“I Want You to Want Me” Speakeasy Marty Vaz & L’ill Hustler @ Local’s Bar, Manalapan NJ 2/7/2026

Описание: "I Want You To Want Me" has a long and intriguing history. It was written by Cheap Trick's guitarist Rick Nielsen and recorded for their 1977 self-titled debut album, but it didn't make the cut. The song was included on their second album, In Color, released later in 1977. This version has a medium tempo with a country feel and a honky tonk piano throughout the song.

By 1978, the band had dropped it from their setlist, but restored it when they toured Japan that year, since Japanese audiences loved the song. They played it on April 28 and 30 at their famous concerts at the Budokan temple in Tokyo, a big deal because many Japanese citizens felt the temple was sacred and not appropriate for rock concerts. The shows were recorded and released as the Live At Budokan album. Enhanced by a febrile crowd going ape for the band, the songs had a very different feel, capturing every bit of Cheap Trick's live energy. The album was released in February 1979 and sold over 3 million copies, turning their fortunes around in America. The extracted "I Want You To Want Me" became their first hit, charting at #7.

"I Want You to Want Me" is a 1977 song by Cheap Trick and was originally taken from their second studio album In Color. The better known version is the 1979 live single that topped the single charts in Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium and made number 7 in the United States, number 2 in Canada, number 15 in Austria, number 29 in the United Kingdom and number 23 in New Zealand. The cover version was used in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You.