We Have a RATT problem

Ratt is often listed as one of the great one hit wonder bands. The crazy thing is they weren’t really a one hit wonder, however if pressed I don’t know if I can name another hit, until now.

Ratt released an album in 1984, 1985 and 1986 with hits on every album. “Round and Round” will always be their signature song. It’s catchy and not metal enough to be kept out of the Top 40. It does rock enough to make it a song to play loud. The 1985 album will have two good songs, “Lay it Down” and “You’re in Love.” The songs were always on radio when they came out. Three hit songs in two years. Concerts sold out, t-shirts were everywhere. They have a another album in 1986 featuring the song, “Dance.”

Hair metal got more bubblegum over the years with bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, and Cinderella. Ratt went away from the public eye for those pop years. They will have a minor comeback song in 1988 with “Way Cool Jr.” As for mainstream fame, they were done. 

For three albums and three years they were big. Ratt may not be remembered for being so big because their sound pretty much stayed the same. For better or worse, they will stick with it. 

I saw Henry Rollins do a spoken word show in the late 90s and he talked about seeing past-their-prime bands and buying a band’s worst album just for the fun of it. He cited Billy Idol’s “Cyberpunk” and Ratt in concert. I don’t remember the exact line, but to paraphrase Rollins talking about Ratt, “ they were still the same. Same yeaaaah scream. Same dance around the stage. It was still 1986.” 

Ratt gets played in 1980s memory shows or radio stations. It’s always “Round and Round.” It’s the one song we know because the other hits were so similar. The bad thing is we don’t remember those other good songs and how big they were. The good thing is that one song is so present and such a signature, that they will always have that.