I Want You to Want Me - wikipedia I Want You to Want Me `` I Want You to Want Me '' Epic 50435 Single by Cheap Trick from the album In Color B - side `` Oh Boy ( Instrumental Version ) '' Released September 1977 ( 1977 - 09 ) Format 7 - inch single Recorded Kendun Recorders, Los Angeles, 1977 Genre Power pop Length 3 : 07 Label Epic Songwriter ( s ) Rick Nielsen Producer ( s ) Tom Werman Cheap Trick singles chronology `` Oh, Candy '' ( 1977 ) `` I Want You to Want Me '' ( 1977 ) `` Southern Girls '' ( 1977 ) `` Oh, Candy '' ( 1977 ) `` I Want You to Want Me '' ( 1977 ) `` Southern Girls '' ( 1977 ) `` I Want You to Want Me '' Epic 50680 Single by Cheap Trick from the album Cheap Trick at Budokan B - side `` Clock Strikes Ten '' Released April 1979 ( 1979 - 04 ) Format 7 - inch single Recorded Nippon Budokan, Tokyo April 1978 Genre Hard rock, power pop Length 3 : 38 Label Epic Songwriter ( s ) Rick Nielsen Producer ( s ) Cheap Trick Cheap Trick singles chronology `` California Man '' ( 1978 ) `` I Want You to Want Me '' ( 1979 ) `` Ai n't That a Shame '' ( 1979 ) `` California Man '' ( 1978 ) `` I Want You to Want Me '' ( 1979 ) `` Ai n't That a Shame '' ( 1979 ) `` I Want You to Want Me '' is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick from their second album In Color, released in September 1977. It was the first single released from that album, but it did not chart in the United States. `` I Want You to Want Me '' was a number - one single in Japan. Its success in Japan, as well as the success of its preceding single `` Clock Strikes Ten '' paved the way for Cheap Trick 's concerts at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in April 1978 that were recorded for the group 's most popular album, Cheap Trick at Budokan. A live version of `` I Want You to Want Me '' from the album Cheap Trick at Budokan was released in 1979 and became their biggest selling single, reaching # 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, representing sales of one million records. In Canada, it reached # 2 in on the RPM national singles chart, remaining there for two weeks and was certified Gold for the sale of 5,000 singles in September 1979. It was also the band 's highest charting single in Britain, where it reached # 29. Cheap Trick bass player Tom Petersson told Classic Rock magazine : `` My recollection is that ( songwriter Rick Nielsen ) did that song as a bit of a joke, because at the time when we had done that song there was a lot of pop music on the radio -- ABBA, and all sorts of things, disco, ( Rick thought ) ' I 'm just going to do an over-the - top pop song. I just want to do one that 's so silly -- total pop -- and then we 'll do a heavy version of it. ' He did n't know what was going to happen with it. The idea was to have it like a heavy metal pop song. Cheap Trick doing ABBA -- except a very heavy version. '' Rick Nielsen explains his perspective behind the song : `` I just pictured myself in a big, overstuffed chair, and my dad turned on the TV ; there were like three stations. I wanted to watch Gabby Hayes -- he was a cowboy. I always wanted what was n't there, so I think that 's what made me inquisitive throughout my whole life. When you wanted Gabby, Gabby 's not there ; when you want your dad, your dad is not there. It was the easiest lyric I could think of. And I wish I were that stupid more often. It 's like Van Morrison -- with some of his old songs it did n't matter what the lyrics meant, it 's how they sounded. '' Years later, Nielsen and Petersson criticized the lightweight production of `` I Want You to Want Me '' as it originally appeared on their second album, In Color. Cheap Trick went as far as to mostly re-record that album in 1998. Producer Tom Werman explains : `` ' I Want You To Want Me ' was a fabulous dancehall type of song, and a perfect pop tune, and it was meant to be a little campy. I put the piano on -- a guy named Jai Winding played it. I remember asking the band what they thought of it, and Rick Nielsen kind of shrugged and said, ' You 're the producer. ' '' Further : `` It was a burlesque song, like a 30 's number. That is what they wrote it as. '' Contents 1 Version differences 2 Critical reception 3 Chart history 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 All appearances 