Cat Scratch Fever (song)

"Cat Scratch Fever"
Single by Ted Nugent
from the album Cat Scratch Fever
Released	May 13, 1977
Recorded	1977
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal, blues rock
Length	3:38, 3:04 (Single)
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent singles chronology
"Dog Eat Dog" (1976) "Cat Scratch Fever" (1977) "Home Bound" (1977)

"Cat Scratch Fever" is a rock song by Ted Nugent that appears on the album of the same name. The song is well known for its signature riff, which is a 3-tone minor-key melody harmonized in parallel fourths. In 2009, it was named the 32nd best hard rock song of all time by VH1.^[1]

Chart positions

Chart (1977)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Top Singles	37
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	30

Pantera cover

"Cat Scratch Fever"
Single by Pantera
from the album Detroit Rock City soundtrack
Released	1999
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	3:48
Label	Polygram
Writer(s)	Ted Nugent
Pantera singles chronology
"Where You Come From" (1997) "Cat Scratch Fever" (1999) "Revolution Is My Name" (2000)

The tune was covered by Pantera for the Detroit Rock City CD soundtrack.^[2] Their version peaked at 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart.^[3] Nugent criticized the version claiming, "It was exceedingly white. No soul, no balls, no feel. Caucasian all the way."^[4] Nugent later released more positive comments on the group and even mourned the death of Dimebag Darrell saying, "It's a heartbreaker."^[5]

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	40

Covers and in other media

• The Detroit Tigers have been known to use the song at the beginning of games (Nugent is a Detroit native).
• The song was covered by Nitro (on their album Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.)
• Motörhead (on their album March ör Die, albeit with some revised, less sexual lyrics)
• Fudge Tunnel (on their album Hate Songs in E Minor).
• Hayseed Dixie (on their album A Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain Love.)
• The Replacements used the song's main riff on "Gary's Got a Boner", from their 1984 album Let It Be. The band even gave Nugent a co-writing credit.^[6]
• In The Simpsons episode "A Tale of Two Springfields", Homer takes a guitar and plays the opening riff to "Cat Scratch Fever", but sings "Pac-Man Fever".
• The song is the theme song for the San Jose SaberCats.
• The song was featured in the video games Prey. The version from Beer for My Horses is featured in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
• The song has been featured in many other movies and television series, including Lords of Dogtown, EDtv and The Stoned Age.
• Whenever Ted Nugent's character Skunk Tarver is going to do anything in the movie Beer for My Horses the intros to "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Stranglehold" are played.
• Anvil played the song together with Scott Ian of Anthrax and Slash at the premiere of Anvil! The Story of Anvil at the Sundance Film Festival in 2009.
• The song is played before Cincinnati Bearcats football games.
• The NFL's Carolina Panthers have played the intro to "Cat Scratch Fever" at each of their home games over the public address system, prior to the team's kickoffs, after the Panthers have scored either a touchdown or field goal. The song has also been mixed with the instrumental intro to rap duo Salt-N-Pepa's 1980s smash hit "Push It".

References

1. "Vh1 Top 100 Hard Rock Songs". January 1, 2009. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Detroit Rock City - Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
3. Birchmeier, Jason. "Pantera". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
4. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - TED NUGENT Says PANTERA's Version Of 'Cat Scratch Fever' Had 'No Soul, No Balls'". Roadrunner Records. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
5. "Blabbermouth.Net - Ted Nugent: Dimebag Darrell'S Death Is A 'Heartbreaker'". Roadrunner Records. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
6. Mason, Stewart. "Gary's Got a Boner - The Replacements". AllMusic. Retrieved October 23, 2012.