VOL. 1, TRACK 14: STRAY CATS, “(SHE’S) SEXY & 17”

There is much to love about the Stray Cats, this track, and the music video for “(She’s) Sexy & 17.”

First of all… there’s a rebellious, “fuck school!” attitude that pervades this song and video, and I love it, because saying FUCK YOU to authority is extremely New Wave. Another thing that makes it super New Wave is its attitude of FUN. Like, not only are we going to ditch school and roast all the terrible teachers, we’re also gonna ride our motorcycles down to a local dive, where we’re going to go positively bananas, ripping up the joint with our loud but tuneful rockabilly throwback track, “(She’s) Sexy & 17,” while hot teenage girls whirl and twirl around in ripped, leopard-print spandex and teased hair, before we all collapse in a pile of exhuasted, exalted hedonistic pleasure after the 25 cent beer wears off!

Am I capturing the Gestalt of this song, or what?!?

As I was watching the video this morning, I couldn’t help thinking how not-so-secretly much I would have loved to BE Brian Setzer, back in the day. Like how he was so New Wave, without even trying (which is also sooooo New Wave). He truly didn’t have to give a fuck, because he was so good at playing (and just BEING) rockabilly. And even if you’re not crazy about rockabilly, he was so, OBSCENELY good at being rockabilly, that he would win you over anyway, and you’d leave whistling this tune or another Stray Cats’ track, half-wishing YOU were as cool and talented as Brian Setzer, too.

Am I making any sense? What I’m trying to say is that Brian Setzer is such a master of his craft (in which I include guitar, songwriting, and creating the style/package that the talent comes wrapped up in) that it really wouldn’t matter what he did, he just kills it every time. Call it New Wave, call it rockabilly, but admit it…

You LOVE it. 10/10.

💘