The original members of Y&T were Dave Meniketti (lead vocals and lead guitar), Leonard Haze (drums), Phil Kennemore (bass), and Joey Alves (rhythm guitar). Haze was replaced by Jimmy DeGrasso in 1986. Alves was replaced by Stef Burns in 1989. The band officially disbanded in 1991, although they continued to perform sporadically. They officially reunited in 2001 with a lineup of Meniketti, Kennemore, and Burns alongside Leonard Haze. Burns eventually went on to join the pop rock outfit Huey Lewis & The News and was replaced by John Nymann. Nymann was an old friend of the band who had sung backup for the group before. In 2006, Haze was asked to step down, and he was replaced by Mike Vanderhule.
The band's signature hits include "Summertime Girls", a Van Halen like piece of cheeky arena rock that reached #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985, and ""Mean Streak." That latter track hiked up to #25 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart due to its aggressive, heavy style. Y&T's 1984 album, 'In Rock We Trust', has been their highest selling release, reaching #46 on the Billboard Album Charts and selling over 450,000 copies; the spirited album came very close to Gold status.
Main Website: http://www.yandtrocks.com/
Black Tiger
Y&T Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hypnotized, she’s under your skin
Beauty to see, but not to touch
In the play of passion
She plays to rough
Black tiger, ready to strike
Searchin’ for a victim
Cool and collected
She makes no mistakes
If you’re in her territory
You know you’re fair game
Scratch and claw all over your face
She’s playing for keeps, oh no
You better get away
Black tiger, ready to strike
Searchin’ for a victim
In the heat of the night
Black tiger, ready to strike
Searchin’ for a victim
In the heat of the night
Black tiger, don’t turn your back
You never know when she will attack
Hold out, watch out
Just stay away
She’s gonna hurt you
Then leave you to waste
Watch out, jump back
Her teeth are sharp
If she gets too close
She’s gonna make a mess of your heart
Black tiger, ready to strike
Searchin’ for a victim
In the heat of the night
Y&T's "Black Tiger" is a vivid description of a seductive and dangerous woman. The song uses the metaphor of a black tiger lurking in the dark, ready to pounce on its prey. The lyrics describe the woman's captivating beauty, which draws the listener in, but warns that getting too close could be a fatal mistake. She is portrayed as cool, collected and calculating, with no room for error when it comes to her hunt. The play of passion is mentioned, but it is clear that this is not a game for the faint-hearted, as the woman plays rough and is willing to scratch and claw her way to victory.
The song's chorus repeats the warning of the black tiger being ready to strike, searching for a victim in the heat of the night. There is a sense of danger and urgency conveyed through the lyrics, which heightens the tension of the song. The bridge acknowledges the likelihood of being hurt by the black tiger, with the teeth being sharp and the heart at risk of being left in ruins. The song ends with the repeated warning to stay away, as the black tiger is poised to make a mess of anyone who comes too close.
Overall, "Black Tiger" is a cautionary tale of the dangers of being seduced by a captivating but lethal woman. It warns of the consequences of getting too close to someone who plays rough and emphasizes the importance of being vigilant and staying clear of danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Cat eyes, she draws you in
Her eyes are captivating and can entice anyone towards her
Hypnotized, she’s under your skin
Being with her feels like being under a spell, addictive and irresistible
Beauty to see, but not to touch
She looks good from afar, but getting close is not advised
In the play of passion
In the game of love
She plays to rough
She likes it rough and wild
Black tiger, ready to strike
She is a dangerous and unpredictable predator
Searchin’ for a victim
Looking for someone to prey on
In the heat of the night
Under the cover of darkness
Cool and collected
She is calm and composed even in the most intense situations
She makes no mistakes
She is in control of her actions and knows exactly what she wants
If you’re in her territory
If you enter her domain
You know you’re fair game
You become a potential target for her
Scratch and claw all over your face
She is dangerous and can hurt you physically
She’s playing for keeps, oh no
She is not just playing around, she is in it for the long haul
You better get away
You should avoid her if you know what's good for you
Black tiger, don’t turn your back
Never let your guard down around her
You never know when she will attack
Her moves are unpredictable and can catch you off guard
Hold out, watch out
Be alert and cautious
Just stay away
Avoid getting too close to her
She’s gonna hurt you
She is not someone you want to mess with
Then leave you to waste
She will leave you with nothing but pain and regret
Watch out, jump back
Be prepared to defend yourself and get out of her way
Her teeth are sharp
She is dangerous and can cause serious harm
If she gets too close
If you let your guard down around her
She’s gonna make a mess of your heart
She will break your heart and leave you in a mess
Contributed by Gianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Corky DeYulio
THIS IS WHAT HEAVY METAL IS ABOUT!! Meneketti is one of the most talented performers ever-play guitar like that and sing like that!! Very underrated. Saw them in NYC...great! One of the greatest HM songs ever!
Wendell Hernandez
Kind of before they even started calling it "Heavy Metal"
Revener666
Oh you want heavy metal to be mid tempo boring repetitive riffing?
David Collins
@Wendell Hernandez wrong.....heavy metal term started with the mighty zep....with that being said and a fact....I c where u r comin from.....these guys just fkn smack u in the face with sum heavy metal rock n roll
Amuz3d2Deth
Dave Meneketti and Paul Shortino...some of the best underrated singers ever
Christopher Reitz
Good rock band, but they're not metal.
Jonathan Cavalieri
Oh my God!! 2:50 - 3:36 Fucking AMAZING solo! Love Dave Meneketti and all that he's done? put out with Y & T. I'm only 26 years old and an old school metal friend of mine introduced me to Black Tiger. Y & T for life!! Hell Yeah!!!!!!!
Chris L.
Memories of the early 80's, in the bay area, high school..Rocker chicks all dressed up in their lipstick & leather, tight jeans with the laces in the front or the zippered jeans, cameltoes and moose knuckles everywhere you look, muscle cars blasting Y&T so loud the heavens can hear!..seeing the guys around the beaches and parties in the bay!..Hell yes!..those were the days!, we gotta keep those memories alive!. Support Rock music!
Ylva Arenander
Who one
Dave Fraser
I can't stop laughing and agreeing with this post!!! Growing up in Sonoma County was the bomb!!!!