The Stroke

It was released in 1981 as the debut single from his 3× Platinum album Don't Say No.

"The Stroke"
Single by Billy Squier
from the album Don't Say No
B-side	"Two Daze Gone"
Released	1981
Genre	Hard rock funk rock
Length	3:38
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	William Squier
Producer(s)	Reinhold Mack Billy Squier
Billy Squier singles chronology
"The Stroke" (1981) "In the Dark" (1981)
Music video
"The Stroke‬” on YouTube

This was Squier's first single to chart, reaching No. 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 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.

An acoustic blues version, titled 'Stroke Me Blues', were later recorded and released by Squier on his 1998 album Happy Blue.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

• In 1995, "The Stroke" was used in the movie Billy Madison.
• In 2007, the song was used in the movie Blades of Glory.
• The song was sampled in "Berzerk" by Eminem on his 2013 album The Marshall Mathers LP 2.
• In 2007, the song was used in an episode of the Adult Swim series Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil.
• The song was the inspiration for the 1989 rap artist Maestro Fresh-Wes hit "Let Your Backbone Slide".
• The song was used in the opening mission of the popular first-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and is the first sound the player hears upon starting the game's campaign.
• In 2023, the song was used in the movie No Hard Feelings.
• In the 2023 season, Anaheim Ducks player Frank Vatrano chose "The Stroke" as his personal goal song following the team's song "Bro Hymn".
• Rapper Mickey Avalon samples the song in his 2009 song "Stroke Me".