Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" is a song of defiance. He wrote it in response to the naysayers at record labels who turned him down. Nugent described it as "middle fingers on fire, telling the music industry that my music is way better than you can even imagine." "It's about my overt confidence in my music. The audience gave me that confidence by celebrating it and going nuts for it just like I do, and finally Tom Werman at Epic Records realized it, and 40 million albums later, the rest of the industry can kiss my ass." Nugent had some success in the '60s with his band The Amboy Dukes, which landed a hit with "Journey To The Center Of The Mind." The group continued into the '70s, rebranded as "Ted Nugent And The Amboy Dukes." They built up a passionate live following but didn't sell a lot of records - their albums in 1973 and 1974 didn't chart. So it was understandable when record labels showed little interest, but it was also myopic. "Stranglehold" was included on Nugent's self-titled 1975 album, his first as a solo artist. That live energy that gave record executives pause ended up making him one of the biggest acts of the late '70s, when his albums sold in the millions.
Stranglehold - Lyrics
Here I come again now, baby Like a dog in heat Tell it's me by the clamor now baby I like to tear up the street, Now I been smokin for so long, Ya know I'm here to stay Got you in a stranglehold, baby You best get outta the way The road I cruise is a bitch now, baby But no, you can't turn me round And if a house gets in my way, baby Ya know I'll burn it down You ran the night that you left me You put me in my place I got you in a stranglehold, baby You better trust your fate Yeah Sometimes you wanna get higher And sometimes you gotta start low Some people think they gonna die someday I got news, ya never got to go C'mon c'mon up C'mon c'mon up C'mon c'mon up C'mon c'mon up C'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon baby C'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon up C'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon baby C'mon c'mon c'mon Road I cruise is a bitch now Ya know ya can't turn me round And if a house gets in my way Ya know I'll burn it down You ran the night that you left me You put me in my place I got you in a stranglehold, baby That night I crushed your face