5 Cover versions 6 In popular culture 7 References 8 External links Version differences The live version has a higher tempo than the album version, which contributed to its success. However, the album version features an echo at the verse `` Did n't I, did n't I, did n't I see you cryin ' ( cryin ) ''. This echo does not appear in the live version. The crowd, however, emulates the echo by chanting `` cryin ' ''. The live version consists of two guitar solos, while the studio version has a piano fill as a second instrumental. Between 1976 and 1977, Cheap Trick recorded a version played in the style that they did in concerts in 1975 and 1976. It was played with dramatic vocals, high tempo and two guitar solos. It was released in 1996. The earliest version of the song was played in 1976, almost identical to the `` alternate '' version ( closer to the version they had originally played ), except with a slightly different song structure. This version was released in 1998. The band have also released a festive alternative version of the song, with slightly different lyrics, called `` I Want You For Christmas '', in 2012. Critical reception In the 2007 book Shake Some Action : The Ultimate Power Pop Guide, a section on Cheap Trick featured reviews on the top 20 stand - out tracks from the band. One track included was `` I Want You to Want Me '', where the author John M. Borack wrote `` the In Color version lacked anything resembling balls, but that was remedied on the hit version from the groundbreaking Cheap Trick at Budokan disc. A piece of history and a darned cool tune, to boot. '' Chart history Weekly charts Chart ( 1977 ) Peak position Canada RPM 100 Top Singles 97 U.S. Record World Singles Chart 101 -- 150 119 Chart ( 1979 ) Peak position Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 15 Belgium ( VRT Top 30 Flanders ) Canada RPM 100 Singles Germany ( Official German Charts ) 18 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 23 UK Singles Chart 29 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 7 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1979 ) Rank Canada 11 US Billboard Hot 100 34 US Cash Box 27 All appearances `` I Want You to Want Me '' Single by Letters To Cleo from the album 10 things I hate about you ( soundtrack ) Released Template : 1999 Genre Rock Length 3 : 25 Label Hollywood Songwriter ( s ) Rick Nielsen 1977 : In Color 1978 : From Tokyo to You 1979 : Cheap Trick at Budokan ( Recorded Apr 28, 1978 ) 1991 : The Greatest Hits 1991 : Queens Logic soundtrack 1996 : Sex, America, Cheap Trick compilation ( Alternate Version ) 1997 : Private Parts soundtrack 1998 : Cheap Trick ( 1998 Reissue ) ( Early Version ) 1998 : Cheap Trick at Budokan : The Complete Concert 1999 : That ' 70s Album ( Rockin ' ) 1999 : Music for Hangovers 2000 : Authorized Greatest Hits Cover versions Tigertailz - Young and Crazy ( 1987 ) ( bonus track on re-release ) Rob & Fab - Rob & Fab ( 1993 ) ( added two verses of rapping ) Propagandhi -- How To Clean Everything ( 1993 ) Wipe Out Skaters - Suckitfashion ( 1993 ) Letters to Cleo -- 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack ( 1999 ) Dwight Yoakam -- Tomorrow 's Sounds Today ( 2000 ) Jon Pousette - Dart - Sample This ( 2002 ) SR - 71 - Here We Go Again ( 2004 ) Lindsay Lohan -- A Little More Personal ( Raw ) ( 2005 ) Chris Isaak -- Best of Chris Isaak ( 2006 ) Holmes Brothers - State of Grace ( 2007 ) Gael García Bernal -- Rudo y Cursi soundtrack, Spanish language cover entitled `` Quiero Que Me Quieras '' ( 2008 ) Los Odio ! featuring Juan Son -- Rudo y Cursi soundtrack ( 2008 ) Quiero Club -- Rudo y Cursi soundtrack ( 2008 ) Damhnait Doyle -- Lights Down Low ( 2008 ) KSM - Read Between the Lines ( 2009 ) Aly Michalka -- Bandslam soundtrack ( 2009 ) Brooke Elliott and Jaime Ray Newman - Drop Dead Diva soundtrack ( 2010 ) The Knockouts - Diamond Prime Music / Sound Pollution AB ( 2011 ) Snowy Shaw - Snowy Shaw is Alive ! ( 2011 ) Gary Jules - released as single ( 2011 ) Punchline - So Nice to Meet You ( EP ) ( 2012 ) Martin Ramey - `` Single '' ( 2012 ) Leif Garrett - `` Three sides of... '' ( 2007 ) Gas House Gorillas -- from album `` Punk Americana '' ( 2013 ) Chase Holfelder -- Major to Minor ( 2014 ) Mylène Farmer -- Interstellaires ( 2015 ) Scott Bradlee 's Postmodern