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Cool for Cats (song)

December 15, 2023

"Cool for Cats" is a song by English rock band Squeeze, released as the second single from their album of the same name. The song features a rare lead vocal performance from cockney-accented Squeeze lyricist Chris Difford, one of the only two occasions he sang lead on a Squeeze single A-side (the other was 1989's "Love Circles"). The song, slightly edited from the album track, peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979, making "Cool for Cats" one of the band's biggest hits.

"Cool for Cats"
Single by Squeeze
from the album Cool for Cats
B-side"Model"
Released9 March 1979
Recorded1978
Genre
Length3:39 (album version)
3:10 (single version)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • John Wood
  • Squeeze
Squeeze singles chronology
"Goodbye Girl"
(1978) 		"Cool for Cats"
(1979) 		"Up the Junction"
(1979)
"Crying in My Sleep"
(1991)
"Cool for Cats"
(1992)
"Third Rail"
(1993)
Music video
"Cool for Cats" on YouTube

Background edit

"Cool for Cats" was written about the social scene the band experienced in their youth. Tilbrook recalled: "Originally it was written about the social circle we were moving in at the time, being young and being... we were almost entirely centered in our own little world. I remember hearing Chris sing those lyrics for the first time and thinking he's just nailed what our lives are about now. It's lovely to be able to look back on that and see how we were as youngsters."[3]

The title phrase, which Difford felt "was a great song title", is a reference to the television series Cool for Cats. Difford commented in a 1979 interview: "I don't know if you're familiar with the phrase 'Cool For Cats,' but it was the first rock 'n' roll television show in England during 1959. That's where the album and single title originated - I just worked it into some personal experiences within the lyrical content."[4]

Originally, the song was performed much slower and featured a different set of lyrics. However, at the request of co-producer John Wood, Difford wrote a new lyric to the backing track the band had recorded. According to Difford, he wrote a new lyric after watching The Benny Hill Show, which featured character-based musical numbers performed to a flat metre. Tilbrook felt Difford's new lyrics and vocals "sounded unbelievably cool" and recruited his girlfriend and her friends to contribute the female backing vocals on the chorus.[5]

Release edit

"Cool For Cats" was released as a single on 9 March 1979. The band performed the song on Top of the Pops to promote the single, though the band was forced to alter the lyric "I'm invited in for a coffee / and I give the dog a bone".[5] The band also released a music video for the song featuring the band and female backing singers performing the song. Tilbrook later said the video "makes me cringe", particularly for a moment where Tilbrook "burst through a group of girls" in an attempt to look "panther-like and super-sexy", only to "just look pissed".[5] Difford notes that the band originally filmed a different video where the band constantly changed hats, but it did not appear on TV because it featured a clip of drummer Gilson Lavis downing a pint of beer in two seconds.[5]

"Cool For Cats" would prove to be the band's biggest UK hit to that point, reaching number two on the charts there.[6] "Cool For Cats" remains numerically tied with the band's subsequent single, "Up The Junction", for the band's highest UK charting single. The band became ambivalent about these songs, however: Difford noted that the band "deliberately binned" their two best-charting singles when he and Tilbrook started attracting critical acclaim as "the new Lennon–McCartney". Difford concluded, though, "Now I look back on those songs with great affection because without them I wouldn't be where I am today."[5]

The song has also appeared on several of the band's compilations, such as Singles – 45's and Under.

Reception edit

Cash Box called it "a light, bouncy number that almost borders on a disco beat combines with amusing tongue-in-cheek lyrics and cute female backup vocals."[7] Record World said that "hard, fast-spoken lead vocals contrast with a vivid falsetto chorus."[8]

Track listing edit

  1. "Cool for Cats" (3:10)
  2. "Model" (3:30)

1992 UK re-issue
A&M AMCD 694 – Limited Edition Cool Cat Pac

  1. "Cool for Cats"
  2. "Trust Me to Open My Mouth"
  3. "Squabs on Forty Five"

Personnel edit

  • Chris Difford – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
  • Glenn Tilbrook – lead guitar
  • Harry Kakoulli – bass
  • Jools Holland – keyboard
  • Gilson Lavis – drums

Chart positions edit

Weekly charts edit

Chart (1979) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 39
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 33
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 11
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 2

Year-end charts edit

Year-end chart performance for "Cool for Cats"
Chart (1979) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 30

References edit

  1. ^ a b Mason, Stewart. "Cool for Cats - Squeeze". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  2. ^ "The 80 Greatest Albums of 1980". Rolling Stone. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2023. A year after their cockney skinny-tie disco classic "Cool for Cats"...
  3. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie. "Squeeze's Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook reveal the strangest fan encounter they've had: 'She wins the award'". Fox News. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  4. ^ ""Cool For Cats" - Squeeze". Songfacts. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Tilbrook, Glenn; Difford, Chris; Drury, Jim. Squeeze: Song by Song. Sanctuary.
  6. ^ "Chart Stats – Squeeze". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  7. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 12 May 1979. p. 17. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 21 July 1979. p. 245. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 316. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Squeeze" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Squeeze – Cool For Cats" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Squeeze – Cool For Cats". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  14. ^ "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 10 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.

