Say Goodbye (Cheap Trick song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Say Goodbye
| cover = Cheap Trick 1997 Single Say Goodbye American.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Cheap Trick
| album = Cheap Trick
| B-side = Yeah Yeah
| released = 1997
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| length = 3:30 (Cheap Rock mix)
3:34 (album version)
| label = Red Ant Entertainment
| writer =
| producer =
- Cheap Trick
- Ian Taylor
| prev_title = Cold Turkey
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = Baby No More
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative Cover
| type = studio
| cover = Cheap Trick 1997 Single Say Goodbye Japan Australia.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Australian/Japanese cover of "Say Goodbye"
}}
}}
"Say Goodbye" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1997 as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album Cheap Trick. The song was written by guitarist Rick Nielsen, lead vocalist Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson, and was produced by Cheap Trick and Ian Taylor.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Cheap-Trick-Cheap-Trick/master/265027 |title=Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2012-03-11}}
"Say Goodbye" reached number 19 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart and number 39 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/cheap-trick/ |title=Cheap Trick - Chart History |publisher=Billboard |access-date=March 28, 2022}}
Release
"Say Goodbye" was released as the lead single from Cheap Trick. In the US, Red Ant began promoting the song to a number of different radio formats, including commercial alternative and triple-A, from March 24, 1997.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-03-29.pdf |title=Cheap Trick wants to be wanted - Red Ant set May mark vintage act's revival |last=Christman |first=Ed |magazine=Billboard |volume=109 |issue=13 |pages=16, 38 |date=March 29, 1997 |via=World Radio History |access-date=March 28, 2021}}
Music video
The song's music video was directed by Doug Freel. It features the band performing in front of an audience at the Rockford Theater in Rockford, Illinois, with interspersed footage shot on location in Chicago.{{cite news |last=Baron |first=Neil |date=March 23, 1997 |title=No surrender - Cheap Trick hang on during up and down career |newspaper=Reno Gazette-Journal}}{{cite news |last=Kassulke |first=Natasha |date=April 10, 1997 |title=For openers, it's Cheap Trick |newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal |pages=3, 5}}
Critical reception
On its release, Larry Flick of Billboard described "Say Goodbye" as "gloriously melodious" and "one of Cheap Trick's best ever bits of Beatlemania", adding "that's saying something, considering the[ir] past achievements in that area". He added that the song had "warmth and personality" and felt its "distillation of power pop verities makes it an obvious add for both modern and mainstream rock outlets". Flick also praised "Yeah, Yeah" as a "hard rockin' highlight" from Cheap Trick that "wouldn't have sounded out of place" on Heaven Tonight.{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1997/Billboard-1997-04-26.pdf |title=Reviews & Previews: Singles |last=Flick |first=Larry |magazine=Billboard |volume=109 |issue=17 |pages=73 |date=April 26, 1997 |via=World Radio History |access-date=March 28, 2021}} In a review of the single, Doug Stone of AllMusic described the song and its B-side as "two first-class tunes" from the band's "artistically-pleasing but ultimately ill-fated revival". Stone commented that "Say Goodbye" "delivers an irksome send-off which quotes Dylan and the Beatles" whereas "Yeah Yeah" is a "strong and snarly album cut".{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/say-goodbye-mw0000999352 |title=Say Goodbye - Cheap Trick; Songs, Reviews, Credits |last=Stone |first=Doug |website=AllMusic |access-date=March 28, 2022}}
Track listing
CD and cassette single (US)
- "Say Goodbye" (Cheap Rock Mix) - 3:30
- "Yeah Yeah" (LP Edit) - 3:12
CD single (US promo)
- "Say Goodbye" (Cheap Rock Mix) - 3:30
CD single (Australia)
- "Say Goodbye" (Album Version) - 3:34
- "Yeah Yeah" (LP Edit) - 3:12
3-inch CD single (Japan)
- "Say Goodbye" (Cheap Rock Mix) - 3:30
- "Yeah Yeah" (Album Version) - 3:14
Personnel
Cheap Trick
- Robin Zander - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Rick Nielsen - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Tom Petersson - bass, backing vocals
- Bun E. Carlos - drums, percussion
Production
- Cheap Trick – producers
- Ian Taylor – producer, engineer, mixer
- Bob Ludwig - mastering
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Chart (1997) !scope="col"|Peak |
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|13|chartid=3238|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 28, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|19|artist=Cheap Trick|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 28, 2022}} |
| scope="row"|US Heritage Rock (Billboard)
| style="text-align:center;"|26 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|39|artist=Cheap Trick|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 28, 2022}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cheap Trick}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Rick Nielsen