Jukebox Feat. Sara Niemietz - Fake Blues ( 2017 ) In popular culture Before every episode taping of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert psyched himself up by playing the At Budokan version of this song. The live version of this song is featured in the video game Band Hero, as well as a downloadable track for Rock Band 3. It appears in the first episode of Scrubs right after JD met Elliot for the first time. In episode 92 of Dawson 's Creek Katie Holmes ( as Joey Potter ) sings it at a night club. They used the `` Letters To Cleo '' version of the song. A cover of the live version performed by Letters To Cleo is played at the end of the film 10 Things I Hate About You. References Jump up ^ Lester, Paul ( February 11, 2015 ). `` Powerpop : 10 of the best ''. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved July 29, 2016. Jump up ^ McLane, D. ( June 14, 1979 ). `` Cheap Trick Finds Heaven ''. Rolling Stone. p. 49. Jump up ^ Wright, J. `` Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick ''. Classic Rock Revisited. Archived from the original on 2009 - 10 - 04. Retrieved 2009 - 07 - 05. Jump up ^ `` BUDOKAN ! ( 30th Anniversary DVD + 3CDs ) insert booklet ''. Jump up ^ `` Cheap Trick singles Billboard performance ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 2009 - 07 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012 - 06 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Gold and Platinum ''. Musiccanada.com. Archived from the original on 2012 - 04 - 05. Retrieved 2012 - 06 - 27. Jump up ^ `` I Want You For Christmas : Cheap Trick : MP3 Downloads ''. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Song Search for `` i want you for christmas '' ``. AllMusic. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 12. Jump up ^ Shake Some Action : The Ultimate Power Pop Guide - John M. Borack - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012 - 06 - 27. Jump up ^ `` RPM 100 Top Singles '' ( PDF ). RPM. Toronto : RPM Music Publications. November 26, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 2015 ). The Comparison Book. Menonomee Falls, Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 93. ISBN 978 - 0 - 89820 - 213 - 7. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Cheap Trick -- I Want You to Want Me '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Radio2 top 30 : 8 oktober 2016 Radio2 ''. Top30-2.radio2.be. Archived from the original on 2012 - 04 - 09. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 12. Jump up ^ `` RPM 100 Singles '' ( PDF ). RPM. Toronto : RPM Music Publications. August 11, 1979. Retrieved October 19, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Musicline.de -- Cheap Trick Single - Chartverfolgung '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Cheap Trick search results '' ( in Dutch ) Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Cheap Trick -- I Want You to Want Me ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Cheap Trick ''. officialcharts.com. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Singles ( 1979 ) ''. RPM. Retrieved 2017 - 07 - 29. Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1979 Jump up ^ The Guardian. Guardian News and Media https://www.discogs.com/fr/Letters-To-Cleo-I-Want-You-To-Want-Me/master/578261. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Stephen Colbert Web Exclusive ''. Parade.com. Retrieved 2012 - 06 - 27. External links Allmusic entry Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Cheap Trick Rick Nielsen Tom Petersson Robin Zander Daxx Nielsen Bun E. Carlos Randy Hogan Pete Comita Jon Brant Studio albums Cheap Trick In Color Heaven Tonight Dream Police All Shook Up One on One Next Position Please Standing on the Edge The Doctor Lap of Luxury Busted Woke Up with a Monster Cheap Trick ( Cheap Trick ' 97 ) Special One Rockford The Latest Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello We 're All Alright ! Christmas Christmas Compilations and Box sets The Greatest Hits Sex, America, Cheap Trick Authorized Greatest Hits The Essential Cheap Trick Live albums At Budokan Budokan II Music for Hangovers Silver Sgt. Pepper Live EPs Found All the Parts Singles `` Oh, Candy '' `` I Want You to Want Me '' `` Southern Girls '' `` Elo Kiddies '' `` Clock Strikes Ten '' `` Surrender '' `` California Man '' `` I Want You To Want Me ( Live ) '' `` Ai n't That a Shame '' `` Dream Police '' `` Voices '' `` Way of the World '' `` Everything Works If You Let It '' `` Day Tripper ( Live ) '' `` Stop This Game '' `` Reach Out '' `` If You Want My Love '' `` She 's Tight '' `` I Want You '' `` Saturday at Midnight '' `` Dancing the Night Away '' `` I Ca n't Take It '' `` Up the Creek '' `` Tonight It 's You '' `` Mighty Wings '' `` It 's Only Love '' `` Kiss Me Red '' `` The Flame '' `` Do n't Be Cruel '' `` Ghost Town '' `` Never Had a Lot to Lose '' `` Let Go '' `` Ca n't Stop Fallin ' into Love '' `` Wherever Would I Be '' `` Back ' n Blue '' `` Magical Mystery Tour '' `` Woke Up with a Monster '' `` You 're All I Wanna Do '' `` Did n't Know I Had It '' `` Cold Turkey '' `` Say Goodbye '' `` Carnival Game '' `` Scent of a Woman '' `` My Obsession '' `` Too Much '' `` Perfect Stranger '' `` If It Takes a Lifetime '' Other songs `` He 's a Whore '' `` Hello There '' `` High Roller '' `` Auf Wiedersehen '' `` Stiff Competition '' `` Need Your Love '' `` Gonna Raise Hell '' Related articles Discography Tinted Windows Tom Peterson and Another Language Robin Zander ( album ) I 've Always Got You Dwight Yoakam singles Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. `` Honky - Tonk Man '' `` Guitars, Cadillacs '' `` It Wo n't Hurt '' Hillbilly Deluxe `` Little Sister '' `` Little Ways '' `` Please, Please Baby '' `` Always Late with Your Kisses '' Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room `` Streets of Bakersfield '' ( With Buck Owens ) `` I Sang Dixie '' `` I Got You '' `` Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room ( She Wore Red Dresses ) '' Just Lookin ' for a Hit `` Long White Cadillac '' If There Was a Way `` Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose '' `` You 're the One '' `` Nothing 's Changed Here '' `` It Only Hurts When I Cry '' `` The Heart That You Own '' `` Send a Message to My Heart '' ( With Patty Loveless ) Honeymoon in Vegas Soundtrack `` Suspicious Minds '' This Time `` Ai n't That Lonely Yet '' `` A Thousand Miles from Nowhere '' `` Fast as You '' `` Try Not to Look So Pretty '' `` Pocket of a Clown '' Gone `` Nothing '' `` Gone ( That 'll Be Me ) '' `` Sorry You Asked ? '' `` Heart of Stone '' Under the Covers `` Claudette '' `` Baby Do n't Go '' ( With Sheryl Crow ) A Long Way Home `` Things Change '' `` These Arms '' Last Chance for a Thousand Years : Dwight Yoakam 's Greatest Hits from the 90 's `` Crazy Little Thing Called Love '' `` Thinking About Leaving '' Tomorrow 's Sounds Today `` What Do You Know About Love '' `` I Want You to Want Me '' `` I Was There '' ( With Buck Owens ) Inside Traxx 2002 `` Sitting Pretty '' Population Me `` The Back of Your Hand '' `` The Late Great Golden State '' Blame the Vain `` Intentional Heartache '' `` Blame the Vain '' `` I Wanna Love Again '' Dwight Sings Buck `` Close Up the Honky Tonks '' Non-album singles `` Who 'll Stop the Rain '' 10 Things I Hate About You Film Film Soundtrack TV series TV series List of episodes Cast Film Julia Stiles Heath Ledger Larisa Oleynik Joseph Gordon - Levitt Larry Miller TV series Lindsey Shaw Ethan Peck Meaghan Martin Nicholas Braun Larry Miller Dana Davis Music `` I Want You to Want Me '' 10 Things I Hate About You ( soundtrack ) Related topics The Taming of the Shrew Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Want_You_to_Want_Me&oldid=797393763 '' Categories : 1977 songs 1977 singles 1979 singles 2001 singles Cheap Trick songs Chris Isaak songs Dwight Yoakam songs Jim Witter songs Lindsay Lohan songs Dutch Top 40 number - one singles Songs written by Rick Nielsen Number - one singles in Japan Epic Records singles Reprise Records singles Live singles Song recordings produced by Tom Werman Hidden categories : Pages with citations lacking titles Pages with citations having bare URLs Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016 Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Germany Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español 日本 語 Português Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 26 August 2017, at 19 : 56. 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Question: who wrote i want you to want me
Answer: Rick Nielsen