For My Sunday Song #312, we are going with “You Let A Lotta People Down” off their 1997 self-titled album, ‘Cheap Trick’. The song wasn’t a single but a B-Side to the albums third single, “Carnival Games”. The album went fairly overlooked as this 1997 and nothing from bands from the 70’s and 80’s was getting much love. That doesn’t detract from its greatness though…not in my book at least.

I will be honest, I don’t know who the song is about. All that is obvious that someone has let a lot of people down. That has hurt this person severely to the point of anger and dare I say rage. To the point that he might be willing to get a gun and do something about it…or someone that this person has hurt will one day end things. The person was teetering on a fence between the right decision and the wrong decision and they feel towards the wrong, deceitful side.

The band is on fire with this as they completely rock out with this one borderline metal with its really dark and anger-filled tone. Robin’s vocals aren’t silky smooth, they have an edge like the song itself. There is anger in those lyrics and the music personifies it. The chorus is classic 70’s Cheap Trick and catchy as hell, but the sound is more modern and fits the darker 90’s style of music. There is a point with some really heavy bass, pounding drums and a simple slamming guitar riff while Robin is angry and screaming and it is freaking awesome!!! It is a side of Cheap Trick we don’t get to see very often and that is a shame.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. Is this a darker, more sinister Cheap Trick? I think so and I am quite happy about it. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!

“You Let A Lotta People Down”

So how does it feel
To stand so close
And never understand
How do you feel
When you mean so much
But you don’t even give a damn

[Chorus:]
You let a lotta people down
You let a lotta people down
You’ve got a lot to learn
You can’t do that
Just who the hell do you think you are
You can’t do that

Well you rode upon a wicked fence
Could’ve fallen either way
But you’ve chosen other losers
In your sick sick game

[Chorus]

[Bridge]

Just how can you keep goin’
With all that’s goin’ on
The best thing about knowing you
Is knowin’ when you’re gone
You let a lotta people down

[Solo]

Your conscience has ghost writers
Your dirty hands are clean
Flesh and blood and life and death
No it’s no mystery

[Chorus]
You can’t do that
‘Cause you ain’t seen nothin’ til a man starts comin’ with a gun
No you ain’t seen nothin’ til some nut starts comin’ with a gun

Written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson