Wherever Would I Be

"Wherever Would I Be"
Single by Cheap Trick
from the album Busted
B-side Busted
Released 1990
Format 7" Single, CD single
Genre Rock
Length 4:06
Label Epic
Writer(s) Diane Warren
Producer(s) Richie Zito
Cheap Trick singles chronology
"Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love"
(1990)		 "Wherever Would I Be"
(1990)		 "If You Need Me"
(1990)
Alternative Cover
Japanese promo cover of "Wherever Would I Be"

"Wherever Would I Be" is the title of a song recorded by American rock band Cheap Trick which appeared on the album Busted. Released as the second single from the album, the song was written by American songwriter Diane Warren who had previously co-written the band's 1988 hit single "Ghost Town" with Rick Nielsen. The single, released in 1990, peaked at #50 in the US.

The single was released on 7" vinyl and CD single. A Spanish 7" vinyl featured the track on both sides[1] whilst an American promotional CD single featured the track without the b-side.[2] A Japanese promotional 3inch CD single was also released, featuring both the a-side and the b-side.[3]

The b-side "Busted" was featured as on the same album as the title track, written by Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander.[4]

Both tracks were produced by Richie Zito who had previously produced the band's 1988 album "Lap of Luxury".[5]

Background

The single was an attempt to capitalize on the success of the similar style found on the band's previous album Lap of Luxury. Epic Records were disappointed in the lack of success with the previous single "Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love" although it peaked at #12 in the US. "Wherever Would I Be" peaked at #50, becoming Cheap Trick's last single to peak into the top #100 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6]

A music video was created for the single, receiving play on MTV.[7]

In 1997, a Diane Warren promotional six-disc set titled A Passion for Music featured four CDs of the hits of Diane Warren from 1983-1997 and two CDs of hidden classics in their original demo form. Amongst the demo versions was the original demo of "Wherever Would I Be", performed by Warren herself.[8]

Track listing

7" Single
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 4:06
  2. "Busted" - 4:04
7" Single (Spanish Promo Release)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 4:06
  2. "Wherever Would I Be" - 4:06
CD Single (American Promo Release)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 3:55
CD Single (Japanese Promo Release)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 4:06
  2. "Busted" - 4:04

Critical reception

Fan reception for the single has remained poor since release.[9]

In a review of the single, including the b-side, Allmusic.com gave one out of five stars, writing "Cheap Trick sleepwalks through the motions on this Diane Warren treacle, which Daryl Hall and Dusty Springfield later covered in While You Were Sleeping (Henry Lee Summer also took a stab [yikes]). Loopy axe murderer Rick Nielsen steps up for a decent guitar solo, but no rock band should put fans through something like this. On the back is "Busted," the title track to Trick's nadir. The Rockford quartet shows an inclination to burn with the zest of old, but Richie Zito weights the band down with gratuitous studio tomfoolery. "Busted" shouts out to Enuff Z'Nuff (seemingly for help). Cheap Trick is so much above the material on both sides here."[10]

Allmusic.com picks the b-side track "Busted" as an AMG recommended track.[11]

Chart performance

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Top Singles Chart[12] 59
Japanese Singles Chart (Tokyo)[13][14] 60
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[6] 50

Personnel

Additional personnel

Dusty Springfield and Daryl Hall version

"Wherever Would I Be"
Single by Dusty Springfield & Daryl Hall
from the album A Very Fine Love
B-side All I Have to Offer You is Love, Reputation
Released 1995
Format CD single
Genre Pop
Length 3:52
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Diane Warren
Producer(s) Tom Shapiro
Dusty Springfield & Daryl Hall singles chronology
"Goin Back"/"Son of a Preacher Man" (re-release)
(1994)		 "Wherever Would I Be"
(1995)		 "Roll Away"
(1995)
Alternative Cover
UK Maxi CD Single #2 cover of "Wherever Would I Be"

In 1995, British pop singer Dusty Springfield and American rock/soul singer Daryl Hall recorded a duet version of the track. Added to Springfield's album A Very Fine Love, the song was the second-last single from Springfield. Due to modest sales of the album, Springfield and Columbia Records decided not to renew her contract, and because her breast cancer recurred in late 1996, and Springfield died in 1999, "A Very Fine Love" proved to be her final album.