External links edit

  • at Squeezenet

December 15, 2023
cool, cats, song, cool, cats, song, english, rock, band, squeeze, released, second, single, from, their, album, same, name, song, features, rare, lead, vocal, performance, from, cockney, accented, squeeze, lyricist, chris, difford, only, occasions, sang, lead,. Cool for Cats is a song by English rock band Squeeze released as the second single from their album of the same name The song features a rare lead vocal performance from cockney accented Squeeze lyricist Chris Difford one of the only two occasions he sang lead on a Squeeze single A side the other was 1989 s Love Circles The song slightly edited from the album track peaked at No 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979 making Cool for Cats one of the band s biggest hits Cool for Cats Single by Squeezefrom the album Cool for CatsB side Model Released9 March 1979Recorded1978GenrePub rock 1 new wave 1 disco 2 Length3 39 album version 3 10 single version LabelA amp MSongwriter s Chris DiffordGlenn TilbrookProducer s John WoodSqueezeSqueeze singles chronology Goodbye Girl 1978 Cool for Cats 1979 Up the Junction 1979 Crying in My Sleep 1991 Cool for Cats 1992 Third Rail 1993 Music video Cool for Cats on YouTube Contents 1 Background 2 Release 3 Reception 4 Track listing 5 Personnel 6 Chart positions 6 1 Weekly charts 6 2 Year end charts 7 References 8 External linksBackground edit Cool for Cats was written about the social scene the band experienced in their youth Tilbrook recalled Originally it was written about the social circle we were moving in at the time being young and being we were almost entirely centered in our own little world I remember hearing Chris sing those lyrics for the first time and thinking he s just nailed what our lives are about now It s lovely to be able to look back on that and see how we were as youngsters 3 The title phrase which Difford felt was a great song title is a reference to the television series Cool for Cats Difford commented in a 1979 interview I don t know if you re familiar with the phrase Cool For Cats but it was the first rock n roll television show in England during 1959 That s where the album and single title originated I just worked it into some personal experiences within the lyrical content 4 Originally the song was performed much slower and featured a different set of lyrics However at the request of co producer John Wood Difford wrote a new lyric to the backing track the band had recorded According to Difford he wrote a new lyric after watching The Benny Hill Show which featured character based musical numbers performed to a flat metre Tilbrook felt Difford s new lyrics and vocals sounded unbelievably cool and recruited his girlfriend and her friends to contribute the female backing vocals on the chorus 5 Release edit Cool For Cats was released as a single on 9 March 1979 The band performed the song on Top of the Pops to promote the single though the band was forced to alter the lyric I m invited in for a coffee and I give the dog a bone 5 The band also released a music video for the song featuring the band and female backing singers performing the song Tilbrook later said the video makes me cringe particularly for a moment where Tilbrook burst through a group of girls in an attempt to look panther like and super sexy only to just look pissed 5 Difford notes that the band originally filmed a different video where the band constantly changed hats but it did not appear on TV because it featured a clip of drummer Gilson Lavis downing a pint of beer in two seconds 5 Cool For Cats would prove to be the band s biggest UK hit to that point reaching number two on the charts there 6 Cool For Cats remains numerically tied with the band s subsequent single Up The Junction for the band s highest UK charting single The band became ambivalent about these songs however Difford noted that the band deliberately binned their two best charting singles when he and Tilbrook started attracting critical acclaim as the new Lennon McCartney Difford concluded though Now I look back on those songs with great affection because without them I wouldn t be where I am today 5 The song has also appeared on several of the band s compilations such as Singles 45 s and Under Reception editCash Box called it a light bouncy number that almost borders on a disco beat combines with amusing tongue in cheek lyrics and cute female backup vocals 7 Record World said that hard fast spoken lead vocals contrast with a vivid falsetto chorus 8 Track listing edit Cool for Cats 3 10 Model 3 30 1992 UK re issueA amp M AMCD 694 Limited Edition Cool Cat Pac Cool for Cats Trust Me to Open My Mouth Squabs on Forty Five Personnel editChris Difford rhythm guitar lead vocals Glenn Tilbrook lead guitar Harry Kakoulli bass Jools Holland keyboard Gilson Lavis drumsChart positions editWeekly charts edit Chart 1979 PeakpositionAustralia Kent Music Report 9 5Netherlands Dutch Top 40 10 39Netherlands Single Top 100 11 33New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 12 11UK Singles OCC 13 2Year end charts edit Year end chart performance for Cool for Cats Chart 1979 PositionAustralia Kent Music Report 14 30References edit a b Mason Stewart Cool for Cats Squeeze AllMusic Retrieved 16 November 2019 The 80 Greatest Albums of 1980 Rolling Stone 11 November 2020 Retrieved 30 September 2023 A year after their cockney skinny tie disco classic Cool for Cats Nolasco Stephanie Squeeze s Chris Difford Glenn Tilbrook reveal the strangest fan encounter they ve had She wins the award Fox News Retrieved 10 November 2019 Cool For Cats Squeeze Songfacts Retrieved 5 September 2022 a b c d e Tilbrook Glenn Difford Chris Drury Jim Squeeze Song by Song Sanctuary Chart Stats Squeeze Official Charts Company Retrieved 12 October 2017 CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box 12 May 1979 p 17 Retrieved 1 January 2022 Hits of the Week PDF Record World 21 July 1979 p 245 Retrieved 11 February 2023 Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 illustrated ed St Ives N S W Australian Chart Book p 316 ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Nederlandse Top 40 Squeeze in Dutch Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 10 November 2013 Squeeze Cool For Cats in Dutch Single Top 100 Retrieved 10 November 2013 Squeeze Cool For Cats Top 40 Singles Retrieved 10 November 2013 Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved 10 November 2013 Kent Music Report No 288 31 December 1979 gt National Top 100 Singles for 1979 Kent Music Report Retrieved 10 January 2023 via Imgur com External links editSqueeze discography at Squeezenet Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cool for Cats song amp oldid 1182060341, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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