| "Stop This Game" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Cheap Trick | ||||
| from the album All Shook Up | ||||
| B-side | "Who D'King" | |||
| Released | October 1980[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | Epic Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | George Martin | |||
| Cheap Trick singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Stop This Game" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 1980 as the lead single from their fifth studio album All Shook Up. It was written by Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander, and produced by George Martin.[2] "Stop This Game" reached No. 48 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 32 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles.[3][4]
Critical reception
[edit]Upon its release, Billboard described "Stop This Game" as a song that "starts off on a mellow note before some thunderous guitar licks take charge and the tune becomes a forceful rocker". They added that the "lead vocals are full of gut level intensity".[5] Record World said that "Robin Zander provides one of his finest vocal efforts on this insistent rocker".[6] In the UK, Paul Rambali of the NME wrote, "George Martin's grandiose production sinks the normally ebullient Cheap Trick into an unfortunate mire."[7] In a review of All Shook Up, David Fricke of Rolling Stone called it one of the album's "clever pop curves", which recall[s] The Who and has a "dense, pseudo-ELO orchestration".[8]
Track listing
[edit]- 7" single
- "Stop This Game" – 3:45
- "Who D'King" – 2:16
- 7" single (US promo)
- "Stop This Game" – 3:50
- "Stop This Game" – 3:50
Personnel
[edit]- Robin Zander – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Rick Nielsen – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Tom Petersson – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Bun E. Carlos – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
[edit]- George Martin - producer, arranger, piano
- Geoff Emerick – engineer
- Nigel Walker – assistant engineer
- Tony George – assistant engineer
- George Marino – mastering
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1980–81) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles[4] | 32 |
| Netherlands (Tipparade)[9] | 12 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[3] | 48 |
| US Cash Box [10] | 44 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Cheap Trick - Stop This Game / Who D' King - Epic - USA - 19-50942". 45cat. 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
- ^ "Cheap Trick - Stop This Game at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ a b Billboard. "Cheap Trick Stop This Game Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
- ^ a b "Item: 264 - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
- ^ Billboard magazine - Billboard's Top Single Picks - November 8, 1980 - page 62
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 15, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ Rambali, Paul (11 October 1980). "Singles". New Musical Express. p. 20. ISSN 0028-6362.
- ^ David Fricke (1981-03-19). "All Shook Up | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
- ^ "Cheap Trick - Stop This Game" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 20, 1980