"Clock Strikes Ten" is a song released in 1977 by Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...

 on their second album, In Color. It was written by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen

Rick Nielsen

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. It was released as a single in Japan, where it was a major hit and reached #1 on their singles chart. Its success, as well as the success of two follow up singles, "I Want You to Want Me

I Want You to Want Me

"I Want You to Want Me" is a song by Cheap Trick which first appeared on their second album In Color in 1977. It was the first single released from that album but it didn't chart in the US. However, it was a #1 single in Japan...

" and "Surrender

Surrender (Cheap Trick song)

"Surrender" is a single by Cheap Trick released in June 1978 from the album Heaven Tonight. It was the first Cheap Trick single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 62...

", paved the way for Cheap Trick's famous concerts at Nippon Budokan

Nippon Budokan

The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...

 in Tokyo in April 1978 that were recorded for the group's most popular album Cheap Trick at Budokan.

Content

It is a fast paced song that begins with guitar notes struck to sound like Big Ben's chimes (full hour). The song has similarities to the 1950s song "Rock Around the Clock

Rock Around the Clock

"Rock Around the Clock" is a 12-bar-blues-based song written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954...

". Nielsen has described the theme of the song as "Simple fun and games. People are going out on a Saturday night, going completely nuts, people that live for the weekend, and who doesn't?" Dave Marsh

Dave Marsh

Dave Marsh is an American music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on...

 of Rolling Stone Magazine said that the song "can only be compared to Little Richard

Little Richard

Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...

 playing 'Rip It Up,' easily his silliest song, on guitar."

Chart positions

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Japanese Singles Chart	1

In popular culture

"Clock Strikes Ten" was often played as an encore in live shows, and it was the final song played in the encore of the Budokan concerts. The live version was released as the final song on the Cheap Trick at Budokan album. The live version was also released as the B-side of the live version single of "I Want You to Want Me" that was a top 10 hit in 1979. In 1978, Cheap Trick played "Clock Strikes Ten" and "I Want You to Want Me" on the BBC2 television program The Old Grey Whistle Test. "Clock Strikes Ten" has since been released on several other compilation and live albums, including The Greatest Hits

The Greatest Hits (Cheap Trick album)

The Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by Cheap Trick. It contains many of Cheap Trick's popular songs, as well as a previously unreleased cover version of The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour, which according to the liner notes, was an outtake from the Lap of Luxury album...

, Sex, America, Cheap Trick

Sex, America, Cheap Trick

Sex, America, Cheap Trick is a 1996 box set by the rock band Cheap Trick. It includes 17 previously unreleased songs, as well as the band's biggest hits...

, The Essential Cheap Trick

The Essential Cheap Trick

The Essential Cheap Trick is the fourth compilation album by Cheap Trick, and part of Sony BMG's The Essential series. It contains at least one song from every album up to Special One , except the commercial failure The Doctor...

and Live in Australia. It has also been covered by The Electric Ferrets on their album Ferretzilla.