When I Wake Up Tomorrow
"When I Wake Up Tomorrow" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 2016 as the second and final single from their seventeenth studio album Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello. It was written by Julian Raymond, Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson, and produced by Raymond and Cheap Trick. Released as a promotional single in the United States, "When I Wake Up Tomorrow" reached No. 24 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.[2]
"When I Wake Up Tomorrow" | ||||
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Single by Cheap Trick | ||||
from the album Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello | ||||
Released | March 4, 2016[1] | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 3:27 | |||
Label | Big Machine Label Group LLC | |||
Songwriter(s) | Julian Raymond, Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson | |||
Producer(s) | Julian Raymond, Cheap Trick | |||
Cheap Trick singles chronology | ||||
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A music video was filmed to promote the single.[3] It was initially released exclusively through Rolling Stone on March 4, 2016.[1] The video features Nielsen playing his 1966 Gretsch 6123 guitar, which previously appeared in the video for the band's 1982 song "If You Want My Love".[4]
Background
Speaking of the song to Rolling Stone, Nielsen commented: "This song always reminds me of a sultry David Bowie song. I liked it from the first time we attempted to do it. It's just a moody, interesting piece with some heavy guitars in the middle."[5]
In an interview with Rock Cellar, Zander spoke of the song and his vocal performance on it: "I sort of conjured [Bowie's] style up in mind on the song. Even though I don't sound exactly like Bowie, it was in my mind while I was doing the song, which creates a fresh kind of new thing."[6]
Critical reception
AllMusic noted that the song was one on the album that showed the "Beatlesque side" of the band's "musical personality".[7] PopMatters described the song as a "power ballad" that "manages to impress, with its dark minor chords and Zander's moody, Bowie-esque croon".[8] American Songwriter noted the song was "Bowie-ish", adding that the "mid-tempo pumped up ballad captures a retro feel without feeling labored or contrived".[9] Classic Rock highlighted the song's "classic Trick-style descending chord sequence".[10]
The Michigan Daily described the song as the "best on the album", adding: "With smooth Bowie vocals, U2-esque keyboard interludes and their hallmark heavy guitar, "When I Wake Up Tomorrow" could easily be mistaken as a legend's work.[11] National Rock Review commented: "Heartfelt tracks like "When I Wake Up Tomorrow" and "Sing My Blues Away" highlights the band's songwriting ability".[12] Metropolis listed the song as one of the album's "strongest" tracks, noting that it "slightly stray[s] from the purity of their essence".[13]
The A.V. Club noted the song "showcases the darker, demented side of Cheap Trick", adding: "While on its surface the song may appear to be mining the usual power-pop territory of sex and girls, underneath there's a sinister undertone that may or may not touch on S&M and suicide."[14] Ultimate Classic Rock felt the song was "ripped from the Cheap Trick playbook".[15] All About the Rock described the song as the "weakest link" on the album and added: "It doesn't represent the rest of the offering well".[16]
Track listing
- CD single (US promo)
- "When I Wake Up Tomorrow" - 3:27
Chart performance
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Mainstream Rock[2] | 24 |
US Billboard Rock Airplay[17] | 42 |
Personnel
- Cheap Trick
- Robin Zander - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Rick Nielsen - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Tom Petersson - bass guitar, backing vocals
- Daxx Nielsen - drums, backing vocals
- Production
- Julian Raymond, Cheap Trick - producers
- Chris Lord-Alge - mixing
- Bryan Cook - recording
- Adam Harr, David Davis - recording assistants
References
- "Cheap Trick Debuts "When I Wake Up Tomorrow" Video Today". Big Machine Label Group. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- Billboard. "Cheap Trick When I Wake Up Tomorrow Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Cheap Trick - When I Wake Up Tomorrow". YouTube. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- Lawson, Robert (2017-11-13). Still Competition: The Listener's Guide to Cheap Trick - Robert Lawson - Google Books. ISBN 9781525512261. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Hear Cheap Trick's Moody, Bowie-esque New Single". Rolling Stone. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Robin Zander of Cheap Trick - The Interview – Rock Cellar Magazine". Rockcellarmagazine.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- AllMusic Review by Mark Deming (2016-04-01). "Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello - Cheap Trick | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Cheap Trick: Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello". PopMatters. 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- Horowitz, Hal (2016-03-28). "Cheap Trick: Bang Zoom Crazy … Hello « American Songwriter". Americansongwriter.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- Lester, Paul. "Cheap Trick: Bang Zoom Crazy... Hello | Louder". Loudersound.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- Danielle Immerman Daily Arts Writer (2016-04-06). "Cheap Trick represents a bygone era of excellent '70s hits". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Bang Zoom Crazy… Hello by Cheap Trick". National Rock Review. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Review: Cheap Trick - Bang, Zoom, Crazy… Hello – Metropolis Magazine". Metropolisjapan.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- https://news.avclub.com/see-the-video-for-cheap-trick-s-when-i-wake-up-tomorro-1798244953
- "Cheap Trick, 'Bang, Zoom, Crazy ... Hello': Album Review". Ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- "Cheap Trick - Bang Zoom Crazy... Hello - Cd Review". All About The Rock. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- Billboard (2016-04-30). "Cheap Trick When I Wake Up Tomorrow Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-04-11.