Cheap Trick…unlike some of their power-pop brethren had staying power. They toured like crazy and released some great music. They are still out there today playing. I became a fan of them when I heard Surrender. This song is a perfect example of them. Power chords, power pop, power vocals, with a fun subject.
Rick Nielsen has talked over the years about the “dream police” concept as that feeling of being watched or chased, even when you’re trying to shut your brain off. That’s why the song moves the way it does; it’s got a steady drive but it also feels a little tense. Robin Zander sells that perfectly; he keeps the vocal clean and direct, but there’s a nervous edge to it.
This song dates back to 1976. It was one of 22 songs the band had written for their first album, and it didn’t make the cut. The song evolved as they played it live and refined it in the studio, and it was released as the title track of their fourth studio album. By this time, their live album At Budokan had been released, making them big with the single “I Want You To Want Me.” They were wise to release it after they had hit with the live Budokan album.
They went into the studio with producer Tom Werman to make the Dream Police album, and the goal was pretty clear: keep the hooks, keep the punch, and prove they could deliver a big studio record, not just a great live one. The title track was built to be a centerpiece, something that sounded like a single but also carried the album’s theme of paranoia and late-night unease.
The next single was “Dream Police,” which became one of their most popular songs, peaking at #26 on the Billboard 100, #9 in Canada, and #7 in New Zealand in 1979. If you want one track that shows how this band could balance power-pop hooks with a harder bite, Dream Police is the one to listen to.
Dream Police
The dream police
They live inside of my head
The dream police
They come to me in my bed
The dream police
They’re coming to arrest me
Oh no
You know that talk is cheap
And rumors ain’t nice
And when I fall asleep
I don’t think I’ll survive
The night the night
‘Cause they’re waiting for me
Looking for me
Every single night
(They’re) driving me insane
Those men inside my brain
The dream police
They live inside of my head
The dream police
They come to me in my bed
The dream police
They’re coming to arrest me
Oh no
Well I can’t tell lies
‘Cause they’re listening to me
And when I fall asleep
Bet they’re spying on me tonight,
Tonight
‘Cause they’re waiting for me
Looking for me
Every single night
(They’re) driving me insane
Those men inside my brain
I try to sleep
They’re wide awake
They won’t let me alone
They don’t get paid to take vacations
Or let me alone
They spy on me
I try to hide
They won’t let me alone
They persecute me
They’re the judge and jury all in one
‘Cause they’re waiting for me
Looking for me
Every single night
(They’re) driving me insane
Those men inside my brain
The dream police
They live inside of my head
The dream police they come
To me in my bed
The dream police
They’re coming to arrest me
The dream police (police, police)
The dream police (police, police)
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
Brilliant album and song. Love the gatefold sleeve to this record, lyrics, them dressed up as the Dream Police. This album and package are a 10/10. If I’m being honest the run of the first 6 studio Trick albums are all classics. Seven, if your counting the live Budokan.
Wicked post dude!
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Thanks dude! You know when I really really got into them? One on One…not that I didn’t get into Budakon and Dream Police…but One on One won me over.
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Before the international sensation of Cheap Trick, there was the Rockford bar band Cheap Trick, which grew out of Fuse, which came from the merger of RIck Nielsen’s band The Grim Reapers and Tom Petersson’s band Toast and Jam; and later added part of Todd Rundgren’s band Nazz, performing as Nazz or Fuse, depending on where they played. The Nazz players were gone before Cheap Trick made it big.
The Grim Reapers were scheduled as the opening act of Otis Redding on December 10, 1967 – the concert that Redding didn’t make it to because of a plane crash that afternoon. As Cheap Trick they opened for Lou Reed here in 1975. So their overnight success didn’t exactly come overnight.
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They are probably still one of the hardest working rock bands…they worked for what they got for sure.
Nielsen played with a lot of people…I didn’t know about them opening up for Lou Reed…or about Peterson’s ties with others.
Hope you are doing well today. We are without electricity….hoping it will come on soon.
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Well this takes me back in a very vivid fashion. You’re like a little Time Machine Max! My buddies and I were obviously not alone in loving Cheap Trick. And this song was attractive for the creative concept among other things. I probably mentioned this to you before but my oldest brother plays bass in a band. He pretty much thought Petersson was a god. No, sorry, theeee guitar god!
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LOL…Petersson is a great bass player I will admit…I like seeing his different bass guitars.
Cheap Trick was probably the hardest working band in rock…. they are such a fun band…I’m glad I got to see them in 1985.
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Absolutely must have been amazing to see them. They proved themselves with Live@ to be a major force on tour.
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I saw them at the old Opryland Amusement Park when it was opened…yes they did.
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You say that so casually. For us up here hearing about that place was akin to Alice in Wonderland!
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Oh it was Randy! It’s a damn sore spot for Nashvillians. We are the largest city in America without an amusement park…we loved it. They replaced it with a huge mall…people are still pissed off about it. It was such a fun place to go…it really was.
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That’s an unfortunate demise for sure.
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Love it! I wore that LP out from listening to it so much for a couple of years. They were one of the best examples of ‘power pop’ at that time. Impressive they’re still rolling, 50 years in
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And they are still out there touring like a young band…they just don’t stop. This could have been their best studio album…I like Voices a lot.
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I remember when I first saw Cheap Trick, they opened here for Kiss on the Destroyer tour and hated them!….then I heard Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace….it’s that voice!….that first album, wow!..yeah I liked them when they were rocking all over the world, but eventually got tired of the ‘I want you to want me era’…..my current favorite Trick album has to be 1997s self titled which I think I have on vinyl somewhere…when they popped up on Daryl Hall’s show was special, Zander seemed challenged by some of the vocals, but still I think someone called him the man with a thousand voices…..hard to believe they started as a bar cover band
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I saw them in the late 70s, great concert! I think my ears are still ringing!
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That means they were great LOL…I saw them in 85…great concert…hope you are doing well Dana and staying warm
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