A demo was produced in 1970 under the label Staehle-Tudor with the A side entitled: You Ain't Got Nobody. Several other records were released under their own label including You Can Be High (But Lay Low), date unknown; Something Special On Your Mind, 1971. The music at this stage was pure rock music, not funk. Wild Cherry eventually gained a record contract with Brown Bag Records. Several demos and singles were produced including and Get Down, 1973 (re-release of earlier self labeled demo); Voodoo Doll, 1975 and Show Me Your Badge, 1973. Voodoo Doll was produced and co-written by the prolific and successful songwriter Jeff Barry (of "The Monkeys" fame). Although Voodoo Doll (AM 45070) received distribution as far afield as Europe through A&M, it did not chart and no album was in sight.
The band broke up when a disillusioned Parissi left the music scene to become the manager of a local steakhouse. Rob quickly realized that the steak house gig was not going to "cut it - too tough." As his enthusiasm for the music eventually returned, Rob decided to give the business one last shot.
Soon after, Parissi re-formed the band with new musicians. The new lineup had Mark Avsec (keyboards), Bryan Bassett (guitar), Allen Wentz (bass guitar) and Ronald Beitle (drums & percussion). As the quintet began to perform publicly in an era dominated by disco, they were repeatedly asked by listeners to "play that funky music." Parissi was inspired to write a song that captured the "funky music-white boy theme." When the band went into the studio to record it, a friend of the studio engineer heard the song, was blown away by the potential hit, and brought the band to the attention of Epic Records, which then immediately signed the group. Epic suggested recording the song as an A-side instead of as the B-side to a cover version of the Commodores' "I Feel Sanctified," as had originally been planned.
"Play That Funky Music" became a huge hit when released in 1976, peaking at number one on both the Billboard R&B and pop charts. Both the single and Wild Cherry's self-titled debut album went platinum. The band was named Best Pop Group of the Year by Billboard, and received an American Music Award for Top R&B Single of the Year, as well as a pair of Grammy nominations for Best New Vocal Group and Best R&B Performance by a Group or Duo that year, adding to their success. "I Feel Sanctified" was also released as a single form the first album.
Their 1977 album, Electrified Funk and 1978 album I Love My Music did not produce any top 20 hits, While their 1979 album Only the Wild Survive didn't produce a top 100 single.
U.S. billboard chart placements for singles from their 3 other albums:
Baby Don't You Know (1977; peaked at #43)
Hot To Trot (1977; peaked at #95)
Hold On (1977; peaked at #61)
I Love My Music (1978; peaked at #69).
"Hot to Trot" was a minor followup hit in some non U.S. markets.
Although it was never a chart hit, the song "1 2 3 Kind Of Love" had the right feel for the beach music clubs along the North and South Carolina coasts; it continues to be popular there today, and the song is included in the beach music anthology series by Ripete Records.
One musician who played with the band was guitarist/vocalist Donnie Iris (ex-The Jaggerz). Donnie was credited on their fourth and final album. Mark Avsec partnered up with Donnie following the demise of Wild Cherry to form The Cruisers.
Mark Avsec released a solo project under the moniker Cellarful of Noise in 1985.
Guitarist Bryan Bassett went on to a hard rocking career in the 90's with Foghat and Molly Hatchet. He continues to tour with Foghat.
Parissi later became a disk jockey in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Play That Funky Music was covered by The Real Roxanne in 1988 and was sampled by Vanilla Ice in 1990 (for which Parissi was not credited; he later won $500,000 in a copyright infringement lawsuit), and it continues to be a hit in dance clubs to this day. Play that Funky Music is regularly included on funk and disco compilations.
Hot To Trot
Wild Cherry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see you standin' over there
Just checkin' me out
(Stand back)
What'cha lookin' for honey?
What'cha comin' on strong about?
I might be too much for ya honey
Do ya know what I mean?
