Cat Scratch Fever (song)

"Cat Scratch Fever"
Single by Ted Nugent
from the album Cat Scratch Fever
B-side"A Thousand Knives" (EU) "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" (US)
ReleasedJuly 1977[1]
Recorded1977
GenreHeavy metal,[2] hard rock
Length
  • 3:38 (album version)
  • 3:04 (single version)
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent singles chronology
"Dog Eat Dog"
(1976) 		"Cat Scratch Fever"
(1977) 		"Home Bound"
(1977)

"Cat Scratch Fever" is a song by American rock musician Ted Nugent from his album of the same name.[3] The song is well known for its signature riff, which is a 3-tone minor-key melody harmonized in parallel fourths. In 2009, it was named the 32nd-best hard rock song of all time by VH1.[4]

Chart positions

Chart (1977) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Top Singles 37
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] 30

Pantera cover

"Cat Scratch Fever"
Promotional single by Pantera
from the album Detroit Rock City: Music from the Motion Picture
Released1999
Length3:48
LabelPolyGram
Songwriter(s)Ted Nugent
Pantera singles chronology
"Where You Come From"
(1997) 		"Cat Scratch Fever"
(1999) 		"Revolution Is My Name"
(2000)

The tune was covered by heavy metal band Pantera for Detroit Rock City's CD soundtrack.[6] Their version peaked at 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart.[7] Nugent criticized the version, claiming, "It was exceedingly white. No soul, no balls, no feel. Caucasian all the way."[8]

Charts

Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[9] 40

References

  1. ^ Strong, M. C. (1995). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books Ltd. pp. 594–5. ISBN 0-86241-385-0.
  2. ^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-7935-4042-6.
  3. ^ "Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  4. ^ "Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs". January 1, 2009. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 621.
  6. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Detroit Rock City - Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  7. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Pantera". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  8. ^ "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - TED NUGENT Says PANTERA's Version Of 'Cat Scratch Fever' Had 'No Soul, No Balls'". Roadrunner Records. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  9. ^ "Pantera Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2021.


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