Stray Cats (album)

Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Studio album by Stray Cats
Released	February 1981
Recorded	1980–1981
Studio	Eden Studios, Chiswick, London; Jam Studios, London N4
Genre	Rockabilly; rock and roll;
Length	37:11
Label	Arista
Producer	Dave Edmunds; Brian Setzer; Stray Cats;
Stray Cats chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Record Mirror	^[2]

Stray Cats is the first studio album by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, first released in the United Kingdom by Arista Records in February 1981. It was produced by the band and Dave Edmunds.

The album was successful in Britain, peaking at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart, and produced the UK Singles Chart top 40 hits "Runaway Boys" (No. 9), "Rock This Town" (No. 9) and "Stray Cat Strut" (No. 11).^[3] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later listed "Rock This Town" as one of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".^[4]^[5]

The fifth track on the album, "Storm the Embassy" was based on the song "Boys Having Babies" recorded in 1979 by Brian Setzer's previous band The Bloodless Pharaohs. The lyrics were subsequently rewritten about the Iran hostage crisis of 1979–80.

The album was only issued in the United States after the success of the band's first American album, 1982's Built for Speed. However, six of the songs from Stray Cats ("Rock This Town", "Stray Cat Strut", "Rumble in Brighton", "Runaway Boys", "Double Talkin' Baby" and "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie") were already included on Built for Speed.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Runaway Boys"	Brian Setzer James McDonnell	Dave Edmunds	3:03
2.	"Fishnet Stockings"	Setzer	Setzer Stray Cats	2:25
3.	"Ubangi Stomp"	Charles Underwood	Setzer Stray Cats	3:14
4.	"Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie"	George Motola Ricky Page	Edmunds	2:21
5.	"Storm the Embassy"	Setzer Phantom	Setzer Stray Cats	4:08
6.	"Rock This Town"	Setzer	Edmunds	3:28
7.	"Rumble in Brighton"	Setzer Phantom	Setzer Stray Cats	3:16
8.	"Stray Cat Strut"	Setzer	Edmunds	3:16
9.	"Crawl Up and Die"	Brian Feli Jim Feli	Edmunds	3:13
10.	"Double Talkin' Baby"	Danny Wolfe	Edmunds	3:05
11.	"My One Desire"	Dorsey Burnette	Edmunds	2:57
12.	"Wild Saxophone"	Roy Montrell John Marascalco Robert Blackwell	Setzer Stray Cats	3:01

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[6]

Stray Cats

Additional musicians

Gary Barnacle – saxophone

Production

Aldo Bocca – engineering
Dave Edmunds – production
Hein Hoven – engineering
Neil – tape operation
Nick – tape operation
Brian Setzer – production
Stray Cats – production

Design

Gavin Cochrane – photography
Chalkie Davies – photography
Alain de la Mata – photography
Chris Gabrin – photography
Malcolm Garrett – sleeve design
Toshi Yajima – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[7]	41
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[8]	4
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[9]	2
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[10]	24
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[11]	3
UK Albums (OCC)^[12]	6

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)	Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[13]	32
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[14]	12

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[15]	Platinum	15,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[16]	Gold	100,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Mawer, Sharon. "Stray Cats – Stray Cats". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
^ Nicholls, Mike (February 21, 1981). "Triff Quiffs". Record Mirror. London. p. 16.
^ "Stray Cats". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^ "Brian Setzer's Stray Cats to reunite for first show in 10 years". 4 January 2018.
^ "Rocklist.net...Steve Parker...Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
^ Stray Cats (liner notes). Stray Cats. Arista Records. 1981. STRAY 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 297. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Stray Cats – Stray Cats" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^ "Charts.nz – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
^ "Top Selling Albums of 1981 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
^ "New Zealand album certifications – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
^ "British album certifications – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[1] Mawer, Sharon. "Stray Cats – Stray Cats". AllMusic. Retrieved May 22, 2014.

[2] Nicholls, Mike (February 21, 1981). "Triff Quiffs". Record Mirror. London. p. 16.

[3] "Stray Cats". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[4] "Brian Setzer's Stray Cats to reunite for first show in 10 years". 4 January 2018.

[5] "Rocklist.net...Steve Parker...Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-24.

[6] Stray Cats (liner notes). Stray Cats. Arista Records. 1981. STRAY 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[7] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 297. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[ac_Netherlands_Stray_Cats-8] "Dutchcharts.nl – Stray Cats – Stray Cats" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[ac_New_Zealand_Stray_Cats-9] "Charts.nz – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[ac_Norway_Stray_Cats-10] "Norwegiancharts.com – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[ac_Sweden_Stray_Cats-11] "Swedishcharts.com – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[ac_UK2_-12] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

[13] "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 22, 2022.

[14] "Top Selling Albums of 1981 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved February 1, 2022.

[New_ZealandStray_CatsStray_CatsalbumCertRef-15] "New Zealand album certifications – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.

[United_KingdomStray_CatsStray_CatsalbumCertRef-16] "British album certifications – Stray Cats – Stray Cats". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

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v t e Stray Cats
Brian Setzer Lee Rocker Slim Jim Phantom
Albums	Stray Cats Gonna Ball Built for Speed Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats Rock Therapy Choo Choo Hot Fish 40
Singles	"Runaway Boys" "Rock This Town" "Stray Cat Strut" "(She's) Sexy + 17"
Related topics	Phantom, Rocker & Slick Kat Men
Category