(Stand back)
I'm just a dancin' fool
And I'm lookin' for a struttin' queen
One thing you got to learn
If you can move is
Don't say you're hot when you're not
I'm looking for some help
To shoot my shot
I guess I'm just just too too hot to trot (heh heh)
(Stand back)
You better step aside, baby
This ain't your scene
(Stand back)
I'm coming for you on on my feet
So you better hang on to your genie
(Stand back)
You better leave me alone
Because I need to spend 'em on the floor
(Stand back)
You're taking one hell of a chance
Just hanging out in store for more
One thing you got to learn
If you can move is
Don't say you're hot when you're not
I'm looking for some help
To shoot my shot
I guess I'm just just too too hot to trot
(I want you to listen while the Cherry Brothers tell you all about it)
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
(Stand back)
You ain't got no style
You're no match for me
(Stand back)
You're just a lead foot mama
It's so easy to see
(Stand back)
You know you just can't dance
Hear what I say
(Stand back)
Until you learn how to do it,
Better come back another day
One thing you got to learn
If you can move is
Don't say you're hot when you're not
I'm looking for some help
To shoot my shot
I guess I'm just just too too hot to trot
Bye Bye
Hey Cherry Brothers, tell them one more time
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
The lyrics to Wild Cherry's song "Hot To Trot" revolve around the idea of confidence on the dance floor. The singer is aware that people are checking them out, and they are searching for a partner who can match their level of energy and skill. They warn others not to claim they are "hot" unless they can really back it up with their moves. The song is filled with playful taunts and boasts, demonstrating the singer's own confidence in their abilities.
The repetition of "stand back" throughout the lyrics serves as a warning to potential dance partners. The singer is so "hot to trot" that they don't want anyone getting in their way or distracting them from their ultimate goal. They are looking for a "struttin' queen" who can hold her own on the dance floor. Despite the singer's bravado, there is also a sense of vulnerability - they admit to needing help to "shoot [their] shot."
Overall, "Hot To Trot" is a fun and upbeat song about the thrill of dancing and the importance of confidence. It encourages listeners to embrace their inner "dancin' fool" and always bring their best moves to the floor.
Line by Line Meaning
(Stand back)
The singer is warning someone to stay away and give them space.
I see you standin' over there
Just checkin' me out
The singer has noticed someone looking at them from a distance.
What'cha lookin' for honey?
What'cha comin' on strong about?
The singer is asking the other person why they are showing interest and being aggressive in their approach.
I might be too much for ya honey
Do ya know what I mean?
The artist is suggesting that they may be too intense for the other person to handle.
I'm just a dancin' fool
And I'm lookin' for a struttin' queen
The artist enjoys dancing and is hoping to find a partner who will dance with them to the beat.
One thing you got to learn
If you can move is
Don't say you're hot when you're not
The singer advises the listener that they should not brag about being good at something if they are not actually skilled at it.
I'm looking for some help
To shoot my shot
I guess I'm just too too hot to trot (heh heh)
The singer is looking for someone to dance with and believes that their moves are too impressive for anyone to keep up.
(Stand back)
You better step aside, baby
This ain't your scene
The artist is warning someone to leave because they do not belong in the environment or situation that the artist is in.
I'm coming for you on my feet
So you better hang on to your genie
The artist is preparing to dance and warns the other person to hold on tightly (like a magic genie of sorts) if they decide to dance with the artist.
You better leave me alone
Because I need to spend 'em on the floor
The artist wants to focus on dancing and has no interest in conversing or interacting with the other person.
You're taking one hell of a chance
Just hanging out in store for more
The singer warns the other person that they are taking a risk by staying because the singer's dancing skills may intimidate or outdo them.
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
When you're hot, you're hot, you're hot to trot
The artist repeats the phrase to emphasize how they feel about their dancing abilities.
You ain't got no style
You're no match for me
The singer is telling the other person that their style and dance moves do not compare to the singer's own.
You're just a lead foot mama
It's so easy to see
The singer believes that the other person is a bad dancer and is clumsy on their feet.
You know you just can't dance
Hear what I say
Until you learn how to do it,
Better come back another day
The singer is telling the other person that they cannot dance and need to practice more before attempting to keep up with the singer.
Bye Bye
Hey Cherry Brothers, tell them one more time
The artist is saying goodbye and asks the Cherry Brothers to remind listeners once more of the main idea of the song.
Contributed by Parker J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.