Cat Scratch Fever (song)
Encyclopedia
"Cat Scratch Fever" is a rock
song by Ted Nugent
that appears on the album of the same name
. The song is well known for its signature riff
, which is a 3-tone "blues scale" melody harmonized in parallel fourths. In 2009 it was named the 32nd best hard rock song of all time by VH1
.
for the Detroit Rock City
CD soundtrack. Their version peaked at 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Nugent criticized the version claiming, "It was exceedingly white. No soul, no balls, no feel. Caucasian all the way." Nugent later released more positive comments on the group and even mourned the death of Dimebag Darrell
saying, "It's a heartbreaker."
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
song by Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
that appears on the album of the same name
Cat Scratch Fever
Cat Scratch Fever is an album by Ted Nugent released in 1977, as well as the name of the album's title song. "Death By Misadventure" recounts the death of Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. Guitarist Derek St. Holmes came back during this album after he left...
. The song is well known for its signature riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
, which is a 3-tone "blues scale" melody harmonized in parallel fourths. In 2009 it was named the 32nd best hard rock song of all time by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
.
Chart positions
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 37 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 30 |
Pantera cover
The tune was covered by PanteraPantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
for the Detroit Rock City
Detroit Rock City (film)
Detroit Rock City is a 1999 film about four teenagers in a Kiss cover band who try to see their idols in Detroit in 1978. Comparable to Rock 'n' Roll High School, Dazed and Confused, The Stöned Age, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Detroit Rock City tells a coming of age story through a filter of 1970s...
CD soundtrack. Their version peaked at 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Nugent criticized the version claiming, "It was exceedingly white. No soul, no balls, no feel. Caucasian all the way." Nugent later released more positive comments on the group and even mourned the death of Dimebag Darrell
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
saying, "It's a heartbreaker."
Charts
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
40 |
Covers and in other media
- The Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
have been known to use the song at the beginning of games. - The song was covered by NitroNitro (band)Nitro was an American glam metal band that formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California in 1987. Formed by vocalist Jim Gillette and guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, the band released two studio albums – O.F.R. and Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S. .-History:Nitro was officially formed in 1987 after the...
(on their album Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.), Motörhead (on their album March ör DieMarch ör DieMarch ör Die is the tenth album by the British band Motörhead. It was recorded and released in 1992.-History:Recorded at Music Grinder Studios, Los Angeles, three drummers participated in the making of this album: Phil Taylor, who was fired after "I Ain't No Nice Guy" was recorded , Tommy Aldridge...
, albeit with some revised, less sexual lyrics), and Hayseed DixieHayseed DixieHayseed Dixie is an American band which began in the autumn of 2000 with the release of their first album, A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC. The band performs a mixture of cover versions of hard rock songs and original compositions in a style that is a unique fusion of bluegrass and rock music and are...
(on their album "A Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain LoveA Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain LoveA Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain Love is the second album by American band Hayseed Dixie, released in 2002 .-Track listing:#"My Best Friend's Girl" – 2:54#"Centerfold" A Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain Love is the second album by American band Hayseed Dixie, released in 2002 (see 2002 in...
.") - The Replacements used the song's main riff on "Gary's Got A Boner", from their 1984 Let It Be album. The band even gave Nugent a co-writing credit.
- In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode A Tale of Two SpringfieldsA Tale of Two Springfields"A Tale of Two Springfields" is the second episode from season twelve of the animated TV series The Simpsons and is the 250th episode of the series overall in both broadcast and production order. The episode originally premiered November 5, 2000 on Fox Broadcasting Company.The episode was written...
, HomerHomer SimpsonHomer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
takes a guitar and plays the opening riff to "Cat Scratch Fever", but sings it "Pac-Man FeverPac-Man Fever (album)Pac-Man Fever is a 1982 concept album recorded by Buckner & Garcia. It is also the name of the first song on that album. Each song on the album is about a different classic arcade game, and uses sound effects from that game. The album was released as an LP, a cassette, an 8-track tape, and later...
". - The song is the theme song for the San Jose SaberCatsSan Jose SaberCatsThe San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
. - The song was featured in the video games PreyPrey (video game)Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios , and published by 2K Games. The Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on 11 July 2006...
and Guitar Hero: AerosmithGuitar Hero: AerosmithGuitar Hero: Aerosmith is a music video game developed by Neversoft and distributed by Activision. It was released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, with a Wii version developed by Vicarious Visions, a PlayStation 2 version by Budcat Creations and with a PC and Mac version by Aspyr Media...
. - The song has been featured in many other movies and TV-series, including Lords of DogtownLords of DogtownLords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport...
, EDtvEdTVEDtv is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Ron Howard. An adaptation of the Quebec film Louis 19, le roi des ondes , it stars Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman, Woody Harrelson, Ellen DeGeneres, Martin Landau, Rob Reiner, Sally Kirkland, Elizabeth Hurley, Clint Howard, and Dennis Hopper.The...
and The Stoned AgeThe Stoned AgeThe Stöned Age is a 1994 American comedy film directed by James Melkonian, set during the 1970s about two long haired stoners named Michael Hubbs and Joe Connolly and one night cruising Southern California looking for alcohol, parties, and chicks.-Plot summary:The story takes place in Torrance,...
. - Whenever Ted Nugent's character Skunk Tarver is going to do anything in the movie Beer for My HorsesBeer for My Horses (film)Beer for My Horses is a 2008 American feature film comedy. The film stars country music entertainer Toby Keith and is based on his song by the same name...
the intros to "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Stranglehold" are played. - AnvilAnvil (band)Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band comprising Steve "Lips" Kudlow , Robb Reiner , and Glenn Five...
played the song together with Scott IanScott IanScott Ian Rosenfeld , better known by the stage name Scott Ian, is an American musician, best known as the rhythm & lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Anthrax. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death...
of AnthraxAnthrax (band)Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
and SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
at the premiere of Anvil! The Story of AnvilAnvil! The Story of AnvilAnvil! The Story of Anvil is a 2008 documentary film about the Canadian heavy metal band, Anvil. The film is directed by screenwriter Sacha Gervasi, whose previous credits include The Big Tease and The Terminal....
at the Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in 2009. - The song is played before Cincinnati BearcatsCincinnati BearcatsThe Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
football games. - The NFL's Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
have played the intro to "Catch Scratch Fever" at each of their home games over the public address system, prior to the team's kickoffs, after the Panthers have scored either a touchdown or field goal. The song has also been mixed with the instrumental intro to rap duo Salt-N-PepaSalt-N-PepaSalt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews....
's 80's smash hit "Push ItPush It (Salt-N-Pepa song)"Push It" is a song by the group Salt-N-Pepa, released as a single in 1986. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA...
".