How to Play Stray Cat Strut by the Stray Cats

[@perry4889]

Re the chord at 8:30, when the Stray Cats were touring New Zealand not long after this song came out, Brian Setzer came into the music shop I used to hang out at, I had just finished trying to learn this song. I played him what I had worked out but told him that the third chord in the 'quiet' section before the solo had me stumped. He showed me and it is definitely G7aug, or as some people say G7#5, same thing. He played it as first finger-G on the bottom E string, he damped off the A string, then played F on the D string with his 2nd finger, B on G string with his third finger and D# on the B string with his fourth, top E not played. Therefore, a G7 with an augmented or sharp 5. Trying to hear/picture this without a guitar in my hands at the moment but that is what he showed me. Hope it helps.

[@philshaw4854]

Great comment mate

[@perry4889]

@@philshaw4854 Glad to help, not one that most guitarists would come across often, I know I hadn't.

[@sjsharks199100]

That is Great - Thanks for posting this!

[@perry4889]

Sharks 1991 Not a problem. One thing I remember is that I was only about 20 and he was a year younger than me. Hard to believe now but I also remember that he was genuinely surprised that someone had sat down and tried to learn one of his songs! All these years later and people are still trying to learn it! Amazing.

[@AthelstanEngland]

@@perry4889 even if I didn't want to know the chord I'd still be interested in this story. Great memory!

[@rnarizona9686]

Not only is this guy a good teacher, but he's nice and cares about animals. I like this guy, glad I found him.

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

Anybody who cares about animals is OK by me, the fact he's a fab player is even better

[@TioManfredo]

My dad has that exact chet atkins, original 1960, sounds beautiful.

[@yourguitarsage]

👍 this one is a 59

[@JasonTStewart7]

Very nice, love how you guide us on how to get the correct tone too. The chord in the intro is a g augmented, and in c minor we use flats, so the chords for the main riff are c minor, b flat major, a flat major, g major. Thank you for posting this tricky lead part though. Certainly saved me time listening to it.

[@yourguitarsage]

👍🙏

[@Ronnie_Roy]

thank you so much for your free time. lesson was a lot of fun. could not play at all 3 years ago and now playing like a guitar hero thanks to people like you my hard rockin amigo. peace and love.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you so much Ronnie! I have the first 30 lessons that I teach all my students at www.yourguitarsage.com/30 as well. You'll find some really good stuff in there as well.

[@jurgenschmitt9050]

Thank you for the lesson , and the message at the end .

[@yourguitarsage]

You are very welcome🙏🏼😀

[@AlwaysEngland]

Loved the Stray Cats as a teenager.

[@mryhdy6266]

Love the Stray Cats as a Semicentennarian.... LOL

[@scottredgate5352]

Lets not forget he did this at the age of 17

[@yourguitarsage]

Right?

[@mastershaw3094]

let's not forget he had personal teacher from the age 8! very good teacher!

[@greggnumme8644]

THANK YOU! you know I was going to mention something about that because I've had a very nice successful career and I've been playing guitar for 44 years but I've got to tell you that I play with some very famous musicians but the bottom line was by the time I got to that place I was 28 years old! This kid I had it going on very young and the notes and things that he was hearing and playing we're off-the-charts! So some of these guys that scar this poor guy maybe they should take into consideration if they're guitar player that he was a youngster when he put this all together!

[@fostexfan160]

@@greggnumme8644 Who are you talking about? Setzer? Who the hell has the audacity to scar him?

[@planeandsimple431]

@@fostexfan160 .. He meant; scare. People just don't take the time to proof read what they type.

[@pretty040193]

Thank you. My 8 year old daughter loves this song, and she is a natural, intuitive bass player . When my bass is sticky and out of tune, I know it's her. She really loves music. Again, thank you 😊.

[@yourguitarsage]

That is awesome!

[@OldCowboySongs525]

Thats an amazing Gretsch Guitar youve got there!

[@martinherts1967]

You, Sir, are a Legend!!! Thank you sooooo much, not just for this lesson, but all the Led Zeppelin work. You the Man!!! Seriously, your enthusiasm jumps out of the monitor and this makes you just about the best guitar Teacher in the World!!! Keep rocking!

[@yourguitarsage]

This is the kindest comment that I've had in a while. Thank you so much for the super kind words Martin. I truly appreciate it. :-)

[@martinherts1967]

Dude, it's my pleasure! The best thing I love about your whole philosophy is that you always finish with ''Be nice to each other, and especially animals''......I'm trying to spread the same message over here in the UK, so to know there's another Keeper of the Flame is seriously amazing and reassuring - I write and record my own Rock guitar instrumentals, and wanted to share some examples with you, I've got a way to go yet, but I truly hope you enjoy them! So here goes :soundcloud.com/martin-norman/bad-dog-strut soundcloud.com/martin-norman/placebo If you like what you hear, they're free downloads from Soundcloud......it's all about sharing, Music is a great leveller - you certainly inspire me with your enthusiasm, if I can do the same in return, then Man that's some achievement! Never, ever stop rocking! Take care, Peace :-)

[@yourguitarsage]

NICE!!!!!!

