Back For More
by Ratt

Album: Out Of The Cellar (1983)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this early Ratt rocker, frontman Stephen Pearcy sings about a girl who just won't leave her high-class boyfriend even though he always lets her down. Ratt formed in Los Angeles, where there was a stark contrast between the moneyed elite and the sleaze rockers coming up on the Sunset Strip.

    "It's kind of a thing like somebody is always going to be – whether it's good or bad – back for more, y'know?," Pearcy explained to Songfacts. "I don't know if they like it or they're a glutton for punishment."
  • The song first appeared on the Ratt EP, released independently by the band in 1983 before they signed with Atlantic Records. It was then issued on their debut album, Out Of The Cellar, which includes the hit "Round And Round" and established the group as a major player in the hair metal scene. Their main cohorts at the time were Mötley Crüe, who helped secure their record deal.
  • "Back For More" dates back to the late '70s when Stephen Pearcy played an early version with his San Diego-based band Mickey Ratt, which evolved into Ratt in the early '80s. "It was pretty much a staple in the early set," he told Songfacts. "It's an interesting song and it always works live. It's always in the set, forever."
  • The music video, directed by Matt Rezyka, has lots of interesting cameos. It starts in a '50s diner where Tawny Kitaen plays the song on a jukebox, summoning two members of Ratt that take her and a friend on an adventure.

    Kitaen's career as an actress and model was just getting started; her most prominent role at the time was in the 1984 movie Bachelor Party, starring a young Tom Hanks. She was dating Ratt's guitarist, Robbin Crosby, and is the cover model on the Out Of The Cellar album. Kitaen became well-known to MTV viewers thanks to a series of Whitesnake videos, particularly "Here I Go Again," where she accelerated puberty for many young boys who watched her dance on a Jaguar. She was dating David Coverdale of Whitesnake at the time.

    Later in the video, Ratt and the girls get pulled over, but the cops turn out to be Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx from Mötley Crüe.

    At the end of the video, a guy crashes a motorcycle into a Ratt concert. The rider turns out to be the comedy legend Milton Berle, who also shows up in the "Round And Round" video. Berle is the uncle of the band's manager, Marshall Berle.
  • The credits on this song go to Stephen Pearcy and Robbin Crosby, but Pearcy says Matt Thorr, who was the band's bass player when the song was being developed, made contributions as well. "He has a bit of a writing credit in there, which nobody really knows," Pearcy told Songfacts. "They thought it was a Pearcy/Crosby composition, but no, there's Matt Thorr, people. Great bass player, producer, engineer."
  • "Back For More" wasn't released as a single even though it got a high-end music video. This help spur sales of the album to over 3 million in America.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?