Heaven Tonight
Encyclopedia
Heaven Tonight is Cheap Trick
's third album, released in 1978
. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic
/Legacy
imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zander
and bassist Tom Petersson
.
Heaven Tonight is considered Cheap Trick's best album by many fans and critics. While their debut album Cheap Trick
showed the band's darker, rawer side and In Color
showed their lighter, poppier side, Heaven Tonight combined both elements to produce a hook-filled pop-rock album with an attitude. Popular songs from this album include the anthemic "Surrender", "Auf Wiedersehen", the title track, and a cover of The Move
's "California Man".
Heaven Tonight is also known as the first album ever recorded with a 12-string electric bass.
copy of the band's previous album, In Color
sticking out of his back pocket. At the suggestion of the record company, the album was originally to be called American Standard
; the cover photography was intended to play upon the secondary association with the well-known manufacturer of plumbing fixtures. The band were less pleased with the idea and opted for the release title, but the cover design remained.
"Surrender" was the only song from this album released on the original version of the 1979
live album
Cheap Trick at Budokan. On the 1998 reissue At Budokan: The Complete Concert, three additional songs from this album were included - "Auf Wiedersehen", "High Roller" and "California Man".
"Oh Claire" is a one-minute live jam with "Oh, Konnichiwa" as the only lyrics. The title is a pun on Eau Claire
, Wisconsin
, where the band used to play frequently in their pre-stardom days. Cheap Trick wrote a similarly titled song, "O Claire," for their 2006 album Rockford
. "How Are You" contains, in its second verse, the extract of "The Lord's Prayer", sped up 10 times.
"Surrender" is featured as a playable song on the video game Guitar Hero II
.
Singles
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...
's third album, released in 1978
1978 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1978.-January–April:*January 14 – The Sex Pistols play their final show at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom....
. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
/Legacy
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zander
Robin Zander
Robin Wayne Zander is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Early life:Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters....
and bassist Tom Petersson
Tom Petersson
Tom Petersson is an American musician, best known as the bassist and sometime guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Career:...
.
Heaven Tonight is considered Cheap Trick's best album by many fans and critics. While their debut album Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick (1977 album)
Cheap Trick is the first studio album released in 1977 by the American rock band Cheap Trick. It was their debut album for Epic Records, produced by Jack Douglas.- Overview :...
showed the band's darker, rawer side and In Color
In Color
In Color is the second studio album by Cheap Trick, released in 1977. It was produced by Tom Werman.This album is considered a classic of the power pop genre as well as one of the best rock albums ever recorded. The album was ranked No. 4 on Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide...
showed their lighter, poppier side, Heaven Tonight combined both elements to produce a hook-filled pop-rock album with an attitude. Popular songs from this album include the anthemic "Surrender", "Auf Wiedersehen", the title track, and a cover of The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
's "California Man".
Heaven Tonight is also known as the first album ever recorded with a 12-string electric bass.
Overview
This was the second Cheap Trick album to feature Robin Zander and Tom Petersson on the front cover and Bun E. Carlos and Rick Nielsen on the back. While the front cover has Zander and Petersson standing in front of a nondescript background, the back cover portion (part of a continuous, wrap-around shot on the original LP) reveals that they are standing inside a public restroom where Nielsen is brushing his teeth and Carlos is fixing his tie in the mirror. Nielsen has a cassetteCompact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
copy of the band's previous album, In Color
In Color
In Color is the second studio album by Cheap Trick, released in 1977. It was produced by Tom Werman.This album is considered a classic of the power pop genre as well as one of the best rock albums ever recorded. The album was ranked No. 4 on Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide...
sticking out of his back pocket. At the suggestion of the record company, the album was originally to be called American Standard
American Standard Brands
American Standard Brands is a closely held manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, sold under the American Standard, Crane, Fiat, Sanymetal, Showerite and Eljer brand names, based in Piscataway Township, New Jersey, United States. It is principally owned by Sun Capital Partners with Bain Capital...
; the cover photography was intended to play upon the secondary association with the well-known manufacturer of plumbing fixtures. The band were less pleased with the idea and opted for the release title, but the cover design remained.
