There’s no question that the ’80s produced some of the catchiest hard rock anthems in music history, and Billy Squier was responsible for several of the most unforgettable tunes of the decade. That’s why his 1981 album, Don’t Say No, went triple platinum…thanks in large part to the massive popularity of the record’s debut single, “The Stroke.”
Released in April of that year, “The Stroke” was Squier’s first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at #17, and it went all the way to #3 on the Top Tracks chart. That was only the tip of the iceberg for Don’t Say No, which also produced the hits “Lonely Is the Night,” “My Kinda Lover” and “In the Dark.” It even stayed on the Billboard album chart for two years.
But it was “The Stroke,” of course, that started it all, with its arena-ready beat, infectious guitar riffs, and suggestive lyrics that are still widely misunderstood decades later, it turns out.
Most people assume “The Stroke” is a sexual song in nature, which makes sense, given the chorus:
Stroke me, stroke me
Give me the business all night long
Stroke me, stroke me (stroke)
Stroke me, stroke me
You’re so the ghetto boy
Stroke me, stroke me
Say you’re a winner but man you’re just a sinner now
But as American Songwriter reported, the song is actually meant to be a cautionary tale about the often-exploitative music business:
You put your right hand out
Give a firm handshake
Talk to me
About that one big break
Spread your ear-pollution
Both far and wide
Keep your contributions
By your side
Photo by Paul Natkin on Getty Images
“I take songwriting very seriously and I wouldn’t want anything I do to be construed as frivolous or mundane,” Squier told the Baltimore Sun in 1991.
“Plenty of people saw sexual connotations in [‘The Stroke’] but to me, it was about what goes on in the business world,” he continued, adding, “I mean, I’m happy if people get something sexual out of it, but that was not its original intent or purpose.”
Whatever he meant by it, “The Stroke” proved Squier was a musical force to contend with.
“I’ll come up with a riff, and when you integrate it with my pop background, you can hear I’m pretty good with melodies,” Squier admitted in in a 2025 interview with Goldmine.
“A player may be a master of the great riff, but maybe doesn’t have a great melodic sensibility. For me, the elements end up working together, and I have a bit more ammunition because I’ve got the potential for great melodies and great riffs right there in front of me. That’s how you get Billy Squier, the artist.”
In the decades since its release, “The Stroke” has remained a radio staple; in 2008, the song was ranked #59 by VH1 viewers on a list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs of All Time. And fans are still listening: At the time of this writing, “The Stroke” has 228,765,043 streams on Spotify alone.
Related: 1969 Hard Rock Hit With ‘Greatest Guitar Riff of All Time’ Went Gold 56 Years Ago Today