[@carlosfigueroa790]

Completely!! clear to me, Amigo!! Cheers from Central America, Guatemala City!!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thanks, friend!

[@2309612]

Your lessons are top notch and easy to follow as an Intermediate player. Thanks!

[@yourguitarsage]

Glad you like them! 😀🙏🙏🙏

[@stevegray2091]

It's in C minor. The progression goes in "Walk Don't Run" style. Basic verse progression: Cm - Bb7 - Ab7 - G7. The second progression, in F minor, is Fm - Eb - Db - C7. (Refer to your key signature. There are no sharps in C minor.) The chords you are playing are correct, just enharmonically titled incorrectly. The arpeggio you are title B augmented in measure 4 is just a C minor arpeggio.

[@KempoSensei]

I have my sights set on a Gretsch like that. Such a nice guitar. Great vid, thanks.

[@jordandelacruz1866]

Thank you for that insightful lesson! Just scored 3 vintage pieces in a 6 week period(61 Gibson EB2 bass-64 Gretsch Tennessean-75 black Tele Custom) For YEARS could not bond with the many Gretsches I tried and now-where ya been all my life? Love it and helped me decide to keep Ric 370 for 60's part of the set. This tune will also be nice addition to set list! Thanks for your time doing these videos! Rockabilly not my strong suit and who knows how long it would of taken me to learn this!

[@yourguitarsage]

Happy to have helped Bruce! Congrats on the new axes :)

[@greasemark1153]

you know its gonna be bad ass cause his ties undone.

[@yourguitarsage]

hahaha!!

[@Scottocaster6668]

S**t is gonna get real now my friend 😎👌

[@ALXandroATS]

Ha, kinda like when TV weather men start rolling up their sleeves to report on the coming storm/hurricane.

[@johnklein4558]

Erich thank you for posting this lesson on KZbin. Brian is a local boy done good and I love this tune. Thanks for making it easy to follow and explaining things instead of blowing through them.

[@yourguitarsage]

You are welcome. Thanks John.

[@ghoulishgraveyard9305]

I was always intimated to play this song but I could play it now thanks to you

[@ray8427]

Not sure how this popped up on my feed here but am glad it did. I am subscribing and liking this video. Enjoyed this song from the 1st time I heard it on the radio , and am a lazy, VERY lazy guitar owner / player. (more owner than player for the last decade.) This has sparked my interest and want to give this the effort. Thank you from Ontario Canada!

[@yourguitarsage]

👍🙏

[@tellsingandplay]

Dude, you’re going to make me a HERO with my two stray cats friends!! Thanks for this!!

[@yourguitarsage]

🤗👍

[@redbird4481]

Solid man, solid. 🎸

[@swoopste]

Your lessons are really good straight to the pint no nonsense. Keep up the good work👍

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you Steve 🙏🏻

[@MrGonzalezchuey]

LOVE that guitar!!

[@evadelet]

Hey man you missed the whole - "I don't bother chaisin' mice around" bit

[@bluesriderDF]

Yes!! Where is that????

[@BIG_MUNKY]

FINALLY someone mentions that. All these people saying “wow man thanks a lot I can finally play this” uhmmmm excuse me did we see the same video????

[@BogeyDopeYT]

I don’t bother teaching this part of the song🎵🎶😂

[@bobbijean8045]

I miss my '60's Bassman head & Vox 2 x12" cabinet. the guys in the barracks probably didn't.

[@hepgeoff]

Fantastic lesson! Thanks for this. Always love this song.

[@surfshack2]

Setzer is such a cool guitar player. Great style and sound. These are great chords to learn.

[@yourguitarsage]

Couldn't agree more!

[@57ffjjimenez]

Gracias amigo excelente lección

[@lulurosenkrantz3720]

Great lesson . Thanks dude .

[@victorzurdo6516]

Once again, you do it. Good teaching, great tunes. Thank you so much. I do appreciate that extra bit of kind of coaching you sometimes do, some people might not like it, its free also to ignore, and I do think it helps, inspires and guides many people out there. Efforts do make a difference. Gratitude.

[@radrosas9687]

great lesson Erich !love this 80s band.always wanted to play this...next stop the solo.appreciate you teaching for free

[@yourguitarsage]

🤘🤘

[@richardc2803]

at the end he says to be kind to animals. is it ok to go fishing? I love fishing.