"Surrender" was the only song from this album released on the original version of the 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
Cheap Trick at Budokan. On the 1998 reissue At Budokan: The Complete Concert, three additional songs from this album were included - "Auf Wiedersehen", "High Roller" and "California Man".
"Oh Claire" is a one-minute live jam with "Oh, Konnichiwa" as the only lyrics. The title is a pun on Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, where the band used to play frequently in their pre-stardom days. Cheap Trick wrote a similarly titled song, "O Claire," for their 2006 album Rockford
Rockford (album)
-Singles:* "Perfect Stranger* "If It Takes A Lifetime"* "Come On, Come On, Come On" .-Outtakes:* "Mando Ragga" * "What's In It For You"...
. "How Are You" contains, in its second verse, the extract of "The Lord's Prayer", sped up 10 times.
"Surrender" is featured as a playable song on the video game Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
.
Side One
- "SurrenderSurrender (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...
" – 4:16 - "On Top of the World" – 4:01
- "California ManCalifornia Man (song)California Man is a song by The Move.Released in 1972 as a maxi single with "Do Ya" and "Ella James" as a double B-side, this was The Move's last official single release. The Electric Light Orchestra, originally conceived as a side-project to The Move, issued its first single,10538 Overture, a...
" (Roy WoodRoy WoodRoy Adrian Wood is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the bands The Move, Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of these bands.-Career:Wood...
) – 3:44 - "High Roller" (Rick Nielsen, Tom PeterssonTom PeterssonTom Petersson is an American musician, best known as the bassist and sometime guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Career:...
, Robin ZanderRobin ZanderRobin Wayne Zander is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Early life:Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters....
) – 3:58 - "Auf WiedersehenAuf Wiedersehen (song)"Auf Wiedersehen" is a song co-written by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson and first released on the band's 1978 album Heaven Tonight. It was also released as a single as the B-side of "Surrender"...
" (Nielsen, Petersson) – 3:42
Side Two
- "Takin' Me Back" – 4:52
- "On the Radio" – 4:33
- "Heaven Tonight" (Nielsen, Petersson) – 5:25
- "Stiff Competition" – 3:40
- "How Are You?" (Nielsen, Petersson) – 4:21
- "Oh Claire" (Bun E. CarlosBun E. CarlosBun E. Carlos, born Brad Carlson, June 12, 1951, is the primary drummer for American rock band Cheap Trick. He is the band's chief setlister and archivist, and maintains recordings of all the band's shows, some of which have been released under the name 'Bun E's Bootlegs'.Carlos is left-handed, but...
, Nielsen, Petersson, Zander) – 1:10 (not listed on LP label or album cover)
Bonus tracks (1998 Reissue)
- "Stiff Competition" (Outtake) – 4:03
- "Surrender" (Outtake) – 4:52
Singles (Side A/Side B)
- (1978) "SurrenderSurrender (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...
/Auf Wiedersehen" - #62 US - (1978) "California Man/Stiff Competition"
- (1978) "California Man/I Want You To Want Me (Live version from AT BUDOKAN)"
Personnel
- Robin ZanderRobin ZanderRobin Wayne Zander is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Early life:Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters....
– lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Rick NielsenRick Nielsen-External links:* * *...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals - Tom PeterssonTom PeterssonTom Petersson is an American musician, best known as the bassist and sometime guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Career:...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Bun E. CarlosBun E. CarlosBun E. Carlos, born Brad Carlson, June 12, 1951, is the primary drummer for American rock band Cheap Trick. He is the band's chief setlister and archivist, and maintains recordings of all the band's shows, some of which have been released under the name 'Bun E's Bootlegs'.Carlos is left-handed, but...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional personnel
- Jai Winding – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Paula ScherPaula ScherPaula Scher, born October 6, 1948, in Washington, DC., is an American graphic designer, illustrator, painter and art educator in design, and the first female principal at Pentagram, which she joined in 1991...
– design
Chart Performance
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart | 41 | 11 |
| French Albums Chart | 28 | 28 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 48 | ? |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | "Surrender" | Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
62 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – USA | Gold | January 16, 1979 |
| Platinum | February 10, 1995 | |
| CRIA - Canada | Platinum | 1979-11-01 |