged yet blissful pop sound that combines the tunefulness of The Beatles with the speed and energy of punk rock, with many musicians and music journalists being fans.

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

Sorry Boy
Cheap Trick Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take want you want
Giving back a steely stare
Eyes black as night, I
Can feel a shiver in the air

Sorry boy
Sorry boy

Time everlasting
As a mother's blood runs cold
Blast everyone
There's no forgiveness
When your soul is sold

Sorry boy
Sorry boy
Sorry boy

No one will be there
To pick you up if you should fall
Burned every bridge
Your only friends
The shadow on the wall

Sorry boy
Sorry boy
Sorry boy

Sorry boy

Sorry boy
Sorry boy

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cheap Trick's Sorry Boy depict a character who is unapologetically self-centered and morally ambiguous. Take want you want, giving back a steely stare, these lines paint a picture of someone who is willing to take what they want at any cost without any sense of remorse or guilt. The next lines describe the character's physical appearance with eyes black as night and a shiver in the air - this person is intimidating and possibly dangerous. The repetition of Sorry boy in the song's chorus indicates that the character might be aware of their faults or wrongdoings but does not care enough to change their ways.

The second stanza continues the dark and brooding imagery with Time everlasting as a mother's blood runs cold. This line references the reality that no matter how long someone lives, they will eventually die, and even a mother's love has its limits. The character is then described as blasting everyone, showing that they have no problem burning bridges and leaving others behind. No forgiveness when your soul is sold, implies that the character has made deals or compromises to achieve their goals, and they must live with the ramifications of their actions.

The final stanza depicts the character as entirely alone, No one will be there, to pick you up if you should fall. They have burned all of their bridges and have only the shadow on the wall as their companion. The repetition of Sorry boy at the end underscores that the character's actions have led to their downfall, leaving them with no one to blame but themselves.

Line by Line Meaning

Take want you want
Do what you have to do to get what you want

Giving back a steely stare
Reacting with a cold, hard look

Eyes black as night, I
With eyes that are dark and foreboding, I

Can feel a shiver in the air
Sensing tension and discomfort in the atmosphere

Sorry boy
A repeated phrase of expression for the person who is being addressed

Time everlasting
A commitment or situation that will last forever

As a mother's blood runs cold
As a mother loses her warmth and love for her child

Blast everyone
Attack everyone

There's no forgiveness
Unforgivable actions have been taken

When your soul is sold
When a person has made a deal with the devil or has given up their values

No one will be there
No one will be around to help you