"Woke Up with a Monster" | ||||
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Single by Cheap Trick | ||||
from the album Woke Up with a Monster | ||||
Released | 1994 | |||
Format | CD single | |||
Genre | Hard rock, power pop | |||
Length | 3:58 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. Records | |||
Writer(s) | Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson | |||
Producer(s) | Ted Templeman | |||
Cheap Trick singles chronology | ||||
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"Woke Up with a Monster" is a single by American rock band Cheap Trick, released as the leading single from their 1994 album Woke up with a Monster. The song was written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson.
The single was released as a CD only promotional single, in order to promote the same-titled album. This single used an edit that lasted a duration of 3:58 instead of the album version that lasted for a duration of 4:52.
The track was produced by Ted Templeman who had produced the entire "Woke Up with a Monster" album.
The single was the first single release under Warner Bros. Records, as well as being the band's first single since 1991. The single marked a change of direction, as did the same-titled album, following a "grunge" sound, due to producer Ted Templeman's much criticized heavy-handed production. Unlike several albums that preceded it, it lacked the electronic instruments and commercial sound. As a result of the single's and the album's commercial failure, the band were soon dropped from the Warner Bros. Records label.
The band later released a CD only 'cutout' that also featured a live performance of the title track.
A live version was recorded for the 2001 live set "Silver".
The single peaked at #16 on the American Mainstream Rock chart.
In a September 1994 interview with Petersson for Prime Choice magazine, Petersson spoke about the song's creation: "We get a lot of reaction to that; people just find it irritating... some people just love it. That was one of the songs that came kind of naturally to us. We thought it was a good groove — we were kind of fucking around with it at soundcheck and stuff — we didn't try to be weird or try to do anything. It was one of the easier songs that came together. It sort of evolved naturally." When speaking of the label's decision to release the song as the album's lead single, Petersson commented: "I'm glad that they will do things like that, release that song as opposed to something a little more obvious, or a safer song. I like this idea."
A music video was released to promote the single, showing the band performing the song whilst special effects show a copy of Nielsen's head on the tip of the guitar, two copies of Carlos' head on the drumkit and at the end, a copy of Zander's head on the microphone. The video was later added to a bonus DVD which came with certain editions of the band's 2003 album "Special One".
In the April 9, 1994, issue of the Billboard Magazine, "Woke Up With a Monster" was listed in 'The Clip List'. The music video was airing on the JBTV WWOR network, whilst it had also recently been added to The Box network.