[@chusamusic1409]

Fish on! Till lindemann

[@turntablesrockmyworld9315]

I think most don't realize that the guitar sounds on this song are actually 3 guitars, so some of the actual sounds on this might be off. But stellar lesson!

[@georgekawaugray6881]

Thanks man, I'm a blues affectionardo but every now n then I swing a little wide. I've been twaddling on n off with this number for years and because of you and Brian and the band, my circle of friends and anybody else within earshot are gonna get a right Royal twanging. Much thanks once again and I do appreciate your musical ability and willingness to share. Now if only there was something I could do with my hair?

[@chrisbarlow2131]

What a song. WHAT a song!

[@yourguitarsage]

🙌

[@alanestlin312]

Superb that well done

[@DmitriiKukhtenkov]

Hello. I can't find a video where you completely played the song sray cat strut

[@VictorRochaGaming]

I have a 6120 too. It really does make a difference. Nothing sounds like a Gretsch.

[@rennyzero420]

D' Angelico is worth checking out.

[@jonmaclennan]

Awesome Gretsch tone! Love this song!

[@altonlyter2024]

“I don’t bother chasing mice around”.... where is that part?

[@theedrstrangelove]

A 90's early 2000's Ampeg 100 watt Super Rocket is great for this sound.

[@sandymckenney3619]

A real life cat came in my house and won't leave stray cats was my wedding song

[@yourguitarsage]

👍

[@greatchannelname]

not a dig at the player at all, but what's that hum when a note is played? is it the pickups? must have a noise gate or something going because the hum disappears when he stops playing. great lesson, BTW, very clear and informative. thanks!

[@mellowfred8935]

Man you have been an awesome help 🙏 you are so bright. Teaching skills are off the charts. Thank you so very kindly Mellowfred naples Florida

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you Fred! 🙏🤗

[@blankblank4642]

Outstanding!

[@skipgoryews1356]

Thank you so much ! I an new to your vids , so glad to find you and I will see see you soon.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you, Skip! I am so glad you are here: www.yourguitarsage.com/30

[@tarfpir]

YO! That last part about being kind to other species. . thanks for throwing that in friend!

[@yourguitarsage]

🤗👍🙏

[@XJ1100J]

I'm really appreciating this very much. Thanks!

[@martinpark8371]

great lesson your tone and playing are exellent and a really good attitude Erich cheers man!! and yeah it is a really super cool tune..

[@yourguitarsage]

Thanks Martin!

[@Marcos-nm4vl]

Great free lesson, i will try(i'm a beginner), thank you, greetings from Brazil. Stray Cats is nice on guitar!!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you 🙏

[@borealico]

Superb lesson!

[@stuartlaslett9973]

What a beautiful instrument! Nice tutorial.

[@jubileeflymusic]

Thanks for this lesson! Whats the chord at 8:30 8:35 8:39?

[@jubileeflymusic]

@@MondernMan thanks!

[@dennismoore8834]

He is playing an EbAug, which is x4456x

[@jubileeflymusic]

@@dennismoore8834 ty!

[@discotecanacional8302]

Unfortunately i don`t have a gretsch :( Better use a tele or a Epiphone 335?

[@dss618]

Coolella ! Great Instructions ! Plus your'e a cool person, player, cool everything, etc. all of the time always. Now I need some jelly donuts man.

[@drivers1959]

nice job and great lesson

[@Scottocaster6668]

Wow, I'm going a totally different direction here. You made this so easy to pick up. The tremolo gives it that voice it needs. My Floyd is perfect for it. (I do want a Gretch tho). Great job showing this. 👍 Your singing is good also! Thanks again my friend 😎👌.

[@1979guigou]

EXCELLENT tutorial good exlipcation rythmique i love that thnaks

[@yourguitarsage]

Woo woo!!

[@Ant1-y]

Great thanks

[@arjnoro1]

Setzer, one of the best!!!!

[@yourguitarsage]

🤗

[@gatsby2253]

Great lesson man, what are you amp settings

[@chrisclaeys6440]

Thanks so much, this was so helpful

[@yourguitarsage]

🤗🙏

[@francoisvolpelier570]

Could you show how you adjust your amp please ? Thank you for the video.

[@lukeoreilly7161]

Thanks for the lesson; I'll take it busking!

[@nilceakin1111]

Very good!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thanks, friend!

[@petertorro]

Good lesson. What kind of pickup you use (bridge or neck) wich Gretsch type?

[@dumpsterdad9851]

great help thanks

[@jcomm120]

You’re amazing, thanks for giving us newbies a hand up♤♡◇♧

[@yourguitarsage]

👍 www.yourguitarsage.com/30

[@ohplezz]

Great lesson/song. Great!!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you!

