"High Roller" is a song written by

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 ...

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, incl ...

, and

Tom Petersson Thomas John Peterson, better known as Tom Petersson, is an American musician who is best known for being the bass guitar player for the rock band Cheap Trick. Career Before joining Cheap Trick, Petersson played in a number of bands, including t ...

that was first released on

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American 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, Nielsen and ...

's 1978 album ''

Heaven Tonight ''Heaven Tonight'' is Cheap Trick's third studio album, produced by Tom Werman and released in 1978. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zande ...

''. It later appeared on a number of Cheap Trick

live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music *Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of albums ...

and

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

s, and was covered by

Scrawl Scrawl was an American indie rock trio based in Columbus, Ohio, and active from the mid-1980s. History The band formed in 1985, originally under the name Skull. The founding members were Marcy Mays (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), Sue Harsh ...

on their 1991 album ''Bloodsucker''.

Cheap Trick version

Although it did not appear until their third album, "High Roller" dates back to the mid-1970s and was one of the first songs the band wrote after coming together. Zander initiated writing the song and came up with the

melody A melody (from Greek language, Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a Linearity#Music, linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most liter ...

, and Nielsen and Petersson chipped in to fill in parts when Zander felt the song needed something more. The lyrics were inspired by a drug dealer from

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Lake Geneva is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located in Walworth County and situated on Geneva Lake, it is home to an estimated 8,105 people as of 2019, up from 7,651 at the 2010 census. It is located about 40 miles southwest of Milwa ...

. The song's protagonist brags about being a "high roller" and that "I always get the things that I choose." The

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...

was adapted from the

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

standard Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object th ...

Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The h ...

." Critic Dave Swanson describes the riff as "simple and dynamic" and praises Nielsen's guitar solo. On the other hand, critic Bryan Wawzenek is particularly effusive in praising

Bun E. Carlos Brad M. Carlson, 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 Hall of Fame in 2016 ...

's drumming on the song, comparing his fills to

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

Charlie Watts Charles Robert Watts (2 June 1941 – 24 August 2021) was an English musician who achieved international fame as the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021. Originally trained as a graphic artist, Watts developed an i ...

. Wawzenek also uses the song as an example of how Carlos can "pound along with the best glam drummers," and states that there is "not a beat out of place." Wawzenek also calls Zander's singing "great," remarking how he makes "the hot-shot lothario" who is the protagonist of the song "sound both really cool and really dangerous." Bob Sled also praises the way the vocal "shifts convincingly" between rocking and introspection. Author Mike Hayes states that

Tom Werman Tom Werman (born 1945) is an American former record producer responsible for many hard rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal albums. Early life and education Werman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, Newton ...

's production on ''Heaven Tonight'' softened the song compared to its live renditions. In Australia, "High Roller" was released as the B-side of ''Heaven Tonights second single " California Man." It was performed at the 1978 concerts in Japan that led to the live album ''

Cheap Trick at Budokan ''Cheap Trick at Budokan'' is the first live album by American rock band Cheap Trick, and their best-selling recording. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 1978, and later released in the United States on February 1979, through Epic Reco ...

'' but was not included on the original 1979 release of that album. That performance was, however, released on the 1994 release ''

Budokan II ''Cheap Trick at Budokan'' is the first live album by American rock band Cheap Trick, and their best-selling recording. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 1978, and later released in the United States on February 1979, through Epic R ...

'', as well as on therelease of the complete concert in 1998. Hayes claims that this live version "eclipses the original with snarling, up front guitars."

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

critic Steven Wine calls it one of Cheap Trick's "best rockers." An alternate take of "High Roller" was included on the 1996

Sex, America, Cheap Trick ''Sex, America, Cheap Trick'' is a 1996 box set by the rock band Cheap Trick. It includes 17 previously unreleased songs (among them the earliest studio recording of the 1979 hit "I Want You to Want Me"), as well as the band's biggest hits. A co ...

''. It was also released on the 2004 compilation album ''

The Essential Cheap Trick ''The Essential Cheap Trick'' is the fourth compilation album by Cheap Trick and part of Sony BMG's ''The Essential'' series. It contains at least one song from every album up to '' Special One'' (including ''Silver''), except the commercial fai ...

''. In Japan, it was included on the 1991 compilation album '' The Greatest Hits''.

Scrawl version

covered "High Roller" on their 1991 album ''Bloodsucker''. Ira Robbins and Michael Sandlin of ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' describe it as a "stripped down" version but call it a "ripping cover," even though they feel the conception was better than the execution. Bob Sled of ''

CD Review ''CD Review'' (formerly known as ''Digital Audio'' and ''Digital Audio and Compact Disc Review'') is a discontinued American monthly magazine that specialized in reviewing albums and audio electronics, especially compact discs. The magazine was fo ...

'' finds the Scrawl version "powerful" but does not think that lead singer Marcy Mays' "intense vocal pleasing" matches up to the original version.

References

{{authority control 1977 songs Cheap Trick songs Songs written by Rick Nielsen Songs written by Tom Petersson Song recordings produced by Tom Werman Songs written by Robin Zander