Stray Cat Strut
"Stray Cat Strut" is a rockabilly song written by Brian Setzer and performed by the American band Stray Cats, released on April 17, 1981, as the third single from their self-titled debut album.[1][2] Featuring Setzer's distinctive guitar riff and a spontaneous 30-second solo, the track captures the band's early struggles with poverty and rebellion through lyrics inspired by their "stray" lifestyle and the 1960s cartoon Top Cat.[3][4] Formed in 1979 in Massapequa, New York, by Setzer on guitar and vocals, Lee Rocker on upright bass, and Slim Jim Phantom on drums, the Stray Cats revived 1950s rockabilly with an authentic sound, exaggerated pompadours, and tattooed aesthetic amid the punk and new wave era.[5] After relocating to London in 1980—where they changed their name from the Tomcats to reflect their homeless, hungry circumstances—they built a cult following in the UK's rockabilly revival scene before signing with Arista Records.[4][6] Setzer composed "Stray Cat Strut" in just three to four minutes at age 18 in a Long Island garage, drawing from influences like Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash to create a modern yet retro track produced by Dave Edmunds.[4][6] Upon its initial UK release, the song peaked at number 11 on the Singles Chart, but its 1982 U.S. re-release as the lead single from the compilation album Built for Speed propelled it to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, fueled by heavy MTV rotation and marking the band's breakthrough in America.[3][5] The track's success helped cement the Stray Cats' legacy in the neo-rockabilly movement, influencing subsequent revivals of vintage American roots music.[5]Background
Development and Writing
Brian Setzer, the lead guitarist and vocalist of the Stray Cats, initially composed the core of "Stray Cat Strut" in a garage on Long Island at the age of 18, prior to the band's relocation, though the song's themes were shaped by their subsequent experiences abroad.[4] The Stray Cats had formed in 1979 in Massapequa, New York.[4] Upon moving to London in 1980, where they adopted the name "Stray Cats" to evoke their wandering lifestyle, Setzer refined the track to capture the urban street life they encountered—roaming the city, sleeping in parks, and hustling for gigs amid the rockabilly revival scene.[4] The song's creation drew heavily from rockabilly traditions, with Setzer citing influences like Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, whose music and associated imagery of hot rods, motorcycles, and rebellious youth informed the strut-like swagger.[4] As self-described "stray cats" navigating London's counterculture—supported by figures like Chrissie Hynde and Joe Strummer—the band infused the lyrics with personal anecdotes of survival and feline bravado, such as references to a "black and orange stray cat" inspired by a guitar sticker and the "feline Casanova" from the Top Cat cartoon.[4] This process aligned with their early UK performances, where the slower, swinging tempo distinguished it from faster numbers like "Rock This Town" while preserving rockabilly essence.[4] Setzer received sole writing credits for both the lyrics and music, establishing the song as a signature piece that blended their pre-London roots with the gritty realities of their 1980 immersion in the British music scene.[7] The final version clocks in at 3:15, a concise structure that allowed Setzer's improvised guitar solo—completed in about 30 seconds—to shine as a highlight.[7][4]Recording Process
The recording of "Stray Cat Strut" took place in late 1980 and early 1981 at Eden Studios in Chiswick, London, and Jam Studios in North London, as part of the Stray Cats' self-titled debut album.[8] These sessions captured the band's raw energy in a compact timeframe of just 11 days, prioritizing a live-in-the-studio approach to preserve their punk-infused rockabilly vibe from New York club performances.[9] Produced by Dave Edmunds, known for his work with Rockpile and a deep affinity for 1950s rock and roll, the production emphasized minimal intervention to maintain authenticity, with few overdubs limited primarily to vocals and select guitar parts.[9] Edmunds directed the band sparingly, often suggesting only retakes to refine the spontaneous feel, resulting in a sound that blended vintage rockabilly grit with contemporary edge.[9] Guitarist Brian Setzer recorded using his signature Gretsch 6120 through a 1963 Fender Bassman amplifier, which provided the track's signature clean-yet-edgy tone by pushing the amp's natural overdrive at high volumes.[10] Bassist Lee Rocker employed the classic slap bass technique on his upright double bass, fitted with steel strings and magnetic pickups for amplified output, creating the song's propulsive, rumbling groove that leads rather than follows the drums.[9] This method, rooted in traditional rockabilly but adapted with punk aggression, contributed to the track's distinctive low-end drive and live-band immediacy, avoiding polished effects in favor of organic acoustic punch.[9]Composition and Style
Musical Elements
