Cheap Trick Beatles references

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by longjohn, Apr 28, 2007.

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  1. longjohn

    longjohn New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    The music of Cheap Trick contains many references to the Beatles. Besides musical/lyrical references, there's at least one visual reference: the title on the spine of the "One On One" lp reads "One Ono" (significant b/c it was the first Trick album released after December 1980). This is because the colouring of the jacket is such that the "ne" of the final "One" in the title is rendered basically invisible (white lettering on white background). When I first noticed this it kinda gave me the willies. Do you think this was on purpose, or an accident? (There's no question in my mind that all of the musical references were intentional.)

    Some of the musical references (by no means a complete list):

    1. The intro to “Come On, Come On” is quite similar to the intro to “Eight Days A Week”
    2. The line in “I Want You To Want Me”: “Shine up my old brown shoes”
    3. The title of “Taxman Mr. Thief” and the line, “Like the Beatles, he ain’t human”
    4. Robin Zander’s screams of “Mother!” on “Gonna Raise Hell”
    5. The tune of “Gonna Raise Hell” recalls “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”
    6. Ascending backing vocals “Heavy, heavy, heavy” on “The House Is Rockin’ (With Domestic Problems)” just like on the Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”
    7. The guitar “solo” in “Need Your Love” is just like John Lennon’s in “Yer Blues”
    8. The Tricksters covered “Day Tripper” and “Magical Mystery Tour”
    9. The line “In an airplane, not in Russia” followed by jet sounds in “Just Got Back” recalls “Back In The U.S.S.R.”
    10. The line in "Big Eyes" (?) “With your long blonde hair and your eyes of blue” (also in the Beatles’ “It’s All Too Much” and itself a ripoff from “Sorrow” by the Searchers)
     
  2. johmbolaya

    johmbolaya Active Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Rick Nielsen mentioned how he was a huge Beatles freak in the box set (which I don't have), so the One Ono reference is not too far fetched.
     
  3. vinylman

    vinylman Senior Member

    Location:
    Leeds, U.K.
    Part of the intro to the 'Budokan' version of 'Ain't That A Shame' uses the intro riff from 'Please Please Me'.
     
  4. longjohn

    longjohn New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    The thing that excited me most about the "Wonsaponatime" release was the Neilsen/Carlos-backed version of "I'm Losin' You" (I didn't buy the Lennon box this was culled from). It rocks, and I think it should have been the version on the released "Double Fantasy" album.

    Btw, I was amazed to discover that Rick played the cheesy keyboards on the Yardbirds' "Ha Ha Said the Clown" (according to the liner notes in Rhino's "Yardbirds Ultimate").
     
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  5. off_2_the_side

    off_2_the_side Senior Member

    Location:
    Brantford, Canada
    The beginning of the All Shook Up album fades in with the same droning piano note that fades out at the end of Sgt. Pepper.
     
  6. Cheepnik

    Cheepnik Overfed long-haired leaping gnome

    -- "Baby Loves to Rock" also contains a rooster sound effect similar to the one on "Good Morning, Good Morning."

    -- "Big Eyes" features an arpeggiated guitar hook not unlike that in "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." (BTW, what Cheap Trick song has a line about "long blonde hair and eyes of blue"? It isn't "Big Eyes.")

    They obviously loved the Beatles, but there's also no shortage of aural homages to ELO, especially on Heaven Tonight.
     
  7. Cheepnik

    Cheepnik Overfed long-haired leaping gnome

    It's in the mid-song solo, not the intro. But I know what you mean.
     
  8. Seems like Rick got around quite abit before forming CT. He also sold a guitar or two to Jeff Beck when JB first toured the U.S. with the original Group.

    Another Beatles reference:
    There is a double gatefold vinyl promo interview record set entitled "THE WHITE ALBUM". It even had the title written on the same angle and in the same font as the Beatles' album. Although in wacky Trick fashion, the entire front and back of the record's sleeve is actually black!

    Seem to remember them once being described as Beatles vocals with The Who's rhythm section!
     
  9. longjohn

    longjohn New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    You're right that it's not "Big Eyes" (that's why I put the question mark). Although I just might be losing my mind, I'll keep looking -- I can't find the song I'm thinking of.
     
  10. Cheepnik

    Cheepnik Overfed long-haired leaping gnome

    Whuh?! I've never heard of this. What was it supposed to promote?
     
  11. Cheap Trick "THE WHITE ALBUM" CDN-20

    c) 1980 CBS Records Canada Ltd.

    SIDE ONE: Interview (15:54)
    pause :)05)
    Interview (16:27)
    SIDE TWO:Interview (18:15)
    pause :)04)
    Interview (9:41)
    SIDE THREE: Interview (13:59)
    pause :)05)
    Interview (15:41)
    SIDE FOUR: Interview (13:36)
    pause :)04)
    Interview (19:28)

    Looks like the title is not exactly on an angle like the Beatles WHITE ALBUM but I think the connection is still pretty obvious!

    Believe it or not this album actually led to Rick and I getting into a verbal argument! :cry:
     
  12. longjohn

    longjohn New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I've come to the conclusion that I must have been thinking of the line, "It's not the way you look, the way you walk and the color of your hair" (from "Love's Got A Hold On Me"), which recalls "Big Eyes":

    "It's not the way you look, no
    It's not the way you walk
    Your eyes are so very good
    You know they're clear and bright
    It's not the color of your hair"

    Somehow I got these two songs and their similar lines confused with the line from "It's All Too Much", probably because, if you listen, George Harrison sings this line (the second time round) in a peculiar tone of volice that Robin Zander later imitated (IMO) on a few Trick tracks. Now if I can just figure out which tracks I've heard him use that tone on!
     
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