Big in Japan: The Story Behind “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick

“And this next song is called ‘I Want You To Want Me.’” Cheap Trick lead singer Robin Zander introduced the song during the band’s show in Japan in 1978. The introduction was delivered slowly and deliberately, like a visitor in a foreign land talking to a group of people who don’t share the same language.

In Color, Cheap Trick’s second album, caught on and began selling well in Japan. A wave of pandemonium followed as the band toured the Land of the Rising Sun. Their concert at Nippon Budokan was recorded and shown on Japanese TV. The audio was released in the rest of the world. Cheap Trick Live At Budokan went on to be the band’s biggest-selling album. Let’s take a look at the story behind “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick.

I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I’d love you to love me
I’m beggin’ you to beg me

It Starts with the Chorus

Guitarist Rick Nielsen wrote the song and first recorded it for the band’s debut album. It didn’t make the cut and was given another chance for the sophomore effort In Color. Nielsen said in the book Reputation is a Fragile Thing: The Story of Cheap Trick, “‘I Want You To Want Me’ to me is like a 1920s/1930s type tune. I was thinking of the thirties—just sitting on a big stuffed chair, listening to the radio.”

I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I’d love you to love me
I’ll shine up my old brown shoes
I’ll put on a brand new shirt
I’ll get home early from work
If you say that you love me

For the Perverts

Continued Nielsen, “One of the middle lines is I’ll shine up my old brown shoes / I’ll put on a brand new shirt / I’ll hurry right home after work / If you say that you love me. Now, boy, that’s 1920, that’s 1930, that’s the way I picture it. But then I put a little sadomasochism in the tune, too. I want you to want me, oh nice. I need you to need me, oh wonderful. I love you to love me, ah yes. I’m begging you to beg me? Mmm, what does that mean? So I just always try to throw in a little extra ditty for the lone two or three million perverts in America.”

Didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin, cryin’)
Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin, cryin’)
Feelin’ all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin’ (dyin’, dyin’)
Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin’, cryin’)

A Piano and Guitar Part Were Added

Producer Tom Werman approached the song as a kind of vaudeville, burlesque number. “I Want You To Want Me” was a fabulous dance hall song and a perfect pop tune, and it was meant to be a little campy,” he said. “I put the piano on—a guy named Jai Winding played it. I remember asking the band what they thought of it, and Rick Nielsen kind of shrugged and said, ‘You’re the producer.’”

Werman also brought in guitarist Jay Graydon, who added the solo.

I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I’d love you to love me
I’m beggin’ you to beg me
I’ll shine up my old brown shoes
I’ll put on a brand new shirt
I’ll get home early from work
If you say that you love me

The Band Wasn’t Happy

Drummer Bun E. Carlos wasn’t happy with the production, “He cut the balls off it, and then it sounded empty. It didn’t sound big like it did live,” Nielsen told Guitar World magazine. “The In Color version is so wimpy, it’s unbelievable. It sounds incredibly sappy, especially when you hear it now. But back then, people weren’t ready to hear us the way we really were. It’s not like the original version was the greatest thing in the world, but we only wanted Werman to knock off some of our warts.”

Didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin, cryin’)
Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin, cryin’)
Feelin’ all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin’ (dyin’, dyin’)
Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin’, cryin’)
Feelin’ all alone without a friend
You know you feel like dyin’ (dyin’, dyin’)
Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I
See you cryin’ (cryin’, cryin’)

Niko Flynn

Shortly after Cheap Trick released the song, a French synthpop artist released a version as “J’attends Toutes les Nuits.” The translation to English is “I wait every night.” The updated beat and arrangement on Niko Flynn’s recording appealed to Cheap Trick, and they started performing the song live more like he had recorded it. The performance on the Live at Budokan album was released as a single and became the band’s biggest hit up to that time.

I want you to want me
I need you to need me
I’d love you to love me
I’m beggin’ you to beg me

A Lack of Airplay Doesn’t Stop Cheap Trick

The band was exposed to large crowds as they opened concerts for KISS, Queen, The Who, and The Kinks, even though they weren’t getting much support from radio. The success of the Live at Budokan album translated all over the world, making the band more popular in their homeland. Import copies from Japan started selling, and radio stations finally came around to playing their records. Their follow-up studio album, Dream Police, spawned hits, and the band continued touring regularly.

I want you to want me
I want you to want me
I want you to want me
I want you to want me

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Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage