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 Brianβs 50th birthday at the Fine Line Music CafΓ© in Minneapolis, MN.
Reckless
Stray Cats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You had lipstick on your face
With your see-through backless frilly dress
You were every mom's disgrace
Well I'd like to understand you
But I couldn't even if I tried
Like a charging bull in the face of death
I was fit to be tied
Well come on when I call you Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
My name is reckless when I get a chance
I had a toothbrush in my pocket
You had a six inch home-made knife
You said you haven't slept in seven days
Well I said baby where've you been all my life
Well if opposites attract baby
Well we're like night and day
I said look me up in a couple of years
When that heat sore goes away
Well come on when I call you Angeline Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
My name is reckless when I get the chance
Well come on when I call you Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
My name is reckless when I get a chance
My name is reckless when I get a chance
The song "Reckless" by the Stray Cats tells a story of a wild encounter between the singer and a woman named Angeline. The first two lines of the song set the scene, with the mention of a backroom and lipstick on her face. The description of her dress as "see-through backless frilly" immediately establishes her as someone who is not interested in following societal norms or expectations. The singer is drawn to her, but admits that he doesn't understand her, and likens her to a "charging bull in the face of death." This suggests that his attraction to her is dangerous and reckless.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that he has a toothbrush in his pocket, while Angeline has a six-inch homemade knife. This emphasizes the danger of their encounter, but also suggests that they are both willing to live on the edge. The line "you haven't slept in seven days" adds to the sense of urgency and recklessness, but the singer is unfazed by this, exclaiming "where've you been all my life!"
The chorus of the song repeats the name Angeline, as if calling out to her, and includes the line "to be in love with you is just a bit obscene." This implies that the singer is aware of the danger of his feelings for her, but is unable to resist her charms. The final line of the chorus, "my name is reckless when I get a chance," further emphasizes the theme of reckless abandon that runs throughout the song.
Overall, "Reckless" tells a story of two people who are drawn to each other despite the danger and risks involved. The Stray Cats' rockabilly sound perfectly captures the energy and excitement of this encounter.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I met you in the backroom
I first encountered you in a discrete location
You had lipstick on your face
You had makeup on
With your see-through backless frilly dress
You wore clothing that was revealing
You were every mom's disgrace
You were the opposite of what a mother would approve of
Well I'd like to understand you
I wish to comprehend your behaviour
But I couldn't even if I tried
I'm incapable of understanding your motivations
Like a charging bull in the face of death
I was ready to face any challenge or danger
I was fit to be tied
I was overwhelmed with emotion
Well come on when I call you Angeline
Respond to me when I refer to you as Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Loving you is inappropriate
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
Let's go out for one more dance together
My name is reckless when I get a chance
I behave recklessly whenever I have an opportunity
I had a toothbrush in my pocket
I had a commonplace item on my person
You had a six inch home-made knife
You carried a potentially dangerous weapon
You said you haven't slept in seven days
You claimed to not have slept in a week
Well I said baby where've you been all my life
I expressed my amazement at not having met you sooner
Well if opposites attract baby
If the idea that opposite personas attract holds true
Well we're like night and day
We're fundamentally different from each other
I said look me up in a couple of years
I suggested reconnecting in the future
When that heat sore goes away
When emotional pain is no longer present
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN SETZER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CHRISTPUNCHER
Very underrated album. One of my favorites
Teddy Leather
great album!! great band!!
George Dizzy
Well I met you in the backroom
You had lipstick on your face
With your see-through backless frilly dress
You were every mom's disgrace
Well I'd like to understand you
But I couldn't even if I tried
Like a charging bull in the face of death
I was fit to be tied
Well come on when I call you Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
My name is reckless when I get a chance
I had a toothbrush in my pocket
You had a six inch home-made knife
You said you haven't slept in seven days
Well I said baby where've you been all my life
Well if opposites attract baby
Well we're like night and day
I said look me up in a couple of years
When that heat sore goes away
Well come on when I call you Angeline Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
My name is reckless when I get the chance
Well come on when I call you Angeline
To be in love with you is just a bit obscene
Let me take you out for one more dance, yeah
My name is reckless when I get a chance
My name is reckless when I get a chance
JEBIVJETAR PRCOJEVIC
The most brillant thing Setzer ever made!!!!! Everything is just perfect: lyrics, music, ....and what a story!!!