The Cheater (song)

Last updated
"The Cheater"
Single by Bob Kuban and the In-Men
from the album Look Out for the Cheater
B-side "Try Me Baby"
ReleasedOctober 1965
Genre Pop rock
Length2:39
Songwriter(s) John Krenski
Bob Kuban and the In-Mensingles chronology
"The Cheater"
(1965)		"The Teaser"
(1966)

"The Cheater" is a song written by John Krenski, and performed by Bob Kuban and the In-Men that was released in October 1965. The band's lead singer Walter Scott received billing on the recording ("Vocal by Walter Scott"), which was produced by Mel Friedman. It features on their 1966 album Look Out for the Cheater.

Contents

Background and composition

"The Cheater" is 2 minutes and 39 seconds, has a tempo of 136 BPM. The Intro begins in E Flat Minor, with the verses beginning in the key of G Flat major, changing to G major and again to A Flat major throughout the song, with the Chorus ending in F Minor, with an A Flat Major chord in the guitar. Walter Scott's vocals range from Eb3 to C5. On the B-side is a song titled "Try Me Baby."

The content of the song describes the story of a man, known as 'the cheater' who will 'build up' a relationship with someone's significant other before 'letting them down' by lying, betraying and mistreating them, a notorious 'fool-hearted clown' who is apparently warned about by people every day to the extent where people are staying in their houses. Eventually, the cheater steals the narrator's lover and the narrator is determined to get her back. The narrator foresees a day that the cheater finds true love of his own before it all falls apart, and the people who find out are laughing and making fun of him.

"The Cheater" was the In-Men's first and only hit. [1] They had planned to tour in Australia, but there were draft deferment rules in the midst of the Vietnam War that prevented them from doing so. The manager, Mel Friedman had an agenda of his own that did not involve the band, and thus the band was forcefully split apart from each other following two singles that scraped the pit of the Hot 100, "The Teaser" and a cover of The Beatles' "Drive My Car."

Nearly 20 years after their dissolution, the band was preparing for a big reunion concert before Walter Scott mysteriously disappeared in December 1983. Scott was tied up, shot in the back, and thrown into a cistern where his decomposed body was finally found in 1987. [2] Eventually, the boyfriend of Scott's second wife was found guilty of his murder, as well as his own wife's, and was given two life sentences. It was seen by many as a cruel irony that saw Scott meeting his untimely end in the way that he did, considering the context of The Cheater.

The song was parodied by Blowfly's as "The Eater", which was featured on his 1973 album The Weird World of Blowfly.

Reception and chart success

"The Cheater" was the In-Men's first record, and only top 40 hit, peaking at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. [3] It was also certified Gold by the RIAA, and earned them a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's permanent exhibit on one-hit wonders.

The AllMusic review of ‘The Cheater’ describes it as "something of a blue-eyed soul flavor with the vibrant horn arrangements and Scott’s almost black vocal approach." [4] It was described in Cashbox magazine as a "potent, medium-paced, harmonic tune backed with a strong, steady beat" that has a "good dance sound and lyrics." [5] The song may also be remembered for being an exception at the peak of the British Invasion. In an interview with Kuban that is featured in the book So, Where'd You Go to High School? Vol. 2, author Dan Dillon calls the group "a clean-cut counterpoint to the scores of the long-haired groups cashing in on the phenomenal success of the Beatles." [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>That Thing You Do!</i> 1996 film

That Thing You Do! is a 1996 American comedy film co-starring, written, and directed by Tom Hanks, in his feature writing and directorial debut. It tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s one-hit wonder pop band, and stars Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, and Charlize Theron. The film resulted in a musical hit with the titular song of the same name, which was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Jude</span> 1968 single by the Beatles

"Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The single was the Beatles' first release on their Apple record label and one of the "First Four" singles by Apple's roster of artists, marking the label's public launch. "Hey Jude" was a number-one hit in many countries around the world and became the year's top-selling single in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada. Its nine-week run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 tied the all-time record in 1968 for the longest run at the top of the US charts, a record it held for nine years. It has sold approximately eight million copies and is frequently included on music critics' lists of the greatest songs of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Four Seasons (band)</span> American rock band

The Four Seasons is an American rock and pop band formed in 1960 in Newark, New Jersey. Since 1970, they have also been known at times as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The band evolved out of a previous band called The Four Lovers, with Frankie Valli as the lead singer, Bob Gaudio on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and Nick Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals. On nearly all of their 1960s hits, they were credited as The 4 Seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Loves You</span> 1963 single by the Beatles

"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded by English rock band the Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several sales records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States as one of the five Beatles songs that held the top five positions in the charts simultaneously, on 4 April 1964. It remains the band's best-selling single in the United Kingdom and was the top-selling single of the 1960s there by any artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Girls</span> 1965 song by the Beach Boys

"California Girls" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1965 album, Summer Days . Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the lyrics detail an appreciation for women across the world and a wish that they all lived in the band's home state, California. It was released as a single, backed with "Let Him Run Wild", and reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a top 10 hit in several other countries, becoming one of the band's most successful songs globally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ticket to Ride (song)</span> 1965 single by the Beatles

"Ticket to Ride" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Issued as a single in April 1965, it became the Beatles' seventh consecutive number 1 hit in the United Kingdom and their third consecutive number 1 hit in the United States, and similarly topped national charts in Canada, Australia and Ireland. The song was included on their 1965 album Help! Recorded at EMI Studios in London in February that year, the track marked a progression in the Beatles' work through the incorporation of drone and harder-sounding instrumentation relative to their previous releases. Among music critics, Ian MacDonald describes the song as "psychologically deeper than anything the Beatles had recorded before" and "extraordinary for its time".

