EVERYBODY'S CHEATING
(words  by Trevor Rabin & Pat Blerk) 

Keeping us together and pulling us apart 
Is a love that we talk about 
I'm finding it harder every day to take it as it comes 
But as one fool once explained to me you can't choose who you love

Everybody's Cheating on the one they love 
Everybody's looking for the summer sun 
No, I believe I'll love you 'til my life is done 
I'll live your lies and alibis 
The telltale stories in your eyes 
Cause you are, you are the one I love

Yes I love you, like you love me 
I need you like a lover 
No you need me and I need you 
We're still cheating on each other

Everybody's Cheating on the one they love 
Everybody's looking for the summer sun 
No I believe I'll love you 'til my life is done 
I'll live your lies and alibis 
The telltale stories in your eyes 
Cause you are, you are the one I love

What is the question 
What is the answer 
What is the reason why 
People like you and people like me 
We live our lives with lies

Everybody's Cheating on the one they love 
Everybody's looking for the summer sun 
Though I believe I'll love you 'til my life is done 
I live your lies and alibis 
The telltale stories in your eyes 
Cause you are, you are the one I love


(total playing time: 2:53)

Song Facts: This song appears on Beautiful Feelings and Rick Springfield - The Early Sound City Sessions

According to US

It is hard to believe that this song was co-written by the same guy that wrote "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes. It doesn't even remotely resemble that in my humble opinion. Trevor Rabin is a South African guitarist, keyboardist, singer, songwriter, producer, and recording engineer. He has done music for Gone in 60 Seconds, Con Air, Kangaroo Jack and several other films. The other co-writer, Pat Blerk, is from South Africa as well. The two have written several songs together, including: "A Croak and A Grunt into the Night", "Lifeline", "Hold on to Love", and "Everybody's Cheating", which you can find on the RABBITT, The Hits record. That was pre-Yes from Rabin. Coincidentally, Trevor also wrote "Where is All the Love", even though it is not the song that we know from Rick Springfield. I find it interesting that Rick seems to display some Yes-like sounds. I guess I just see some influence there, and always have heard that. 

I am not really fond of this song... I'm not sure if I really understand the lyrics. I like the way the vocals are laid out and I do think the medley is okay. It is interesting to hear Rick tackle these type of vocals. I think that I'd like this song better if the lyrics made more sense. I do like the form, the layout, and the medley. I just don't understand it. "You can't choose who you love" is kind of weird. What does that mean? If you think of a family member, I could understand. You are born into your family, not really of your choosing. Does it mean that you simply cant resist some people? I mean is cheating really something that comes that easy? Is everybody cheating? "What is the Question... What is the Answer... What is the reason Why..." What is that? WHY? I guess Why would be the question. I suppose if I were to approach this song as just a way to demonstrate my skills, or as an artsy project and detach myself from those strange non cohesive lyrics it may somewhat make sense. I think. I'd be willing to bet if Rick had more involvement in this record, this one would not make the final cut onto the album. This would be on the limited edition of Beautiful Feelings LOL~! I think if you hear this more than a few times you realize that its just weird. It isn't even cool artsy weird. Its just... why bother weird. Its... Ok I'm a dork with no social skills weird. I don't like it. 

I bet that album by 'The Rabbitts' was a little out there too. Some Yes stuff even is. "I've seen all good people?" It has its place in music history... just not in my collection. I'll be the Owner of a lonely non Yes record collection. I hear a lot of the musical influence in Rick, I just feel Rick took that farther and made sense out of it if that makes sense. I'll be Cheating on my Rick and skipping this track -. tafkah

This song is very difficult for me to review right now. I think it's one of those that I swing back & forth on. I haven't come to a final decision yet whether or not I really like it. When I first heard it…I didn't like it at all. After awhile it began to grow on me, mainly because of the amazing highs and lows Rick achieves with his voice throughout the song. In the beginning, my first several listens…I decided that the saving verses in the song for me are where it says, "Everybody's looking for the summer sun. No, I believe I'll love you 'til my life is done." WOW Rick…now that is a high note there, when he sings "done." That is the main part of the song that truly appeals to me. I know Rick didn't write this song. But at first I didn't know the facts, and I wasn't too thrilled with the song.

All I can figure out of the lyrics is that they are cheating on each other, but keep going on with the relationship…lying to one another, creating alibis, and all because they love each other (???) Okay…This to me does not sound like something Rick would write…style wise. Subject matter maybe, but not worded this way. I'm kind of glad he didn't write it!!! It's certainly not horrible…but it's my least favorite track on this album. I can tolerate it, and have even sang along to it many times, but I could live without this one. Thank goodness for Rick's young, clear soothing voice to salvage what I feel the song is lacking musically. - Kelley Pearson

OK I was also thrilled to learn that Rick didn't write this song - it just does not seem to have the same qualities as a typical Rick song. To me, it's a theme that does go through a few of Rick's songs but he's just much better at capturing the theme in a way that makes a heck of a lot more sense. To me the theme or idea behind this song is it's someone who does not think anyone can be faithful in a relationship. They still believe in relationships but they do not seem to expect faithfulness or even attempt to be faithful themselves. At first I thought it was just from the point of view of a guy that was in love with a woman who he knew cheated on him - yet he was OK with 'living the lies and alibis' because he wanted to stay with her. Yet thrown in is "we're still cheating on each other" so then it appears to be both of them. Who knows - what a mess! But like I said the general idea of faithfulness runs through a few of Rick's songs - but they just work so much better....as in "Don't Talk to Strangers" or "Faithful" {those jump to my head first}.

Beyond the words - the way this song is sung is appealing. The sweet and almost breathless voice is wonderful for a ballad. Even the flow of the song is really appealing to me. So basically if I skip listening to the words and just listen to the tone ... I like it! - Jen H.

As far as the lyrics go on this song, I am glad to know that Rick did not write them. I can blame my confusion now on someone else. This song is so contradictory to me. Maybe it's not meant to be taken seriously. One minute he's saying I love you and then in the next line he says their cheating on each other. Well, I don't know, I just won't go too deep into the meaning of it. I don't want to embarass myself...LOL!
I do like the music, and Rick's voice at the beginning is soft and whispery (is that a word?) It's a relaxing song, and fits in nicely with the rest of the songs on the album. No great guitar 'moments' but I guess we can't ask for much in a ballad, and especially in one that Rick did not write. - Amy L. 

I've made so many attempts at reviewing this song that I've lost count. I really don't like this song, and yet it's not the one that I a b s o l u t e l y abhor (that one is coming yet) but I still am at a loss for words.

People have said they like Rick's voice on this one (I guess reaching for something nice to say).
I don't. It seems like he's nasal-y, or singing through his nose. That whole whisper-y tactic works on certain love songs, but...Hello! We're talking about cheating here, it says so in the title. Are we whispering because we don't want someone to find out we're cheating? All I can say positive about this song is, I'm glad Rick didn't write it. The words are so confusing - apparently they're both a couple of louses. They belong together. The music is so syrupy compared to the words that I hesitate to wonder which one came first, the lyrics or the music?  - Michelle P.