Synopsis

Billy Squier performs "The Stroke" with his band in a straightforward arena-rock setting. The video emphasizes the song's forceful rhythm, Squier's guitar playing, and his commanding stage presence, using concert-style shots of the musicians and crowd-facing performance rather than a narrative storyline. Its visual approach matches the directness of the track, whose lyrics criticize the ego-stroking and backroom behavior of the music business.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released in 1981, the video is a performance piece rather than a scripted narrative. It presents Squier and his band on an arena stage, with the energy built through playing, movement, lighting, and close-ups.

• The clip was shot as part of the same group of promotional videos as "In The Dark" and "My Kinda Lover," helping establish a consistent visual campaign for the album *Don't Say No*.

• The song's title is often interpreted sexually, but Squier explained that its target is the music industry's culture of flattery, manipulation, and self-importance.

• "The Stroke" was the first single from *Don't Say No*. It reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

• The track became one of Squier's signature songs and helped make *Don't Say No* his commercial breakthrough. The album eventually spent more than two years on the Billboard album chart.

• The recording is known for its distinctive reversed-snare effect. Squier recalled that drummer Bobby Chouinard played along with reversed tape, creating the unusual drum sound heard on the finished track.

• The video's uncomplicated concert format reflects the early-1980s rock-video style, before elaborate narratives and heavily choreographed concepts became more common on MTV.