Stop This Game Explained

Stop This Game
Cover:Cheap Trick 1980 Single Dutch Release Stop This Game.jpeg
Type:single
Artist:Cheap Trick
Album:All Shook Up
B-Side:Who D'King
Released:October 1980[1]
Length:3:45
Label:Epic Records
Producer:George Martin
Prev Title:Day Tripper (Live)
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:World's Greatest Lover
Next Year:1981

"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

Upon release, Billboard described the song as one that "starts off on a mellow note before some thunderous guitar licks take charge and the tune becomes a forceful rocker. Lead vocals are full of gut level intensity."[5] In a review of All Shook Up, Billboard described the song as an "epic, mid-tempo rocker".[6] David Fricke of Rolling Stone described the song as one of the album's "clever pop curves", describing it as recalling The Who and noting the "dense, pseudo-ELO orchestration".[7] Record World said of it that "Robin Zander provides one of his finest vocal efforts on this insistent rocker."[8] In a retrospective review of the album, Stewart Mason of AllMusic recommended the song by selecting it as an AMG Pick Track.[9]

The song did best in the group's home base of northern Illinois, where it reached #27 on superstation WLS-AM in Chicago. It spent 14 weeks in the Top 40 on their weekly survey.[10]

Track listing

7" single
  1. "Stop This Game" – 3:45
  2. "Who D'King" – 2:16
7" single (US promo)
  1. "Stop This Game" – 3:50
  2. "Stop This Game" – 3:50

Personnel

Additional personnel

Chart performance

Chart (1980–81)Peak
position
Canadian RPM Top Singles32
US Billboard Hot 10048
US Cash Box [11] 44

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cheap Trick - Stop This Game / Who D' King - Epic - USA - 19-50942 . 45cat . 2015-09-09 . 2018-04-08.
  2. Web site: Cheap Trick - Stop This Game at Discogs . Discogs.com . 2012-03-11.
  3. Web site: Billboard . Cheap Trick Stop This Game Chart History . Billboard . 2018-04-08.
  4. Web site: Item: 264 - Library and Archives Canada . 17 July 2013 . Bac-lac.gc.ca . 2018-04-08.
  5. Billboard magazine - Billboard's Top Single Picks - November 8, 1980 - page 62
  6. Web site: Billboard - Google Books . 1980-11-08 . 2018-04-08.
  7. Web site: David Fricke . All Shook Up | Album Reviews . Rolling Stone . 1981-03-19 . 2012-03-11.
  8. Record World. November 15, 1980. 1. 2023-02-07. Hits of the Week.
  9. Web site: Mason . Stewart . All Shook Up - Cheap Trick . AllMusic . 2012-03-11.
  10. http://www.oldiesloon.com/il/wls021481.htm WLS Musicradio Survey, February 14, 1981
  11. http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 20, 1980