Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats
| type = Album
| artist = Stray Cats
| cover = Rant N Rave cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 15, 1983
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Rockabilly
| length = 30:37
| label = EMI America
| producer = Dave Edmunds
| prev_title = Built for Speed
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = Rock Therapy
| next_year = 1986
}}
Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats is the third studio album by American rockabilly revivalist band Stray Cats, released in 1983 by EMI America. It was produced by Dave Edmunds. The album featured the No. 5 hit "(She's) Sexy + 17", Top 40 hit "I Won't Stand in Your Way" (#35) and "Look At That Cadillac" (#68).
Critical reception
{{music ratings
|rev1 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
|rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=678}}
}}
In a contemporary review for The Village Voice, music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "B−" and said that its "bigger and rawer" sound was an improvement over "Built for Speed{{'}}s prettification", but felt that, despite his improved guitar playing, Brian Setzer was a poor songwriter and "a preening panderer, mythologizing his rockin' '50s with all the ignorant cynicism of a punk poser".{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=November 11, 1983|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv10-83.php|title=Consumer Guide|newspaper=The Village Voice|location=New York|accessdate=July 3, 2013}} In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the album "sounded identical" to Built for Speed and was just as strong because of the hits "(She's) Sexy + 17" and "I Won't Stand in Your Way".{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/rant-n-rave-with-the-stray-cats-mw0001952469|accessdate=July 3, 2013|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Rant N Rave with the Stray Cats - Stray Cats|publisher=Allmusic}}
Track listing
All tracks composed by Brian Setzer; except where indicated
- "Rebels Rule"
- "Too Hip, Gotta Go"
- "Look at That Cadillac"
- "Something's Wrong With My Radio" (Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, Lee Rocker)
- "18 Miles to Memphis"
- "(She's) Sexy + 17"
- "Dig Dirty Doggie"
- "I Won't Stand in Your Way"
- "Hotrod Gang"
- "How Long You Wanna Live, Anyway?" (Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, Lee Rocker)
- "Lucky Charm (Ooh Wee Suzy)" (Japan Release Bonus Track)
Personnel
- Brian Setzer - guitar, vocals
- Lee Rocker - bass, vocals
- Slim Jim Phantom - drums
- 14 Karat Soul - background vocals
- Mel Collins - saxophone
- Geraint Watkins - piano
- David Thurmond - background vocals
- Russell Fox II - background vocals
- Gavin Cochrane - Photography
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! Chart (1983) ! Peak |
| scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|year=1993|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|edition=illustrated|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=297}}
|align="center"| 28 |
|---|
| {{Album chart|Canada|15|artist=Stray Cats|album=Rant 'N' Rave|chartid=4335a|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Album chart|Netherlands|44|artist=Stray Cats|album=Rant 'N' Rave|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
| scope="row"| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts){{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5 |language=fi}}
| align="center"| 16 |
| scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP){{cite web|url=https://infodisc.fr/Album_Liste_Selection2.php?Lettre=S|website =Infodisc.fr |language=fr |access-date=January 18, 2025|title=Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – S}} Select Stray Cats from the menu, then press OK.
| style="text-align:center;"| 15 |
| {{Album chart|Germany4|25|artist=Stray Cats|album=Rant 'N' Rave|id=27|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Album chart|Sweden|43|artist=Stray Cats|album=Rant 'N' Rave|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Album chart|Switzerland|27|artist=Stray Cats|album=Rant 'N' Rave|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Album chart|UK2|51|date=19830911|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Album chart|Billboard200|14|artist=Stray Cats|accessdate=January 18, 2025|rowheader=true}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Stray Cats|title=Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats|award=Platinum|relyear=1983|certyear=1983}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Stray Cats|title=Rant|award=Gold|relyear=1983|certyear=1983}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}