10 Underrated Hard Rock Songs Of The '70s
5. Hot Love - Cheap Trick
In the mid '70s, no other band toed the line of power pop quite like Cheap Trick did. From one song to the next, the heavy riffs of Rick Nielsen were always offset by a chorus that you couldn't help but sing along to. Though these Illinois misfits didn't get their big breakout singles until their live album At Budokan, their initial debut opened up with one hell of a barnburner.
Opening like a firecracker, Hot Love is a great showcase for everything these guys are about, as Nielsen kicks off one of the most infectious riffs on the album. Given his upbringing as a more bluesy rock player, Nielsen's lines toe the line between being accessible yet just heavy enough to fit in amidst the Aerosmiths and Led Zeppelins of the world. At the same time, the real star of the song is the rhythm section of Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos, who go from the manic sections to gentle calmdowns with ease.
Everything is capped off with Robin Zander's voice, which makes you want to scream along with him every time he sings that chorus of "Hot Love will burn your heart." While Cheap Trick might not deserve the tremendous accolade of being the American Beatles, you can see where that magic from the Fab Four did rub off.