'Cat's frontman Brian Setzer said "My dad had been in the Korean war with some guys from the deep south, and when I was a kid he told me: “This is the music they liked and I like it too.” 

He played me Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. I thought, “Wow.” I’d never heard anything like it. 

Rockabilly was dead in America by then, but we lived for the music and the whole lifestyle. 

I loved the old cars and motorcycles, the music, the fashion. 

Nobody was doing anything like that in 1979. 

I couldn’t relate to prog rock with its lyrics about dungeons and dragons. We never had any wizards in my neighbourhood. 

We had ’58 Chevys on my block and good-looking girls, so that’s what I wrote about.

We went to London and our first show was at the Fulham Greyhound, opening for the Fabulous Poodles, who were kind enough to let us play. 

Pete Farndon from the Pretenders was at that gig and we became fast friends right away, riding around the city on Triumph motorcycles. 

We had a couple of nights sleeping in the park, trying to pick up girls so one of them would let us stay in their flat, but a lot of people helped us out. 

Ronnie Lane from the Faces put us up and Dave Edmunds grabbed me by the hand at the Venue and said: “Let me produce you before someone else ruins you.”

I came up with Stray Cat Strut back in our garage in Long Island when I was 18.

I wanted something slower than our other songs. It’s about us three guys, and the lives we were living. At that point, we were still called the Tomcats, but it became “Stray” when we went to London, because we had wandered.

I sang “Black and orange stray cat sittin’ on a fence” because I had a black and orange cat sticker on my guitar. 

The line about a “feline Casanova” depicts a wise-guy cat. I was a big fan of the cartoon TV series, Top Cat. 

I played the guitar solo out of thin air, on the spot, probably thinking: “I wanna to do something that will bend your ear, something unexpected.” 

It’s crazy that it’s become one of the most famous solos ever. It must have taken me 30 seconds.

Comments:

dianeclaytondunn6443

so unique when they were out no other band sounded like them , brilliant

flashtheoriginal

Class never dies - I dont bother chasing mice around.... Woah no????

trevorwilson5152

best rockabilly band on the planet! my best teenage years listening to them great music and it still is today!!!!

robbie007

great song.  great quiffs. great girls.  the days when rockabilly was in the mainstream.

starquant

Classics never grow old.

Catsville

My dad told me about Stray Cats and I’ve got to love rockabilly music day by day - Thank you Cats, and my dad????

petercifuentes2670

Excellent song. These guys really do have style. Love the guitar, bass, drums, hair and clothes.... and the girls. Cat's are the most stylish of creatures. Yeah, just like my cats. Never mind humans

CornyTelecaster49

the rockabilly groove NEEDS to make a comeback

shine-your-light

Omg i was 14 in 1981 when I first listened to this band, original and stood out from the rest of the 1980's  bands, I loved it, still do, hence why I'm here ???? Love their rockabilly music.

stuartevans1956

these guys were the real deal, true rockers !!'saw them live ten years ago; fantastic act; tour gain guys,soon !!!! you`re the best !!!

taya777226

Wow I'll never get bored of this song

michaeldalzell4897

Saw them at the start of their first UK tour 1979 I think. I was about 2 feet away from Setzer on stage and his amp was sooo loud but unbelievably good. Never heard anything like it before or since. He gave me a drink of his beer from stage and his pick at the end. What a fanboy I was. Saw them a couple more times but the first is always the best.

paccur1252

This is still one of my all time favourites..been a fan of great music since the first time I heard it when released in Australia..even now it remains..

brucechan22

I was 10 when i first heard this song, now im in my 40s and im enjoying it more than ever ????????

brucechan22

I was 10 when i first heard this song, now im in my 40s and im enjoying it more than ever ????????

davidbrown8763

Brilliant song, brilliantly performed.  May thanks to Stray Cats.

LaurelCanyon1969

How many hit songs only use a killer chorus like this ONCE?! Such a great single....

clintonsline

I don't care what happens now, I'm chillin' and laxin' out with this out of sight sound, rock on man.

miguelelgueta5830

Fun fact: rockabilly was 30 years old when Stray Cats released their namesake first album, described by critics as a "rockabilly revival".

juancaca938

You'll never ever get tired of this, no matter what ????

waderaney7

Totally love this band !!!!

@The000000088

Saw the Cats in São Paulo - Brasil -  1990 - still one of The Best Shows of my life - Pure Rock n Roll 

jjcrazi

Favourite song as a young girl, still love it ????

salvadorpernas5573

what a fantastic song!!!

LurgsHowToGuides

The 1st 7" Single I ever bought as a kid, saw it in Woolworths and it was the only one I could afford. Still got it ! Love the 80's.

JustinLeeper

I listen to this song often, but it’s been decades since I’ve seen this video. When I was a kid, these guys, Adam Ant & The Clash were the coolest!

planetmusicsamos

true classic masterpiece !!!! this song will still be playing until the day our sun explodes !!!

jacquelinegall9641

Too cool for school back then, talent, style and instruments