Round and Round (Ratt song)

The song's style has been widely described as glam metal.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-best-singles-of-1984-pops-greatest-year-163322/ratt-round-and-round-49467/|title=100 Best Singles of 1984: Pop's Greatest Year|date=September 17, 2014|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=August 9, 2018}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-10-greatest-hair-metal-songs-11547/2-ratt-round-and-round-231799/|title=Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Hair Metal Songs|date=February 5, 2014|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=February 16, 2019}}{{Cite web|date=January 13, 2020|last=Corey|first=Irwin|title=Ratt, Fozzy Added to Kiss Kruise X Lineup|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ratt-fozzy-kiss-kruise/|access-date=2021-02-26|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|language=en}}{{Cite web|author=Sleazegrinder|date=December 4, 2015|title=The 20 Best Hair Metal Anthems Of All Time Ever|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-best-20-hair-metal-anthems-of-all-time-ever|access-date=March 3, 2021|website=loudersound|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=The Ultimate Hair Metal Party Playlist|url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/the-ultimate-hair-metal-party-playlist/|access-date=2021-03-04|website=Kerrang!}}{{Cite web|last=Masley|first=Ed|title=Best '80s pop-metal songs, from Def Leppard to Poison|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/07/08/best-pop-metal-songs-80s-def-leppard/12367099/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=The Arizona Republic|language=en-US}}{{Citation|title=Double Shot: Metal - Various Artists {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/double-shot-metal-mw0000053769|language=en|access-date=2021-08-09}}{{Cite web|date=2012-06-04|title=First Worsts: Remembering When Bon Jovi Gave 'Hair Metal' A Bad Name|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/06/04/first-worsts-remembering-when-bon-jovi-gave-hair-metal-a-bad-name/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=The Village Voice|quote=and such catchy (and, I must say, excellent) pop-metal songs as Ratt’s “Round and Round”}}

Ratt used to write songs in their Sunset Strip apartment by having both guitarists record riffs and melodies on cassettes, and then "bouncing" them back and forth, interspersing the riffs. Singer Stephen Pearcy said, "The lyrical content of 'Round And Round' is pretty much just stating our claim: 'Out on the streets, it's where we'll meet.' It's about the group, getting ready to do our thing. This is what we do."

The original version of the song, which the band performed live frequently in 1983, did not have the "you put an arrow through my heart" bridge. The bridge was a suggestion of producer Beau Hill.{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/stephen-pearcy-of-ratt|title=Stephen Pearcy of Ratt : Songwriter Interviews |last=Prato|first=Greg|website= Songfacts|date=June 6, 2023 |accessdate=June 9, 2023}}

In the song's music video, Milton Berle (uncle of Ratt manager Marshall Berle) plays both the staid head-of-household as well as the family matron (echoing his famous cross-dressing stunts of the 1950s). Both characters seem perturbed by the loud volume of Ratt's playing, and quickly leave the table.

Meanwhile, a seemingly shy yet attractive young woman (played by Lisa Dean, who would later turn up in the video for Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana"{{cite web| title= The Woman Above the Legs| work= Los Angeles Times| date= July 3, 1988| url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-03-ca-8781-story.html}}) is drawn by the music to the attic. On the way upstairs to the attic, her dress and wig fall off, and she gives herself a makeover. The woman appears in the attic as a completely different person, and begins dancing to the song.

At the end of the video, the butler is dressed as a metalhead and excitedly dancing to the music in a separate room.

The song's video was placed on New York Times list of the 15 Essential Hair-Metal Videos.{{Cite news| last= Edwards|first=Gavin|date=2020-05-05| title=15 Essential Hair-Metal Videos| language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/arts/music/hair-metal-videos.html| access-date=2021-03-15|issn=0362-4331}}

"Round and Round" is Ratt's biggest hit single, reaching No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. The tune was ranked number 51 on VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s{{cite web| title= VH1 the 80's| via= rockonthenet.com| url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2006/vh180s.htm|access-date= February 7, 2009}} and was named the 61st best hard rock song of all time also by VH1.{{cite news| url= https://www.stereogum.com/43591/vh1s_100_greatest_hard_rock_songs/franchises/list/|title=100 Best Hard Rock Songs Ever (According to VH1)| last= Stosuy| first= Brandon|date=January 5, 2009|work=Stereogum.com |access-date= August 9, 2018}} In March 2023, Rolling Stone ranked "Round and Round" at number 20 on their "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time" list.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-13 |title=The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-heavy-metal-songs-1234688425/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313191405/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-heavy-metal-songs-1234688425/ |archive-date=2023-03-13 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

"Round and Round" was used in season 1 of the series Supernatural and season 2 of the Netflix series Stranger Things.[https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/10/30/metallica-among-stranger-things-sequel-bands/811259001/ "‘Stranger Things 2’ music is both heavy, mellow"] The Indianapolis Star

It was used during season 1 of Cobra Kai. The song was also used in the end credits for Billy & Mandy Save Christmas and in the 2008 film The Wrestler. It was also featured in the rhythm video game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s as a cover, and as a master recording in Guitar Hero Smash Hits and Rock Band 2. It was also featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories in Radio Station V-Rock. Additionally, it was also featured in Saints Row on the radio station “106.6 The Krunch.”

In a 2020 TV commercial for GEICO, a young couple explains their new home has a Ratt problem—not a rat problem, as would be a much more likely complaint for homeowners. The band is seen singing "Round and Round" in various parts of the house.{{cite web | url= https://ultimateclassicrock.com/ratt-geico-commercial/ | title = Ratt GEICO Commercial | website = UltimateClassicRock.com | publisher =| date =| accessdate =}} The song charted again, reaching #18 on the Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales Chart on June 4, 2020.{{cn|date=September 2021}}

1. "Round and Round" – 4:22
2. "The Morning After" – 3:33

• Stephen Pearcy – vocals
• Warren DeMartini – guitar
• Robbin Crosby – guitar
• Juan Croucier – bass guitar and backing vocals
• Bobby Blotzer – drums

{{Reflist}}

{{Ratt}}

Category:1984 songs

Category:1984 singles

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Ratt songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Beau Hill

Category:Songs written by Robbin Crosby

Category:Songs written by Stephen Pearcy

Category:Songs written by Warren DeMartini