Built for Speed (Stray Cats album)

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

Built for Speed
Studio album by Stray Cats
Released	June 1982
Recorded	1981–1982
Genre	Rockabilly
Length	36:15
Label	EMI America
Producer	Dave Edmunds Hein Hoven Stray Cats
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 tracks taken from the band's first two British 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 United Kingdom.

It was the most successful record for the band, earning a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, and with the music videos for songs such as "Rock This Town" and "Stray Cat Strut" reaching MTV regular rotation status.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]
The Village Voice	B−[3]

Reviewing Built for Speed 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".[3] Rolling Stone's David Fricke found Stray Cats' self-production "spiritless" and their original compositions "mostly average", remarking that the band only "gets it dead right" on the tracks produced by Dave Edmunds.[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

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Rock This Town"	Brian Setzer	Dave Edmunds	3:24
2.	"Built for Speed"	Setzer	Stray Cats	2:53
3.	"Rev It Up & Go"	Setzer	Stray Cats Hein Hoven	2:27
4.	"Stray Cat Strut"	Setzer	Edmunds	3:15
5.	"Little Miss Prissy"	Setzer	Stray Cats Hein Hoven	2:59
6.	"Rumble in Brighton"	Setzer Slim Jim Phantom	Stray Cats Hein Hoven	3:11

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Runaway Boys"	Setzer Phantom	Edmunds	2:58
2.	"Lonely Summer Nights"	Setzer	Stray Cats Hein Hoven	3:16
3.	"Double Talkin' Baby"	Danny Wolfe	Edmunds	3:02
4.	"You Don't Believe Me"	Setzer Phantom Lee Rocker	Stray Cats Hein Hoven	2:54
5.	"Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie"	George Motola Ricky Page	Edmunds	2:18
6.	"Baby Blue Eyes"	Paul Burlison Johnny Burnette	Stray Cats Hein Hoven	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).[4]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's sleeve notes.[5]

Stray Cats Brian Setzer – guitars, lap steel guitar, vocals Slim Jim Phantom – drums, vocals Lee Rocker – bass, electric bass, vocals Production Dave Edmunds – production Hein Hoven – production Stray Cats – production Wally Traugott – mastering

Design Charles Novick Studios – design Gavin Cochrane – front cover photography Francesca – design Guido Harari – back cover photography Sheila Rock – back cover photography

Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1982	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 Rock Tracks	4
1983	"Stray Cat Strut"	Billboard Hot 100	3
1983	"Stray Cat Strut"	Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1983	42

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6]	2× Platinum	200,000^^
United States (RIAA)[7]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Deming, Mark. "Built for Speed – Stray Cats". AllMusic. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
2. Fricke, David (September 30, 1982). "Stray Cats: Built for Speed". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
3. Christgau, Robert (November 30, 1982). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
4. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/55641
5. Built for Speed (sleeve notes). Stray Cats. EMI America Records. 1982. ST-17070.CS1 maint: others (link)
6. "Canadian album certifications – Stray Cats – Built for Speed". Music Canada. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
7. "American album certifications – Stray Cats – Built for Speed". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 3, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.