[@sandymckenney3619]

Yes

[@romanborysiuk5910]

You are the best.

[@yourguitarsage]

🙏thank you, friend!

[@frooke2]

This was helpful, thanks!

[@yourguitarsage]

👍🙏

[@250alphonse]

My first impression is that this is a sharp dressed man. Why is that important? It speaks volumes to professionalism.

[@yourguitarsage]

🙏

[@edinburghtumuran916]

Thanks for this tutorial! Great!

[@geoc3956]

Great stuff.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you George! Your gratitude is very much appreciated.

[@eltata16]

Great video!!! Thanks!

[@yourguitarsage]

happy to help!

[@AppeltVortex]

Great lesson! Thanks!

[@yourguitarsage]

you are very welcome!

[@napesdrk1174]

Will my 1991 Ibanez 770 DX Blue Lazer work on this tune?

[@keithlightningrogers1053]

What about the bridge? Where's is that confounded bridge!

[@almusitano645]

Fm "I don't bother chasing mice ar-" Cm "-round." Fm "Strutin' down the alley, looking for a fight..." Dmaj "Howlin' to the moon on a..." G7 "...hot summer night."

[@markfahey3921]

loved it, thanks.

[@yourguitarsage]

Glad to hear it!

[@AceFurley]

it's the basically the same chord progression, bass line, rhythm, etc as "hit the road, jack" by Ray Charles (but it's in the key of C, as opposed to A flat for "Hit..."-the key Ray plays it live).

[@yourguitarsage]

👍

[@victorvetuschi3133]

good stuff - thanks

[@jeffgraham7316]

Did I miss the Bridge? That's the part I cannot remember, except that it goes to the 4.

[@TheonlyJesusduck]

This is great. Thanks.

[@sailingfreedomandfireflies2184]

the artwork on the wall behind you is so cool. where did that come from?

[@chrisg9602]

Great lesson

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you!

[@bluesriot2]

hey man great video and thanx for the be kind and be kind to animals at the end peace

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you :)

[@gclaborn]

Thanks for taking the time to do all three vids, Erich... very helpful! One thing I'm hearing a little differently is that final chord. I think he's playing a Cm6/9, not a Cm9. Also, I hear the bridge as Fm6 - Cm9 - Fm6 sliding one fret into each with the pinkie adding/releasing the D (the 6 or 9) as appropriate. At one point, the Cm9 changes to Cm7/9. Then I think it finishes with a straight D major, Gaug then G. Thanks again... one of my favorite songs.

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you so much for the addition George!

[@markopalikko6986]

Great lesson, I subscribed! Thank you, Sir!

[@yourguitarsage]

Woo! Happy to have you on board!

[@googull271]

Good straightforward lesson. Thank you.

[@yourguitarsage]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching

[@macpakinga94]

awesome bro thanks heaps love it

[@yourguitarsage]

Happy to help!

[@ROMIX2944]

Nice version, you should check your amp tubes they seems washed

[@par5eagles975]

Very nice lesson, great amp and technique advice. Some of the fretting and chords are slightly off (or very off)... The intro lick is really not close as Mal Anders mentioned below.. I recommend checking the official DLC for this song in Rocksmith 2014 for a perfectly transcribed version of the album release. In combination with the techniques described in this video you'll be in business.

[@raqueldonaire2574]

No te entiendo ni jota pero me encanta tu canción dedicada a los gatos porque amo los gatos y tu canción a pesar que no entiendo nada pero las imágenes me dicen todo y don muy chistosas me muero de la risa y se las dedico ellos parece que saben que la canción habla d ellos y eso me encanta gracias por tu canción me fascina me sube el animo

[@Meditech509]

I have a question Sage and I sure hope you can answer it because no one else seems able to. Has you or anyone else you know put a set of TV Jones pickups in a Gibson 335? And if you have or do, how did it turn out?

[@rydes68]

Don't do it, single coil pick ups in a 335 will turn out badly...unless their p-90's but still not as good as HB's.

[@kimhansen6384]

@@rydes68 Filtertrons are not single coils dude.

[@MrDtrevino1]

what are those cords right before the solo??? you did'nt mention them.

[@michaeldix4604]

Thank U, thank U, thank U, > So very much. What a good hearted giving great guy and teacher you are,! Key word giving and good... I am a complete newbie and really appreciate your giving such great help.. ! And Yes I am a dog owner and animal lover too.... everybody should give their monthly $5, $10, or $20 to the ASPCA, to help the poor animals.. Animal lovers that is.....sorry could not help myself...

[@yourguitarsage]

That's awesome! Thank you for your support and love for animals!

[@midnightraiin4035]

great job!!!

[@yourguitarsage]

Thank you!