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
Wrong Side of Love
Cheap Trick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm spending my money, but I'm wasting time
It looks to me like the end of the line
Well, she plays both sides and she's making me choose
It's heads, she wins, and tails I lose
Each time I call, it's another excuse
I thought I was finally doin' everything right
I picked the wrong side of love
And I wound up on the losin' end
The wrong side of love
Now I'm starting all over again
She makes me feel like I'm out of control
She comes on hot but she turns ice cold
Her light says stop when I'm ready to go...go
She set me up, now she's puttin' me down
Sometimes I feel like a face in the crowd
One day I'm in, the next day I'm out
I thought I was finally doin' everything right
Now it looks like I'm the one left lonely tonight
I picked the wrong side of love
And I wound up on the losin' end
The wrong side of love
Now I'm starting all over again
I picked the wrong side of love
Right place, wrong time
The wrong side of love
Well honey, point me in the right direction
I thought I was finally doin' everything right
Now it looks like I'm the one left lonely tonight
I picked the wrong side of love
And I wound up on the losin' end
The wrong side of love
Now I'm starting all over again
I picked the wrong side of love
And I wound up on the losin' end
The wrong side of love
Now I'm starting all over again
I picked the wrong side of love
Is there a bad side to love?
I picked the wrong side of love
The wrong side of love
I picked the wrong side of love
Is there a bad side to love?
I picked the wrong side of love
I picked the wrong side of love
I picked the wrong side of love
The song "Wrong Side of Love" by Cheap Trick is a melancholic track about being stuck in a toxic relationship. The first verse talks about the singer's realization that his partner has other things on her mind apart from him, and that he's wasting his time and money trying to make the relationship work. The chorus talks about how he feels like he picked the wrong side of love, and with every attempt to make things better, he ends up on the losing end. He feels like he's out of control because his partner has him on a tight leash, and she just toys with his feelings- coming on strong then going cold. In the end, he acknowledges that he's starting all over again and hopes to find love on the right side.
The song's chorus is the central idea of the song, where the singer contemplates whether he picked the right or the wrong side of love. The song is driven by guitar riffs and drum beats typical of Cheap Trick's rock sound. The lyrics suggest a theme of heartbreak and disappointment in a relationship. It paints a familiar picture of an emotional rollercoaster ride caused by a partner's indecisiveness and eventual betrayal, leaving the other person feeling disillusioned.
Line by Line Meaning
She said that she's got something else on her mind
She is not interested in a relationship with me and has other priorities.
I'm spending my money, but I'm wasting time
Although I am trying to impress her with my money, it is not changing her feelings towards me.
It looks to me like the end of the line
I am seeing signs that this relationship is coming to an end.
Well, she plays both sides and she's making me choose
She is not being honest and is manipulating me into making choices that only benefit her.
It's heads, she wins, and tails I lose
Regardless of the outcome, I am always the one who ends up losing in this relationship.
Each time I call, it's another excuse
She is avoiding me and making excuses to not spend time together.
She makes me feel like I'm out of control
I feel powerless and unable to control the direction of this relationship.
She comes on hot but she turns ice cold
She shows interest in me at times, but then abruptly withdraws and becomes distant.
Her light says stop when I'm ready to go...go
She is giving mixed signals and is not clear about what she wants from me.
She set me up, now she's puttin' me down
She has misled me into believing that this relationship could work, only to now reject me and put me down.
Sometimes I feel like a face in the crowd
I feel insignificant and unimportant to her, like just another stranger in a large group of people.
One day I'm in, the next day I'm out
She is inconsistent and unpredictable in her feelings towards me, making it difficult to navigate this relationship.
Right place, wrong time
Even though we may have a connection, the timing of our relationship is not right and it is not meant to work out.
Well honey, point me in the right direction
I am lost and need guidance to find the right path towards a healthy relationship.
Is there a bad side to love?
Is it possible that love can end up causing more pain and harm than good?
I picked the wrong side of love
I made the mistake of pursuing a relationship with someone who is not interested or not ready for a committed relationship.
And I wound up on the losin' end
No matter what I do, it seems that I am always the one who ends up getting hurt in this relationship.
Now I'm starting all over again
I have to move on from this relationship and start anew, hoping to find someone who is a better match for me.
The wrong side of love
This relationship did not work out and I ended up on the losing end, experiencing the negative side of love.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CERNEY, NIELSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind