WCSX Classic Cuts
Billy Squier: “The Stroke”
The Hook: Inspired by the music business itself.
Album: Don’t Say No
Year: 1981
Writer: Billy Squier
Stats: Peaked at number-17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-3 on the Top Rock Tracks chart..
Background: Billy Squier says that when he wrote “The Stroke” he was writing about his life at the time. And he figured the title was just the cherry on top.
Billy Squier on what inspired “The Stroke.” OC:…really perfect. :30
“The impetus behind that song was actually the music business, the hustle that goes on. And at the time I was running around promoting my first record and I saw a lot of things that just made me reflect on what are people after and the sort of Machiavellian tendencies that some people have and the pretense that’s involved. Once I decided to call it ‘The Stroke,’ you get the sexual innuendos. Being a very big fan of ambiguity, which I think is a very important part of rock lyrics, allowing people to attach their own meaning to things, I went, ‘Well, this is great. This is going to carry on so many levels. It’ll be really perfect.’”