B-side "Who D'King" Format 7" Length 3:45 | Released November 1980 Genre Rock, power pop Label Epic Records | |
"Stop This Game" is a single by American rock band Cheap Trick, released as the lead single from their 1980 album All Shook Up. The song was written by Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander.
Contents
The single was released as a 7" vinyl only in both America and Europe. In the UK and in Spain, the song was released on promotional 7" vinyl only. For the Dutch release, the song was slightly edited, removing just under half a minute from the album version.
The b-side "Who D'King" was featured as the closing track on the same album, written by Bun E. Carlos and Rick Nielsen.
Both tracks were produced by George Martin, best known for his extensive involvement on each of The Beatles' original albums.
The Dutch single version artwork uses a reworking of the artwork from "All Shook Up".
Background
The "All Shook Up" album was even quirkier than its predecessor, the platinum-selling Dream Police. Many of the songs were less radio friendly and more experimental from working with producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick.
"Stop This Game" was one of the first Cheap Trick songs to be written by both Nielsen and Zander together.
There were several homages to The Beatles on the album. "Stop This Game" opens and closes with a droning piano note similar to the one that ends "A Day in the Life".
Two outtakes from the album sessions exist, an outtake of "Stop This Game" and an instrumental version.
The single was the only track to make an impact on the American charts from the album. The song peaked at #48 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 12 weeks.
The song was the last charting single to feature bassist Tom Petersson for eight years, who left the band after the album's release, returning again in 1988.
The song was mimed on American TV and Italian TV whilst professionally filmed footage exists of the band performing the song live at the Chicagofest '81.
The song was included on the 2000 compilation "Authorized Greatest Hits" which featured sixteen tracks handpicked by the band themselves.
A live version was recorded for the 2001 live set "Silver".
Track listing
7" single (American release)
- "Stop This Game" – 3:50
- "Who D'King" – 2:16
7" Single (Dutch release)
- "Stop This Game" – 3:25
- "Who D'King" – 2:16
7" single (UK promo)
- "Stop This Game" – 3:45
- "Who D'King" – 2:16
7" single (Spanish promo)
- "Stop This Game" – 3:45
- "Who D'King" – 2:16
Critical reception
AllMusic chose the track as an AMG recommended track.
Rolling Stone magazine spoke of the song in a review of the album All Shook Up: "Yet the group, together with Martin, also throws several clever pop curves: the dense, pseudo-ELO orchestration in the Whostyle 'Stop This Game'."