Cheap Sunglasses

"Cheap Sunglasses"
Single by ZZ Top
from the album Degüello
Released	1980
Format	7" 12"
Recorded	1979
Genre	Rock
Length	4:46
Label	Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Billy Gibbons Dusty Hill Frank Beard
Producer	Bill Ham
ZZ Top singles chronology
"I Thank You" (1980) "Cheap Sunglasses" (1980) "Leila" (1981)

"Cheap Sunglasses" is a 1980 single by ZZ Top from their 1979 album Degüello. It is one of their most famous songs and includes the use of some odd instruments^{[clarification needed]}. The song captures many of the sounds and beats that ZZ Top is famous for. It is also featured on the greatest hits collections ZZ Top's Greatest Hits, Chrome, Smoke & BBQ and Rancho Texicano. In addition, a live version of the song appears on Chrome, Smoke & BBQ and Rancho Texicano.

In a Guitar World article, lead guitarist Billy Gibbons said that he used a Marshall Major amplifier and a Maestro ring modulator on this song, and that the amplifier had a blown tube during recording which added to the tonal character of the song.^[1] The Marshall Major is a 200 watt version of the classic Marshall 100 watt head made slightly taller.

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	89

Other versions

The Warren Brothers released a country version of the song in 2002 for the album Sharp Dressed Men: A Tribute to ZZ Top.

Personnel

• Billy Gibbons - lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar
• Dusty Hill - bass
• Frank Beard - drums

Footnotes

1. ^ Alan Paul "Prime Cuts: ZZ Top." Guitarworld.com, December 3, 2009.