Standing on the Edge (Cheap Trick album)

Standing On The Edge
Studio album by Cheap Trick
Released	October 1985
Recorded	1984-85
Genre	Rock
Length	39:44
Label	Epic
Producer	Jack Douglas
Cheap Trick chronology
Next Position Please (1983)Next Position Please1983 Standing On The Edge (1985) The Doctor (1986)The Doctor1986

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	(positive)[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[3]

Standing on the Edge is the eighth studio album by the American rock group Cheap Trick, released in 1985. Jack Douglas, the producer of Cheap Trick's debut album Cheap Trick, made a return for this release.

Overview

After a few albums of more pop-oriented material, Standing on the Edge saw Cheap Trick return to their standard hard-rocking sound. The album was produced by Jack Douglas, who produced the band's eponymous debut album as well as the Found All The Parts EP. Originally, Cheap Trick planned on returning to the rough sound of their first album. However, Douglas backed out of the mixing process due to legal issues he was having with Yoko Ono. Mixer Tony Platt was called in, and as a result, keyboards and electronic drums were featured more prominently than the band and Douglas had intended.

The first single, "Tonight It's You", is the most successful and well-known track from the album and also appears on numerous greatest hits compilations. Two promotional music videos were made for the song and both clips received much airplay on MTV.

The song "Love Comes" was re-recorded for Zander's solo album Countryside Blvd. This album was due for release in 2010 but has been held back, remaining unreleased to date, although various download sites did legally offer the album for a few hours.

Track listing

1. "Little Sister" (Nielsen) – 3:55
2. "Tonight It's You" (Nielsen/Zander/Brant/Radice) – 4:47
3. "She's Got Motion" (Nielsen/Radice) – 3:17
4. "Love Comes" (Zander/Nielsen) – 4:40
5. "How About You" (Zander/Nielsen/Radice) – 3:00
6. "Standing on the Edge" (Nielsen/Zander/Radice) – 4:44
7. "This Time Around" (Zander/Nielsen/Brant/Radice) – 4:33
8. "Rock All Night" (Nielsen/Zander/Carlos/Radice) – 2:51
9. "Cover Girl" (Nielsen/Radice) – 3:41
10. "Wild Wild Women" (Nielsen/Zander/Carlos/Radice) – 4:16

2010 Reissue

11. "Tonight It's You" (Single Version) – 3:31

Singles

• (1985) "Tonight It's You/Wild Wild Women" - #44 US, #8 US Mainstream Rock
• (1985) "Little Sister"
• (1985) "How About You"

Outtakes

• "A Place in France" (Available on the Sex, America, Cheap Trick box set)
• "Don't Ever Let Me Go" (Unreleased)
• "Lesson in Love" (Unreleased)
• "X-Rated" (Unreleased)

Background information

Bun E. Carlos insisted on being credited with "acoustic drums" because of Platt's addition of electronic drums to much of the album during post-production.

Song doctor Mark Radice was brought in to help the band with the songwriting process. He played keyboards and co-wrote 8 of the album's 10 tracks.

Guitarist Rick Nielsen's name is misspelled on the back cover of the original pressing as "Rick Nelson", although the Japanese version has his name spelled correctly.

Physical copies of the album were out of print for several years (except in Japan), making the original pressing of the CD something of a collectors' item.

When released, Standing on the Edge peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200.

Chart performance

Personnel

• Robin Zander - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Rick Nielsen - lead guitar, backing vocals
• Jon Brant - bass, backing vocals
• Bun E. Carlos - drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Mark Radice - Additional keyboards, vocals
• Jack Douglas - Producer
• Paul Klingberg - Recording engineer, keyboards

References

1. ↑ Allmusic review
2. ↑ Rolling Stone review
3. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 157. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. 
4. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/