Hello There
Encyclopedia
"Hello There" is a song written by Rick Nielsen
and first released on Cheap Trick
's 1977 album In Color. The song was also often used as the first song of Cheap Trick concerts, and as a result was the first song on the band's seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan. The song is a frantic, energetic, raucous hard rock
song. Critic Dave Marsh
of Rolling Stone Magazine detected echoes in the song of the "manic verve" of The Beatles
' song "Birthday". Denise Sullivan of Allmusic describes the song as being "all about the good-time/partying spirit, asking the proverbial question, 'Are you ready to rock? As performed on In Color, the song starts with Nielsen playing a frenzied, fuzzy guitar part for two and a half bars
, then Bun E. Carlos
' strong drum beat appears, and finally Tom Petersson
's bass and Robin Zander
's vocal join in. The entire song lasts 1 minute and 41 seconds. Cheap Trick also released the song on its compilation albums Sex, America, Cheap Trick
and The Essential Cheap Trick
. A live video of Cheap Trick performing "Hello There" at the Budokan concert was shown on the DVD included with the 30th anniversary collector's edition release of Cheap Trick at Budokan album.
Nielsen has stated that he wrote the song because in its early days the band did not always get a soundcheck
before it played live. Rather than use one of their more melodic songs to experiment with the sound coming out of the PA system, they could use this song, which Nielsen called a "perfect welcome to the show intro piece." Nielsen said he got the idea for such an intro song from an earlier band, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera. "Hello There" replaced "ELO Kiddies
" as Cheap Trick's live opening song. It was the band's typical live opener from 1977 through the mid-1980s.
"Hello There" was covered by Foetus on their 1996 album Boil
. It was also covered by Phil Lewis
in 2000. Cheap Trick's version was also included on the soundtrack
to the Matt Dillon
film Over the Edge
, along with the Cheap Trick songs "Surrender
", "Downed" and "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace." A version of "Hello There" is also included in the music video game Rock Band 2
as a playable track.
". At the actual concert the album was taken from "Ain't That a Shame
" was played as part of the encore, after "Goodnight Now" and before "Clock Strikes Ten", but the original album release of Live at Budokan moved "Ain't That a Shame" out of sequence to open side 2. In the Netherlands, "Goodnight Now" was released as the B-side of the top 10 single "Surrender
".
Rick Nielsen
-External links:* * *...
and first released on 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...
's 1977 album In Color. The song was also often used as the first song of Cheap Trick concerts, and as a result was the first song on the band's seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan. The song is a frantic, energetic, raucous hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
song. Critic 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 detected echoes in the song of the "manic verve" of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' song "Birthday". Denise Sullivan of Allmusic describes the song as being "all about the good-time/partying spirit, asking the proverbial question, 'Are you ready to rock? As performed on In Color, the song starts with Nielsen playing a frenzied, fuzzy guitar part for two and a half bars
Bar (music)
In musical notation, a bar is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats of a given duration. Typically, a piece consists of several bars of the same length, and in modern musical notation the number of beats in each bar is specified at the beginning of the score by the top number of a...
, then Bun E. Carlos
Bun E. Carlos
Bun 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...
' strong drum beat appears, and finally 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:...
's bass and 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....
's vocal join in. The entire song lasts 1 minute and 41 seconds. Cheap Trick also released the song on its compilation albums 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...
and 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...
. A live video of Cheap Trick performing "Hello There" at the Budokan concert was shown on the DVD included with the 30th anniversary collector's edition release of Cheap Trick at Budokan album.
Nielsen has stated that he wrote the song because in its early days the band did not always get a soundcheck
Soundcheck
A soundcheck is the preparation that takes place before a concert, speech, or similar performance, when the performer and the sound crew run through a small portion of the upcoming show on the venue's sound system to make sure that the sound in the venue's "Front Of House" and stage monitor sound...
before it played live. Rather than use one of their more melodic songs to experiment with the sound coming out of the PA system, they could use this song, which Nielsen called a "perfect welcome to the show intro piece." Nielsen said he got the idea for such an intro song from an earlier band, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera. "Hello There" replaced "ELO Kiddies
Elo Kiddies
"ELO Kiddies" is a glam-style song written by Rick Nielsen and originally released by Cheap Trick on the 1977 album Cheap Trick. It was released as a single twice, in 1977 as an A-side backed by "Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace" and in 1979, as the B-side the live "Ain't That a Shame" from...
" as Cheap Trick's live opening song. It was the band's typical live opener from 1977 through the mid-1980s.
"Hello There" was covered by Foetus on their 1996 album Boil
Boil (album)
Boil is a live album by Foetus released in 1996. Boil is culled from Foetus' Rednecropolis 96 European tour.-Track listing:All songs by J. G...
. It was also covered by Phil Lewis
Phil Lewis
Phil Lewis is an English vocalist for the American glam metal band named L.A. Guns, He was born on January 9, 1957 in London, England.Prior to joining L.A. Guns Lewis also worked with Girl , New Torpedos, and Tormé. While temporarily out of L.A...
in 2000. Cheap Trick's version was also included on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon
Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
film Over the Edge
Over the Edge (film)
Over the Edge is a drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan released in 1979. Due to the negative publicity surrounding a wave of recent youth gang films, Over the Edge had a limited theatrical release in late 1979...
, along with the Cheap Trick songs "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...
", "Downed" and "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace." A version of "Hello There" is also included in the music video game Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
as a playable track.
Goodnight Now
Nielsen wrote a companion song to "Hello There" called "Goodnight Now." "Goodnight Now" basically reworks "Hello There" and was used by the band to end their main set, or the entire show, for many years. The song appears on Cheap Trick at Budokan as the next to last song, before the encore "Clock Strikes TenClock Strikes Ten
"Clock Strikes Ten" is a song released in 1977 by Cheap Trick on their second album, In Color. It was written by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. It was released as a single in Japan, where it was a major hit and reached #1 on their singles chart...
". At the actual concert the album was taken from "Ain't That a Shame
Ain't That a Shame
"Ain't That a Shame" is a song recorded by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew, in New Orleans, Louisiana, for Imperial Records and released in 1955. It was previously recorded in 1901 by Silas Leachman. The recording was a hit for Domino, eventually selling a million copies. It reached #1 on the...
" was played as part of the encore, after "Goodnight Now" and before "Clock Strikes Ten", but the original album release of Live at Budokan moved "Ain't That a Shame" out of sequence to open side 2. In the Netherlands, "Goodnight Now" was released as the B-side of the top 10 single "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...
".