"Reach Out" is a song by American rock band

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American Rock music, rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, ...

, released in 1981 as a single from the soundtrack of the 1981 film '' Heavy Metal''. It was written by Bob James and Pete Comita, and produced by

Roy Thomas Baker Roy Thomas Baker (born 10 November 1946) is an English record producer, songwriter and arranger, who has produced rock and pop and songs since the 1970s. Career Baker began his career at Decca Records at the age of 14 and later worked as an a ...

. Although the film's soundtrack album reached No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200, "Reach Out" was not a commercial success and failed to make a chart appearance. The single is the only release from Cheap Trick to feature Pete Comita as bassist. Comita had replaced original bassist Tom Petersson in 1980; however, Comita would also leave the band a year later, following the completion of the 1980-81 World Tour to promote '' All Shook Up''. Speaking to ''Ultimate Guitar'' in 2009, Nielsen said of the song: " omitawrote that song with a guy named Bob James. He originally told us he had written it, but we later found out, he didn't write it lone"

Release

"Reach Out" was released before the soundtrack album. At the time, ''

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'' reported that some of the soundtrack would be released as singles on the artists' own label and others on Full Moon/Asylum. Walter Yetnikoff, president of CBS Records at the time, allowed Irving Azoff and Full Moon to release "Reach Out". Azoff told ''Billboard'': "We're putting out the Cheap Trick cut on Full Moon. Walter said "You can release it; obviously you guys would work it harder than we would because we don't have a Cheap Trick album to sell right now." The single was released on 7" vinyl in the US only by Full Moon and Asylum Records. The B-side, "I Must Be Dreamin'", was also featured on the ''Heavy Metal'' soundtrack. It was written solely by Nielsen and also produced by Baker.

Critical reception

Upon release, ''

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'' commented: "...but the real treat of the LP is one of the two Cheap Trick cuts, "Reach Out," penned, in part, by the group's new bass player as of a year ago, Pete Comita. Cheap Trick hasn't done anything this good in a long time." ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with '' Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 under the name ''Music Vendor'', but in 1964 it was changed to ''Record Wo ...

'' called it a "throbbing rocker

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spotlights Robin Zander's vocal hysteria and Rick Nielsen's kamikaze guitar runs." Bret Adams of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

spoke of the song in a review of the ''Heavy Metal'' soundtrack, noting "Cheap Trick's "Reach Out" and "I Must Be Dreamin'" rely more on synthesizers than power-pop guitars." In 2016, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

'' included the song in their list "10 Insanely Great Cheap Trick Songs Only Hardcore Fans Know". Author Tom Beaujour described the song as a "soundtrack gem", adding: "The song's introductory buzzing synth riff and outro motif are very much the products of a bygone era, but drummer Bun E. Carlos infuses "Reach Out" with a post–Ringo Starr swing that is truly timeless."

Track listing

;7" single #"Reach Out" - 3:35 #"I Must Be Dreamin'" - 3:17 ;7" single (US promo) #"Reach Out" - 3:35 #"Reach Out" - 3:35

Personnel

;Cheap Trick * Robin Zander - lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar *

Rick Nielsen Richard Alan Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and leader of the rock band Cheap Trick. He is well-known for his numerous custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, inclu ...

- lead guitar, keyboards * Pete Comita - bass guitar * Bun E. Carlos - drums, percussion ;Additional personnel *

- producer * Ian Taylor - engineer *

Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan, and ...

- mastering * Irving Azoff - executive producer * Chris Achilleos - front cover illustration

References

{{Cheap Trick 1981 songs 1981 singles Asylum Records singles Cheap Trick songs Full Moon Records singles Song recordings produced by Roy Thomas Baker