The version was used in the 1995 movie "While You Were Sleeping", starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. The song was also released as a single in mid-1995, peaking at #44 in the UK for a total of three weeks.[15]

The single was released within Europe only on CD single. The main European version of the CD single featured two tracks, the a-side duet and the 1990 Springfield hit "Reputation".[16] The European Maxi CD single featured four tracks; the a-side, a remix of the a-side titled "Wherever Would I Be (Walter A. Mix)", a solo version of "Wherever Would I Be" with the vocal handled by Springfield alone and the 1990 hit "Reputation".[16]

The UK Maxi CD single featured four tracks; the a-side, a track from her "A Very Fine Love" album titled "All I Have To Offer You Is Love", the 1990 hit "Reputation" and the solo version of "Wherever Would I Be".[16] Another UK Maxi CD single featured another four tracks; the a-side, a remix of the 1990 album track "Daydreaming", titled "Daydreaming (Edited 12" Master)", the 1990 album track and single "Arrested by You" and the remix of the a-side titled "Wherever Would I Be (Walter A. Mix)". A UK promotional CD single was also released, featuring just the a-side alone.[16]

For both versions of the single, the artwork consisted of two zoomed-in shots of Springfield, taken from the artwork for the album "A Very Fine Love".[16]

A music video was created for the duet.[17]

Track listing

CD Single (European Release)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 3:52
  2. "Reputation" - 4:10
CD Maxi Single (European Release)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 3:53
  2. "Wherever Would I Be (Walter A. Mix)" - 4:00
  3. "Wherever Would I Be (Dusty Solo)" - 3:53
  4. "Reputation" - 4:10
CD Maxi Single (UK Release #1)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 3:52
  2. "All I Have to Offer You is Love" - 3:47
  3. "Reputation" - 4:10
  4. "Wherever Would I Be (Dusty Solo)" - 3:51
CD Maxi Single (UK Release #2)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 3:56
  2. "Daydreaming (Edited 12" Master)" - 8:18
  3. "Arrested by You" - 3:50
  4. "Wherever Would I Be (Walter A. Mix)" - 4:00
CD Single (UK Promo Release)
  1. "Wherever Would I Be" - 3:53

Critical Reception

In a review of the album A Very Fine Love, allmusic.com wrote "Indeed, the performances and the songs here stack up favorably next to, say, Brand New Me, her early-'70s intersection with Philly soul. One song here, "Where Would I Be?," which features a duet with Daryl Hall, got a little play for being in the movie "While You Were Sleeping", but otherwise, sad to say, this album passed relatively unnoticed for most of the public."[18]

Chart performance

Chart (1995) Peak
position
German Singles Chart[19] 73
UK Singles Chart[15] 44

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Cheap Trick - Wherever Would I Be (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  2. ↑ "Cheap Trick - Wherever Would I Be (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  3. ↑ "Cheap Trick Wherever Would I Be Japan Promo 3" CD SINGLE (447744)". Eil.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  4. ↑ "Cheap Trick - Busted at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  5. ↑ "Cheap Trick - Lap Of Luxury at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Cheap Trick". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  7. ↑ "Wherever Would I Be - Cheap Trick". YouTube. 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  8. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Diane-Warren-A-Passion-For-Music/release/3155598
  9. ↑ "Wherever Would I Be / Busted by Cheap Trick : Reviews and Ratings". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  10. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/wherever-would-i-be-r438719
  11. ↑ Thomas, Stephen. "Busted - Cheap Trick". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  12. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f4/nlc008388.1417.gif
  13. ↑ "J-WAVE WEBSITE : TOKIO HOT100". J-wave.co.jp. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  14. ↑ "Song artist 616 - Cheap Trick". Tsort.info. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Dusty Springfield And Daryl Hall - Wherever Would I Be". Chart Stats. 1995-06-24. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 "Dusty Springfield & Daryl Hall - Wherever Would I Be (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  17. ↑ "Dusty Springfield, Daryl Hall - Wherever Would I Be?". YouTube. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  18. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "A Very Fine Love - Dusty Springfield". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
  19. ↑ "Dusty Springfield & Daryl Hall, Wherever Would I Be". officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2015-04-05.

External links