"Reach Out" is a song by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

rock band

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band formed in Rockford, Illinois in 1970 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Their work bridged elements of '60s pop rock, guitar pop, '70s har ...

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

Pete Comita Cheap Trick is an American rock band formed in Rockford, Illinois in 1970 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Their work bridged elements of '60s guitar pop, '70s hard rock, an ...

, and produced by

Roy Thomas Baker Roy Thomas Baker (10 November 1946 – 12 April 2025) was an English record producer, songwriter and arranger who produced rock and pop songs. Life and career Baker was born in Hampstead, London on 10 November 1946. He began his career at De ...

. 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 ''

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''. 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

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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." ''

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'' 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

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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, ''

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'' 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 Robin Wayne Zander (born January 23, 1953) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick, but is also a solo artist. Zander was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 as a ...

- lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar *

Rick Nielsen Richard Alan Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is an American musician who is 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, including hi ...

- lead guitar, keyboards *

- bass guitar *

Bun E. Carlos Brad M. Carlson (born June 12, 1950), better known by the stage name Bun E. Carlos, is the original drummer for American rock band Cheap Trick. He recorded and performed with the band from 1973 to 2010. Carlos was inducted into the Rock and Roll ...

- drums, percussion ;Additional personnel *

- producer * Ian Taylor - engineer *

Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman (born 16 December 1943, Minneapolis) 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 Chr ...

- 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