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.
Little Miss Prissy
Stray Cats Lyrics
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She talks and talks all night, but she ain't got much to say.
She don't need no ones opinion, don't want no interruptions,
Just shuts up long enough to reapply the suction
Well she's little miss prissy, and she love you,
But she ain't worth a dime
Well I swallow all her comments, make her all remarks,
When I finally get her where I want her,
Her bite's worse than her bark.
Well she's little miss prissy, she love you,
But she ain't worth the time
She ain't worth the time
Well I know a little lady, she lives down London way,
She talks and talks all night, but she ain't got much to say.
She don't need no ones opinion, don't need no interruptions,
Just shuts up long enough to reapply the suction
Well she's little miss prissy, and she love you,
But she ain't worth the time
She ain't worth the time
But she ain't worth the time
She ain't worth the time. Oh no
Well she's little miss prissy, and she love you,
But she ain't worth the time
The lyrics of Stray Cats' "Little Miss Prissy" describe a woman who lives in London and talks incessantly all night long but doesn't have much to say. The singer of the song seems to be acquainted with her, and he points out that she doesn't want anyone's opinion nor does she want to be interrupted. In fact, she just wants to talk and talk, shutting up only long enough to reapply the suction. The lyrics suggest sexual undertones, with the singer swallowing all her comments and making all the remarks before finally getting her where he wants her, and even then, her bite is worse than her bark. The chorus repeats the jab that although Little Miss Prissy may love you, she's not worth the time or the dime.
The song's lyrics paint a memorable picture of a woman who talks too much and has little substance to what she says. The singer seems to be someone who knows her well, but also recognizes her shortcomings. Although he describes her as loving, he seems to have concluded that she's not worth the time or investment. Overall, the song is a fun, upbeat reminder to be wary of people who may not always have the best intentions or things to say.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I know a little lady, she lives down London way,
I am acquainted with a woman who resides in London
She talks and talks all night, but she ain't got much to say.
Despite her constant chatter, she does not contribute much to a conversation
She don't need no ones opinion, don't want no interruptions,
She is not interested in hearing any other perspectives and wants to continue speaking uninterrupted
Just shuts up long enough to reapply the suction
She only pauses to take a breath before starting to speak again
Well she's little miss prissy, and she love you,
She appears to be an idealized, charming lady who professes affection for you
But she ain't worth a dime
She is completely useless as a partner or conversationalist
Well I swallow all her comments, make her all remarks,
I listen to her words and respond with interest
When I finally get her where I want her,
When I am able to engage her in conversation
Her bite's worse than her bark.
She is unpleasant and uninterested once you manage to get through her exterior
She ain't worth the time
She is not worth the effort or time required to engage with her
Well she's little miss prissy, and she love you,
She continues to put on a facade of being a charming, loving presence
But she ain't worth the time
However, she is not worth the energy to pursue or engage with
She ain't worth the time
Reiterated for emphasis
But she ain't worth the time
Concluding statement that the woman is not worth any effort or engagement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN SETZER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind