It’s a bit uncanny that today’s tongue-in-cheek, “curb your enthusiasm” type of song follows on the heels of another “keep your sights down low” number yesterday with the Cake’s Great Expectations. The title Cheer Down is said to come from Olivia Harrison, who would tell her husband, “All right, cheer down, big fellow,” whenever he got a little too enthusiastic.
You only have to hear Cheer Down to recognise the sound that shaped Traveling Wilburys. In fact, you could argue this track sounds even more Wilburys than some of their own songs. That’s no surprise, as Harrison co-wrote it with Tom Petty and co-produced it with Jeff Lynne, who also added backing vocals, bass, and keyboards. And of course, George’s trademark slide guitar glides beautifully throughout.
The song arrived in between the Wilburys’ Volume 1 (1988) and Volume 3 (1990), so this was very much the sound Harrison and Lynne were immersed in at the time. Lynne had already helped shape Harrison’s comeback album Cloud Nine (1987), and an early rhythm track for Cheer Down actually dates back to those sessions.
Originally, the song was offered to Eric Clapton for his Journeyman album. Instead, Clapton – who was working on the soundtrack for Lethal Weapon 2 – suggested using it for the film and encouraged Harrison to record his own version. In fact, this song was sent to me yesterday by family who had just heard it in the film’s closing credits – so here we are today.
[Verse 1]
I can see by your grin
That you’re trembling within
It’s all over town
Cheer down
And the smile on your face
Is sometimes out of place
Don’t mind, no frowns
Cheer down
[Bridge]
If your hair should fall
If your shares should crash
You’ll get by
Even without, getting a rash
[Verse 3]
There’s no tears to be shed
I’m going to love you instead
I want you around
Cheer down
[Bridge]
When your teeth drop out
You’ll get by
Even without, taking a bite
[Verse 4]
If your dog should be dead (Cheer down, cheer down!)
I’m going to love you instead (Cheer down, cheer down!)
The world loves a clown (Cheer down, cheer down!)
Cheer down
[Outro]
I want you around
Cheer down!
Cheer down, baby!
Cheer down
I want you around
Down
Cheer down!
Cheer down
Cheer down
It’s all that’s had you down!
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Cheer down
Woo!
Cheer down
Cheer down
References:
1. Cheer Down – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Happy Saturday, Matt! If I’d just heard this randomly, I would have laid money down on it being a Wilburys track, so you might just have saved me some cash!
I arrived here first, several days behind in my blog reading, but couldn’t resist going back to yesterday’s post to see what it was all about. The two songs do go well together in the lightness of spirit they evoke. Cheers.