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.
You Don't Believe Me
Stray Cats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I'll never get right down, on bended knee.
But I cry, and I cry, and I cry.
I don't think you know you've done me wrong,
But still I've been in love now, oh, so long.
But I try, and I try, and I try,
And you don't believe me.
I give you my house, my heart, my home.
When I'm gone you're not alone.
You never hear a thing I say,
And it happens every day.
Why, why, why, why, why, why are you never home?
While I, I, I, I, I, sit here, by the phone.
'Cause I try, and I try, and I try,
And you don't believe me.
Oh lord, I give you my house, my heart, my home.
When I'm gone you're not alone.
You never hear a thing I say,
And it happens every day.
Why, why, why, why, why, why are you never home?
While I, I, I, I, I, sit here by the phone.
'Cause I try, and I try, and I try,
And you don't believe me.
Well I try, and I try, and I try,
And you don't believe me
Well I try, and I try, and I try,
And you don't believe me.
The lyrics to Stray Cats’ song “You Don’t Believe Me” depict a man who is in love with a woman who doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. He doesn’t understand why she doesn’t believe him, despite all the things he does for her. He is so devoted to her that he gives her his house, heart, and home, yet she never hears a thing he says. He is often left waiting by the phone while she is never home. The repetition of “I try” and “you don’t believe me” suggest frustration and heartbreak.
The song may be interpreted as a cautionary tale about unrequited love, where the singer is so blinded by his feelings that he fails to see that the object of his affections doesn’t feel the same way in return. It speaks to the universal feeling of wanting to be loved and acknowledged, and the pain of not receiving that.
The use of the repeated “why, why, why” in the chorus highlights the singer’s desperation for answers, while the inclusion of “Oh Lord” in the second verse suggests a plea for divine intervention in his situation.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of longing and sadness, yet it remains upbeat and catchy, showcasing Stray Cats’ signature rockabilly sound.
Line by Line Meaning
I never understand what you do to me,
I can't comprehend how you're affecting me.
But I'll never get right down, on bended knee.
I won't beg for your attention or affection.
But I cry, and I cry, and I cry.
Yet I can't help feeling sad and hurt by your dismissiveness.
I don't think you know you've done me wrong,
I don't believe you're aware of how badly you're treating me.
But still I've been in love now, oh, so long.
Despite everything, I'm still deeply in love with you.
But I try, and I try, and I try,
I keep making an effort to make things work between us.
And you don't believe me.
But you're not receptive to my efforts and intentions.
I give you my house, my heart, my home.
I'm offering you everything I have, including my love and loyalty.
When I'm gone you're not alone.
Even when I'm not with you physically, my love supports you from afar.
You never hear a thing I say,
However, you completely disregard my words and feelings.
And it happens every day.
This cycle of neglect and frustration is a daily occurrence.
Why, why, why, why, why, why are you never home?
I don't understand why you're never available or present in our relationship.
While I, I, I, I, I, sit here, by the phone.
Meanwhile, I'm waiting eagerly for any form of contact from you.
'Cause I try, and I try, and I try,
I'm still making an effort to make things work between us.
And you don't believe me.
But you're not willing to acknowledge or reciprocate my feelings.
Well I try, and I try, and I try,
Despite the repeated disappointments and rejections, I'm still trying.
And you don't believe me.
But you continue to reject and ignore my efforts, fueling my frustration and heartache.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN SETZER, JAMES MC DONNELL, LEON DRUCKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind