Paul DiBartolo (guitar), Rob De Luca (bass) and Tommi Gallo had all been in a band called Bang , and when they met up with vocalist Ray West in New York, Spread Eagle was born. The group was quickly signed and sent into the studio. Tunes for the debut album had to be written while recording was taking place. The self-titled debut featured a razor sharp guitar sound as well as some explicitly sexual lyrics, demonstrated through songs such as "Back On The Bitch" and "Scratch Like A Cat."
By the time work began on the follow-up, Gallo was in and out of the band. Session musicians recorded most of the drums on Open To The Public. For this album the group had toned down their lyrics and even went so far as to say people misunderstood the lyrics on the debut album. The album was a bit of a disappointment compared to their previous effort, and after the tour, which featured Dave Femia on drums, Spread Eagle broke-up.
In 2006 Rob De Luca and Ray West reformed Spread Eagle. Their debut album which had been out of print for over 10 years was remastered and re-released by the independent label Lovember Records. They started touring in 2006 with Chris Caffery on guitar and John Macaluso on drums. There were only a few shows.
They found new guitarist Dennis Kimak and Rob De Luca returned to New York from touring with Sebastian Bach and UFO. In December 2010 Rik De Luca drummer and cousin of Rob De Luca joined the band and they toured throughout the Northeast of USA. Their debut album was voted as one of the top 20 glam albums of all time (along with Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Hanoi Rocks and Skid Row): In 2012 guitarist Dennis Kimak quit and was replaced by Ziv Shalev who played the first 2 shows with Spread Eagle in December 2012.
In 2017 Spread Eagle confirmed several tour dates in Europe, including the Hull Metal Heaven and HRH Sleaze festivals. Following their UK/EU 2017 tour, they signed to Frontiers Music SRL and started writing and recording. Their latest album 'Subway To The Stars' was released on August 9, 2019. The music video for the first single "Sound Of Speed" features the band members in a go-kart race with an unexpected ending. It was filmed in the Poconos, PA and directed by Phil Allocco (The Truth About Lies).
Australian drag racing team West Coast Pro Modifieds chose "Sound of Speed" as their official song for the 2019/2020 racing season. The Australian Spread Eagle fan club honored this by creating a "Pro Mod Edit" of the video, where the go-kart race sequences were replaced with real drag racing footages. Subway To The Stars was included in many best of 2019 polls, including the Top 5 hard rock releases on Ultimate Guitar and Top 20 albums of 2019 in both the Sleaze Roxx readers' voting | and The Rock Pit Australia. In July 2020 Spread Eagle released a lyric video for the track "More Wolf Than Lamb"
Scratch Like A Cat
Spread Eagle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With street trash I hideaway
Fuck with me you bet your life
I'll cut through you like a switchblade knife
The golden rule under the street light sun
Is lookout for number one
Don't think twice about what's right
I sink my teeth and take a bite
Street school there ain't no rules
When trouble calls your back's against the wall
And they got you by the balls
You don't wanna bleed you gotta fight 'em dirty
Before they bring you to your knees
You gotta scratch
Scratch like a cat
You gotta scratch
Scratch like a cat
Law dog come sniffin' around
Sniffin' around when the sun goes down
On my ass and without a doubt
I chew 'em up and I spit 'em out
It's do or die in this paradise
War games we call street life
So don't you cross my path
'Cause Til make sure you don't come back
Street school there ain't no rules
When trouble calls your back against the wall
And they got you by the balls
You don't wanna bleed you gotta fight 'em dirty
Before they bring you to your knees
Chorus
And if I should die tomorrow
Don't say a prayer for me
Pray for the lonely children
And hope they don't turn out like me
Chorus (repeat)
The lyrics of Spread Eagle's song "Scratch Like A Cat" depict the life of a person living in the streets, surrounded by violence and danger. The song talks about the need to fight dirty to survive and the importance of looking out for oneself. The song's protagonist states that he will not hesitate to take down anyone who threatens him, and that he will do so with swift and brutal force.
The lyrics also reference the lack of rules in street life and the need to be ruthless to stay alive. The singer is depicted as someone who has learned to be tough and to never back down. He talks about how he will not hesitate to fight back against anyone who tries to take him down, even if it means resorting to savage tactics.
Towards the end of the song, the singer acknowledges the lonely life he leads, and states that he does not want anyone to pray for him if he should die. Instead, he asks for people to pray for the children who are growing up in similar circumstances to him, in the hope that they can lead better lives.
Overall, Spread Eagle's "Scratch Like A Cat" is a gritty and dark reflection on life in the streets. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a world filled with violence and danger, but also underscore the importance of fighting back and staying strong.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the alleyways
I prefer to stay in dimly lit alleys
With street trash I hideaway
I blend seamlessly with the homeless
Fuck with me you bet your life
Do not attempt to confront me
I'll cut through you like a switchblade knife
I will eviscerate you with ease
The golden rule under the street light sun
The unwritten law of the streets is to always look out for oneself
Is lookout for number one
Always prioritize yourself above others
Don't think twice about what's right
Morality takes a back seat in this environment
I sink my teeth and take a bite
I will exploit any opportunity that presents itself
Street school there ain't no rules
The streets operate without regulation
When trouble calls your back's against the wall
One must be prepared to face conflict at any moment
And they got you by the balls
Your adversaries have a firm grasp on your life
You don't wanna bleed you gotta fight 'em dirty
If you want to survive, you must resort to unsavory tactics
Before they bring you to your knees
Your opponents will stop at nothing to defeat you
You gotta scratch
You must employ whatever means necessary
Scratch like a cat
Like a feline, you must be flexible and persistent
Law dog come sniffin' around
The authorities are investigating
Sniffin' around when the sun goes down
Their investigation is conducted under the cover of darkness
On my ass and without a doubt
They are closing in on me with certainty
I chew 'em up and I spit 'em out
I will dispose of my pursuers with ease
It's do or die in this paradise
Survival of the fittest is the norm
War games we call street life
The harsh reality of the streets is like a never-ending battle
So don't you cross my path
Stay out of my way
'Cause Til make sure you don't come back
I will take measures to ensure that you regret ever crossing me
And if I should die tomorrow
I face the possibility of death on a daily basis
Don't say a prayer for me
Don't waste your time mourning for me
Pray for the lonely children
Instead, direct your energy towards the vulnerable population
And hope they don't turn out like me
I do not want others to face the same circumstances as me
Contributed by John N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
iceman68lives
There self titled album is one of the best hard rock albums ever made , period ! If you don't own it , get it ! buy it at Amazon keep jammin' guys !! Back On The Bitch is fuckin' nasty ! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
metalbornmetalbred
Timing is the only thing that kept them from really taking off. These guys deserved to be huge.
Bradford Shaun Murray
3:19 😸! 👀
Pramut Mark Natisupalak
Agreed!
Jesus of Nazareth
"deserved"? If you wanna be HUGE you need catchy songs. This is a good metal song but not catchy AND i ain't talking pop bon jovi or poison catchy type i'm talking bout some fuckin great riff, breakdown and gutsy lyrics
Reinhard
Same thing happened to KIX.
WankChung
I thought these guys were phenomenal. I'm an old boomer who lives and breathes the music from the 70s to the 90s and Ray West is IMHO one of the best rock vocalists from the era. 🤘🤘🤘
Icarus432hz
Man, I can`t believe I just found this band. What a great song!
Donna Crawford
I Did To Also Last Week,Can't Quit Listening, Always Did Love U.F.O N Scorptions
Charlie Bonnet III
I love this whole album. Ray West was a fuckin' beast in his time. What a great band!!!!