The group, whose style was based upon the sounds of Sun Records artists and other artists from the 1950s, were heavily influenced by Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Bill Haley & His Comets. The Stray Cats quickly developed a large following in the New York music scene playing at CBGB and Max's Kansas City as well as venues on Long Island. When the Cats heard a rumor that there was a revival of the 1950s Teddy Boy youth subculture in England, the band moved to the UK. They then spearheaded the nascent rockabilly revival, by blending the 1950s Sun Studio sound with modern punk musical elements. In terms of visual style the Stray Cats also blended elements of 1950 rockabilly clothes such as wearing drape jackets, brothel creepers and western shirts with punk clothes such as tight black zipper trousers and modern versions of 1950s hair styles.
In the summer of 1980 the Cats found themselves being courted by the elite of the music world including Virgin Records, Stiff Records and Arista Records. Word quickly spread and soon members of The Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin were at their shows. After a gig in London, Stray Cats met producer Dave Edmunds, well known as a roots rock enthusiast for his work with Rockpile and as a solo artist. Edmunds offered to work with the group, and they entered the studio to record their self-titled debut album, Stray Cats, released in England in 1981 on Arista Records. They had three hits that year with "Runaway Boys", "Rock This Town", and "Stray Cat Strut". The UK follow-up to Stray Cats, Gonna Ball, was not as well-received, providing no hits. Yet the combined sales of their first two albums was enough to convince EMI America to compile the best tracks from the two UK albums and issue an album (Built for Speed) in the U.S. in 1982. The record went on to sell double platinum in the US and Canada and was the #2 record on the Billboard album charts for 26 weeks
Musical and personal conflicts began to emerge in the ways that the individual members handled their new-found success; Phantom married actress Britt Ekland, while Setzer made guest appearances with stars like Bob Dylan and Stevie Nicks and became the concert guitarist for Robert Plant's Honeydrippers side project. In late 1984, the band added former BMT's guitarist and Long Island native Tommy Byrnes on second guitar and harmony vocals, and after a European and US tour which ended at the New Orleans World's Fair, parted ways.
Rocker and Phantom formed a trio called Phantom Rocker & Slick (the "Slick" being former David Bowie guitarist Earl Slick) which contained the single "Men Without Shame", guest musicians on this record included both Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and Nicky Hopkins on the piano. Setzer went on to a solo career, retaining Byrnes and exchanging his rockabilly focus for a more wide-ranging roots rock/Americana sound on albums such as 1986's The Knife Feels Like Justice. In 1986, the Stray Cats reunited in Los Angeles, and recorded the covers-heavy Rock Therapy. In 1989, they reunited once again for the album Blast Off!, which was accompanied by a tour with US blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. No longer with EMI America, they entered the studio with Nile Rodgers for the record titled Let's Go Faster, issued by Liberation in 1990. After 1992's Dave Edmunds-produced Choo Choo Hot Fish, and after another covers album, 1993's Original Cool, the group called it quits again.
In 2004, the Stray Cats reunited for a month-long tour of Europe. A live album culled from those concerts, Rumble In Brixton, included one new studio track, "Mystery Train Kept A Rollin'." In 2007, they reunited once again for a successful and long awaited US tour with ZZ Top and The Pretenders. This was their first North American tour in over 15 years. In the 2000s, the band toured Europe as part of their Farewell Tour, although the band has performed concerts intermittently in the ensuing years.
In 2008, for the first time in 18 years, the Stray Cats visited Australia and New Zealand which included several consecutive sold out shows of their Farewell (Australia) Tour.
In April 2009 the band reunited for a single show to celebrate Brian’s 50th birthday at the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, MN.
Fishnet Stockings
Stray Cats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When she starts a rockin' there ain't no stoppin'
Singing wop bop a doo dop fishnet stockings
Shoo wop a doo dop when she's rockin'
Bop bop a doo dop there ain't no stoppin'
Rockin' with my baby in her fishnet stockings
She's got a pair in red
When she puts the black ones she makes me loose my head
Singing wop bop a doo dop fishnet stockings
Shoo wop a doo dop when she's rockin'
Bop bop a doo dop there ain't no stoppin'
Rockin' with my baby in her fishnet stockings
One time
Well she's got a pair in pink
She's got a pair in red
When she puts the black ones she makes me loose my head
Singing wop bop a doo dop fishnet stockings
Shoo wop a doo dop when she's rockin'
Bop bop a doo dop there ain't no stoppin'
Rockin' with my baby in her fishnet stockings
Rock it again now
Well my sweet baby wears fishnet stockings
When she starts a rockin' there ain't no stoppin'
Singing wab bop a doo dop fishnet stockings
Shoo wop a doo dop when she's rockin'
Bop bop a doo dop there ain't no stoppin'
Rockin' with my baby in her fishnet stockings
"Fishnet Stockings" is a rock and roll song by the Stray Cats released in 1981. The song is a celebration of the singer's love interest who wears fishnet stockings, which he believes makes her irresistible and unstoppable. The lyrics of the song are filled with playful onomatopoeic sounds and imageries that replicate the mood of the music. The lines "Singing wop bop a doo dop fishnet stockings, shoo wop a doo dop when she's rockin'" are a nod to the popular 1950s rock and roll songs that used nonsensical syllables and repetitive sounds to convey a sense of joy and energy. The melody of the song is catchy and infectious, with Brian Setzer's twangy guitar and Slim Jim Phantom's punchy drumming creating a dynamic rhythm that makes the listener want to dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Well my sweet baby wears fishnet stockings
My lover wears fishnet stockings when we go out to have some fun.
When she starts a rockin' there ain't no stoppin'
When my lover starts dancing in her fishnet stockings, nothing can stop her from grooving.
Singing wop bop a doo dop fishnet stockings
I cannot help but sing about my lover's fishnet stockings.
Shoo wop a doo dop when she's rockin'
I am thrilled when my lover dances in her fishnet stockings.
Bop bop a doo dop there ain't no stoppin'
Nothing can slow down the party when my lover wears her fishnet stockings and starts dancing.
Rockin' with my baby in her fishnet stockings
I enjoy dancing with my lover while she wears her fishnet stockings.
Well she's got a pair in pink
My lover has fishnet stockings in the color pink.
She's got a pair in red
My lover also has fishnet stockings in the color red.
When she puts the black ones she makes me loose my head
My lover looks incredibly attractive to me when she wears her black fishnet stockings.
One time
This is something that happened once with my lover.
Rock it again now
Let's dance again, I am ready to rock it with my lover.
Singing wab bop a doo dop fishnet stockings
I cannot stop singing about my lover's fishnet stockings.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN SETZER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@billyonions6024
I remember buying their first album when it first came out in Feb 1981. Setzers guitar playing is something else.
@carloscarias6276
Billy Onions i wish i was alive in that era i was born in 94
@m.j.c.6969
Setzer's guitar. Use the apostrophe to indicate it's his possession.
@meatsweats2374
Just started listening to this band like 5 mintues ago 2nd song already addicted
@billyonions6024
Solias Rodriguez
Bit like me when I heard Runaway Boys in 1980, I was hooked !
@TheKopyKatz
We love playing a cover of Fishnet Stckings. A great way to closr the show. It rocks hard!
@AnitaVickers-ey2nw
What can I say about the legendary Stray Cats kings of rockabilly no competition the full package. ❤ u still in 2023 and beyond. Go go cats ❤
@seanqueripel6230
Stray cats can't beat a bit of Rockabilly love it
@Xesmuclana
thanks allan, now I'm addicted.
@robart1332
love this song