Song of the Day: Gene Vincent - Cat Man

The narrative of early rock n roll is a well-known one – a burst of rebellion, quickly submerged into the mainstream showbiz abyss, a journey typically connected with Elvis Presley. Of course, revisionism is a strong component of music criticism precisely because such narratives are coarsely simplistic and reductionist (indeed, some of Presley’s late 60s albums are considered among his best). What is often forgotten is the embedded radicalism of many of the early rock n roll songs.

“Cat Man” is a superbly sinister song; maybe it’s the squeamish guitar lines, Vincent’s anguished shouts, the typical rockabilly reverb – or most importantly, maybe it’s the title character, who the lyrics portray as some sort of sexual predator. Either way, this song embodies the below-the-surface sexuality and violence present in many early rockabilly tracks.