<i>All Summer Long</i> (album) 1964 album by the Beach Boys

All Summer Long is the sixth album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released July 13, 1964 on Capitol Records. Regarded as their first artistically unified collection of songs, as well as one of the first true concept albums, it marked the Beach Boys' first LP that was not focused on themes of cars or surfing. Instead, the songs are semi-autobiographical and relate to the experiences of a typical Southern Californian teenager, a theme encapsulated by the title track, "All Summer Long", and the often-imitated front cover, a modernist style photo collage depicting the band members fraternizing with young women on a beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kokomo (song)</span> 1988 single by the Beach Boys

"Kokomo" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from the 1988 film Cocktail and album Still Cruisin'. Written by John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, Mike Love, and Terry Melcher, the song was released as a single on June 21, 1988 by Elektra Records and became a number one hit in the U.S. and Australia. It was the band's first original Top 20 single in 20 years, their first #1 hit in 22 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That Thing You Do! (song)</span> 1996 single

"That Thing You Do" is the titular song appearing in the 1996 film of the same name. Written by Adam Schlesinger, the song is performed by the fictional 1960s band The Wonders, who are the focus of the film. The song peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Linde</span> American songwriter

Dennis Linde was an American music songwriter based in Nashville who has had over 250 of his songs recorded. He is best known for writing the 1972 Elvis Presley hit, "Burning Love". Rarely working with co-writers, he wrote both words and music for most of his songs. In 1994, Linde won BMI's "Top Writer Award" and received four awards as BMI's most-performed titles for that year. His wife and daughter collected the awards because Linde shunned awards shows and avoided publicity. He earned 14 BMI "Million-Air" songs. In 2001, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Linde died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2006 at the age of 63.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Pickett</span> American singer, songwriter, actor, and comedian

Robert George Pickett, known also by the name Bobby "Boris" Pickett, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, and comedian known for co-writing and performing the 1962 hit novelty song "Monster Mash". Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, Pickett watched many horror films as a result of his father's position as a local movie theater manager. He started improvising impressions of Hollywood film stars at a young age. At a turning point in his career, Pickett was a vocalist for local swing band Darren Bailes and the Wolf Eaters. He would later serve from 1956–1959 in the United States Army, stationed in Korea for a period of time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You've Got to Hide Your Love Away</span> 1965 song by the Beatles

"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was written and sung by John Lennon and released on the album Help! in August 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Madonna</span> 1968 single by the Beatles

"Lady Madonna" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. In March 1968, it was released as a mono single, backed with "The Inner Light". The song was recorded on 3 and 6 February 1968 before the Beatles left for India, and its boogie-woogie style signalled a more conventional approach to writing and recording for the group following the psychedelic experimentation of the previous two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want to Spoil the Party</span> 1964 single by the Beatles

"I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on the album Beatles for Sale in the United Kingdom in December 1964. "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" was also released on the Beatles for Sale EP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Please Mr. Postman</span> 1961 song by the Marvelettes

"Please Mr. Postman" is a song written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland and Robert Bateman. It is the debut single by the Marvelettes for the Tamla (Motown) label, notable as the first Motown song to reach the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart. The single achieved this position in late 1961; it hit number one on the R&B chart as well. "Please Mr. Postman" became a number-one hit again in early 1975 when the Carpenters' cover of the song reached the top position of the Billboard Hot 100. "Please Mr. Postman" has been covered several times, including by the British rock group the Beatles in 1963. The 2017 song "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man draws on "Please Mr. Postman" and includes a credit for Brian Holland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow Submarine (song)</span> 1966 single by the Beatles

"Yellow Submarine" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album Revolver. It was also issued on a double A-side single, paired with "Eleanor Rigby". Written as a children's song by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, it was drummer Ringo Starr's vocal spot on the album. The single went to number one on charts in the United Kingdom and several other European countries, and in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It won an Ivor Novello Award for the highest certified sales of any single written by a British songwriter and issued in the UK in 1966. In the US, the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Robert "Bob" Kuban is an American musician and bandleader.

Walter Simon Notheis, Jr., best remembered by his stage name of Walter Scott, was an American singer who fronted Bob Kuban and The In-Men, a St. Louis, Missouri-based rock 'n' roll band that had brief national popularity during the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Get Around</span> 1964 song by the Beach Boys

"I Get Around" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys and the opening track from their 1964 album All Summer Long. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, the autobiographical lyrics describe the group's reaction to their newfound fame and success, as well as their restlessness concerning the status quo, and their desire to find new places "where the kids are hip". It was released as a single on May 11, 1964, with the B-side "Don't Worry Baby".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Something in the Air</span> 1969 single by Thunderclap Newman

"Something in the Air" is a song by English rock band Thunderclap Newman, written by Speedy Keen who also sang the song. It was a No. 1 single for three weeks in the UK Singles Chart in July 1969. The song has been used for films, television and adverts, and has been covered by several artists. The track was also included on Thunderclap Newman's only album release Hollywood Dream over a year later.

References

  1. ↑ "One Hit Wonders » 60 KUBAN, BOB & THE IN-MEN "THE CHEATER"" . Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  2. ↑ Anthony, Shane. "Man who murdered St. Louis singer dies in prison". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  3. ↑ "The Cheater | Bob Kuban And The In Men | The Hot 100". Billboard. 2013-01-02. Retrieved 2021-11-27.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ "Bob Kuban & the In-Men Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  5. ↑ "Cash Box Magazine - January 15, 1966" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ Dillon, Dan. "So, Where'd You Go to High School, Vol. 2". Google Books.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.