"Stray Cat Strut" is composed in the key of C minor, with a 4/4 time signature and a tempo of 132 beats per minute.[11] The song follows a verse-chorus form typical of rockabilly tracks, beginning with an instrumental intro featuring bass and drums, followed by verses that build tension through descending chord progressions (i–bVII–bVI–V7), choruses that resolve the energy, and instrumental breaks leading into solos.[12] This structure emphasizes rhythmic drive and allows space for the band's signature interplay between instruments. The track exemplifies a fusion of traditional rockabilly with neo-rockabilly style, characterized by its energetic revival of 1950s influences like Carl Perkins and Gene Vincent while incorporating a punk-infused edge and modern production clarity.[13][4] Prominent musical elements include Brian Setzer's prominent Gretsch guitar riffs, which deliver sharp, twangy attacks and melodic hooks inspired by early rock 'n' roll, providing the song's infectious swagger.[14] Lee Rocker's walking bass line adds a propulsive, upright slap technique that propels the rhythm forward, evoking classic rockabilly bounce.[15] Complementing this is Slim Jim Phantom's shuffle drumming, played standing up in the style of 1950s pioneers like Dickie Harrell, creating a loose yet tight groove that underscores the song's danceable energy.[16][4] A highlight is Setzer's iconic guitar solo, improvised in about 30 seconds during recording, which unfolds over a bluesy progression adapting the 12-bar blues form to the minor key (i–bVII–bVI–V7).[4][17] This solo, known for its fiery bends, rapid picking, and rockabilly flair, was ranked No. 92 on Guitar World's 1998 list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos."[14]Lyrics and Themes
The lyrics of "Stray Cat Strut" portray a confident, swaggering stray cat persona that roams urban nights with unapologetic poise, sidestepping conflicts while exuding a tough, self-assured demeanor. Written by Brian Setzer, the song's narrator embodies this feline figure who, despite being "flat broke" and scavenging "dinner from a garbage can," struts past obstacles "with my tail in the air," symbolizing defiance against hardship.[18][3] Lines such as "I don't bother chasin' the mice around" and "I slink down the alley lookin' for a fight" highlight this character's street-savvy navigation of nocturnal city life, where potential threats like "a mean old man" or rival "toms" are met with sly evasion rather than confrontation.[18][19] At its core, the song explores themes of independence and street smarts through the feline metaphor, which represents rebellion and nonconformity in a world of scarcity and judgment. The stray cat serves as an archetype of resilience, prioritizing personal freedom over conventional pursuits, as seen in the chorus's imagery of "howlin' to the moonlight on a hot summer night," evoking a wild, untamed spirit unbound by societal expectations.[19][6] This draws from 1950s rockabilly traditions of portraying charismatic outsiders, but Setzer updates it for the 1980s by infusing punk-revival energy, reflecting the band's own experiences as broke, wandering musicians who relocated from New York to London.[3][6] While the lyrics avoid explicit social commentary, they subtly evoke the post-punk London scene's influence on the Stray Cats' image, capturing the gritty, outsider ethos of a band that adopted the "stray" moniker after arriving penniless in the UK punk underground.[3] The repeated assertion of "cat class and cat style" underscores self-reliance, contrasting the narrator's envy of pure wildness with a polished, knowing edge that keeps trouble at bay.[18][19]Release
UK Release
"Stray Cat Strut" was released on April 17, 1981, by Arista Records in the United Kingdom as the third single from the band's self-titled debut album, with "Drink That Bottle Down" (live version) as the B-side.[20]US Release and Promotion
Following the band's breakthrough in the UK, where "Stray Cat Strut" reached No. 11 on the charts in 1981, the single was released in the United States in July 1982 by EMI America Records as part of the compilation album Built for Speed, which served as the Stray Cats' debut album in that market.[21] The US single featured "You Don't Believe Me" as its B-side, while the Japanese edition paired it with "What's Goin' Down (Cross That Bridge)".[22][23] Prior to the December re-release, an initial US pressing in July 1982 had debuted at No. 109 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart in August, marking modest early interest. Promotion for the US rollout heavily relied on MTV airplay, where the music video debuted in 1982 and helped revive rockabilly aesthetics amid the network's growing influence. The strategy also included extensive tour support across North America throughout 1982, with performances at venues like the Hollywood Palladium and Adams Avenue Theatre, capitalizing on the Second British Invasion wave that brought UK-flavored acts to American audiences via visual media and live shows.[24]Commercial Performance
Weekly Charts
"Stray Cat Strut" achieved notable success on various international weekly music charts following its releases in the UK and US. Initially issued in the UK in April 1981, the single entered the UK Singles Chart on April 25, 1981, and reached its peak position of number 11 after 10 weeks on the chart.[20] In the United States, the song's initial release in mid-1982 failed to enter the main Billboard Hot 100, instead peaking at number 109 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart in August 1982.[25] Following the success of the band's preceding single "Rock This Town," a re-release propelled "Stray Cat Strut" to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it held that position on the chart dated February 26, 1983, and spent a total of 19 weeks on the tally.[26] The track also charted on other US formats, reaching number 41 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and number 78 on the Dance Club Songs chart.[27] Internationally, the single performed strongly in Canada, peaking at number 3 on the RPM Top Singles chart.[27] It reached number 8 on the Irish Singles Chart (IRMA) during its 1981 run, with 6 weeks total.[28] In South Africa, it peaked at number 30 on the Springbok Radio chart for one week in June 1983.[29]| Chart (1981–1983) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Canada (RPM Top Singles) | 3 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 8 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 11 |
| US Billboard Mainstream Rock | 41 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio) | 30 |
| US Billboard Dance Club Songs | 78 |