"The Stroke" | ||||
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Single by Billy Squier | ||||
from the album Don't Say No | ||||
B-side | "Two Daze Gone" | |||
Released | 1981 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:38 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | William Squier | |||
Producer(s) |
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Billy Squier singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Stroke” on YouTube |
"The Stroke" is a song written and recorded by American rock artist Billy Squier. It was released in 1981 as the debut single from his 3× Platinum album Don't Say No.
This was Squier's first single to chart, reaching No. 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100. [3] It was a bigger hit on rock radio, reaching No. 3 on the Top Tracks chart. It also reached the UK Singles Chart, rising to No. 52. It was named the 59th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. [4]
An acoustic blues version, titled 'Stroke Me Blues', were later recorded and released by Squier on his 1998 album Happy Blue.
Chart (1981) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia ( Kent Music Report) [5] | 5 |
Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40) [6] | 3 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM) [7] | 7 |
New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ) [8] | 32 |
UK Singles ( OCC) [9] | 52 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [3] | 17 |
US Billboard Top Tracks [3] | 3 |
US Cash Box Top 100 [10] | 17 |
US Record World [11] | 6 |
Chart (1981) | Rank |
---|---|
Australia ( Kent Music Report) [12] [5] | 41 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM) [13] | 63 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [14] | 76 |
Later joining Billy Squier's hard rock group in the late Seventies, [Bobby] Chouinard appeared on the hard-rock anthems 'Everybody Wants You', 'In the Dark', and 'The Stroke'.
In the meantime, Avalon has also been dropping songs like the just-released Luke-produced Billy Squier-sampling sex rap "Stroke Me" and "What Do You Say," a hop-along party rhyme that was on the soundtrack to "The Hangover."