"Strutter" is a song by the American rock band Kiss, released in 1974 on their self-titled debut album, Kiss. It was the third single released from the album and failed to chart.
| "Strutter" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Kiss | ||||
| from the album Kiss | ||||
| Released | August 10, 1974 (US)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1973 | |||
| Studio | Bell Sound (New York City) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:10 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Kiss singles chronology | ||||
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"Strutter" is one of the few Kiss songs written by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley together. Stanley wrote new lyrics to "Stanley the Parrot", a song whose music was composed by Simmons.[5] Stanley's lyrics display his Bob Dylan influence.[6] The song was featured in the video games Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Guitar Hero 2.
Critical reception
edit"Strutter" is widely considered one of Kiss's best songs. Cash Box said that "this may be their most dynamic [rock 'n' roll song] to date" and has "lots of bass and guitar, along with those power driven vocals here, all making for a great single release."[7] Record World called it "pleasurably pompous rock in the best style and tradition of hard, boogie-gaited music."[8] In 2014, Paste ranked the song number two on their list of the 20 greatest Kiss songs,[9] and in 2019, Louder Sound ranked the song number five on their list of the 40 greatest Kiss songs.[10]
Covers
edit- Extreme covered the song on the Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved album (1994)
- The Donnas covered the song for the Detroit Rock City soundtrack (1999)
- Vitamin String Quartet covered the song for the String Quartet Tribute to Kiss album (2004)
- Electric Six covered the song in their covers album, Streets of Gold (2021)
Appearances
edit"Strutter" has appeared on the following Kiss albums:
- Kiss – studio version
- Alive! – live version
- The Originals – studio version
- Double Platinum – re-recorded version titled "Strutter '78" ("I look back at that and think, 'Why?'" remarked Simmons in 1996. "The original version is the classic and the best."[11])
- Smashes, Thrashes & Hits – remixed & edited studio version
- Greatest Kiss – studio version
- The Box Set – demo version
- The Very Best of Kiss – studio version
- Kiss Symphony: Alive IV – live version
- The Best of Kiss: The Millennium Collection – studio version
- Gold – studio version
- Kiss Chronicles: 3 Classic Albums – studio version
- Kiss Alive! 1975–2000 – Alive! version
- Kiss Alive 35 – live version
- Ikons – studio version
- Kiss 40 – re-recorded version titled "Strutter '78"
Personnel
edit- Paul Stanley – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Gene Simmons – bass, backing vocals
- Peter Criss – drums, backing vocals
- Ace Frehley – lead guitar
Charts
edit| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles (Kent Music Report)[12] | 89 |
References
edit- ^ "KISS - Strutter - Reviews - Album of the Year". Album of the Year. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- ^ Philo, Simon (2018). Glam Rock: Music in Sound and Vision. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-44227-148-7.
- ^ Guarisco, Donald A. "Strutter - Kiss | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
- ^ Dolan, Joe; Martoccio, Angie; Sheffield, Rob (November 20, 2024). "The 74 Best Albums of 1974". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
...within a decade, the glam metal [KISS] blueprinted on "Strutter" and "Deuce" would be more dominant than any other sound on this list.
- ^ Stanley, Paul. The Kiss Box Set liner notes, The Island Def Jam Music Group, 2001. ISBN 0-446-53073-5
- ^ Leaf, David and Ken Sharp. KISS: Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography, Warner Books, 2003. ISBN 0-446-53073-5
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 13, 1974. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 13, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
- ^ Lore, Mark (June 26, 2014). "The 20 Best KISS Songs". Paste. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ "The 40 best Kiss songs of all time". Louder Sound. July 15, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ Guitar World, September 1996
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.