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This Rockabilly Revival Group’s Debut US Album Spent a Record 15 Weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (But Never Topped the Chart)
Long Island, New York-based rockabilly trio The Stray Cats exploded onto the music scene in the early 1980s, initially finding success in the United Kingdom.
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The band released its first two studio albums—Stray Cats and Gonna Ball—in the U.K. in 1981. The group’s U.S. debut, Built For Speed, was a 12-track compilation featuring six songs from Stray Cats, five tracks from Gonna Ball, and one new tune—the title track.
Built For Speed was released in June 1982. The album’s first single “Stray Cat Strut,” didn’t catch on at first. The second single from Built For Speed, though, “Rock This Town,” which was released in late August 1982, became a hit. It eventually peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The popularity of “Rock This Town” propelled Built For Speed up the Billboard 200. On November 27, 1982, the album reached No. 2 on the chart. It was the start of a historic, albeit frustrating, run for The Stray Cats. Built For Speed went on to spend a record 15 consecutive weeks at the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 and never wound up topping the tally.
For the first 13 weeks, Built For Speed was kept from the top of the chart by Men At Work’s Business As Usual. The Australian New Wave band’s debut album had ascended to No. 1 on November 13, 1982. After 15 weeks, on February 26, 1983, Business As Usual finally relinquished its stranglehold on the Billboard 200’s top spot to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Built For Speed spent two more weeks at No. 2 behind Jackson’s pop juggernaut, then began dropping down the chart on March 5, 1983.
More About the Stray Cats and ‘Built For Speed’
The Stray Cats were formed in 1979 in Massapequa, New York, by singer/guitarist Brian Setzer and drummer Slim Jim Phantom. They soon were joined by double bassist Lee Rocker, a schoolmate of Phantom’s also from Massapequa.
While playing a gig in London, The Stray Cats met British roots rocker Dave Edmunds, who co-produced their debut album. Released in February 1981, Stray Cats yielded three Top-20 U.K. hits—“Runaway Boys,” “Rock This Town,” and “Stray Cat Strut.”
All three songs were included on Built For Speed. After “Rock This Town” became a U.S. hit, “Stray Cat Strut” began moving up the Hot 100 chart again. It peaked at No. 3, becoming the band’s highest-charting single to date.
The success of both songs was helped by popular music videos that aired frequently on MTV.
In December 1982, Built For Speed was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1 million in the U.S. The album remains The Stray Cats’ bestselling record to date.
In 1983, The Stray Cats were among the nominees for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. Men At Work, whose album kept Built For Speed from reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for so many weeks, won the honor.
Incidentally, Thriller went on to spend 17 straight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Amazingly, the album returned to the top of the chart for 20 more nonconsecutive weeks. Thriller’s 37 weeks at No. 1 is a Billboard 200 chart record for an individual artist or band.
(Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns)
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