Built for Speed (Stray Cats album)

Built for Speed is a studio album by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released in June 1982 by EMI America as the band's first US album.

Built for Speed
Studio album by
Stray Cats
ReleasedJune 1982
Recorded1981-1982
GenreRockabilly
Length36:15
LabelEMI America
ProducerDave Edmunds (tracks 1, 4, 7, 9, 11), Stray Cats and Hein Hoven (track 2), Stray Cats (tracks 3, 5-6, 8, 10, 12)
Stray Cats chronology
Gonna Ball
(1981)		 Built for Speed
(1982)		 Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats
(1983)

Built for Speed is essentially a compilation of 12 songs taken from the band's first two UK album releases: six from Stray Cats (February 1981) and five from Gonna Ball (November 1981), plus the title track, "Built for Speed", which had not previously been released in the UK.

It was the most successful record for the band, earning platinum certification, and with the videos for songs such as "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut" reaching MTV regular rotation status.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Village VoiceB−[2]

In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau said that, despite Brian Setzer's exotic, modernistic guitar touches, "the mild vocals just ain't rockabilly. You know how it is when white boys strive for authenticity—'57 V-8 my ass".[2] In a retrospective review, Mark Deming of AllMusic wrote that the melodies and playing are strong enough to withstand datedness on what is "song-for-song the group's strongest album, despite the cut-and-paste manner in which it was created".[1]

Track listing

All tracks written by Brian Setzer except as indicated.

Side 1
  1. "Rock This Town" – 3:24
  2. "Built for Speed" – 2:53
  3. "Rev It Up & Go" – 2:27
  4. "Stray Cat Strut" – 3:15
  5. "Little Miss Prissy" – 2:59
  6. "Rumble in Brighton" (Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom) – 3:11

Side 2
  1. "Runaway Boys" (Setzer, Phantom)– 2:58
  2. "Lonely Summer Nights" – 3:16
  3. "Double Talkin' Baby" (Danny Wolfe) – 3:02
  4. "You Don't Believe Me" (Setzer, Phantom, Lee Rocker) – 2:54
  5. "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie" (George Motola, Ricky Page) – 2:18
  6. "Baby Blue Eyes" (Paul Burlison, Johnny Burnette)– 2:47

Note: "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie" is often miscredited as having been written by Mike Chapman, who recorded a song of the same name with his band Tangerine Peel. However, Chapman's "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie" is a completely different song from the one the Stray Cats recorded; they just happen to share the same title. The Stray Cats' "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie" was originally performed by Eddie Cochran, and was written by George Motola and Ricky Page (regardless of what the original Built for Speed album or other various Stray Cats collections may claim).[3]

The title track was featured in the 1984 film Surf II.

Personnel
Stray Cats
Additional personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1982 Billboard Top LPs & Tape 2
1983 Billboard Top LPs & Tape 2
1982 Cash Box Album Charts 1

Single

Year Single Chart Position
1981 "Rock This Town"/"Runaway Boys" Billboard Disco Top 100 35
1981 "Stray Cat Strut" Billboard Disco Top 100 78
1982 "Rock This Town" Billboard Hot 100 9
1982 "Stray Cat Strut" Billboard Top Tracks 4
1982 "Stray Cat Strut" Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 109[4]
1983 "Stray Cat Strut" Billboard Hot 100 3
1983 "Stray Cat Strut" Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1983 42

References
  1. Deming, Mark. "Built for Speed – Stray Cats". AllMusic. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  2. Christgau, Robert (November 30, 1982). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  3. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/55641
  4. "Bubbling Under the Hot 100." Billboard. Vol. 94, No. 32. 14 August 1982. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510
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