🎼 Can The Can – Single: Apr. 1973

Suzi Quatro
Apr 27, 1973
6 min read

Suzi Quatro exploded onto the UK charts in spring 1973 with her second solo single, a snarling, leather-clad glam-rock anthem that announced her as a major force in the British scene.

Issued in the UK on 27 April 1973, “Can The Can” (backed with “Ain’t Ya Somethin’ Honey”) became Suzi’s first number one hit and one of the defining singles of the glam era.

🔘 The Story

“Can The Can” was written and produced by the hit-making team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn for RAK Records. It was Suzi’s second solo release after moving from the US to Britain, following the more modest success of her debut solo single “Rolling Stone.”

Backed with the self-penned “Ain’t Ya Somethin’ Honey,” the single captured Quatro’s tough, bass-driven sound perfectly. The track’s aggressive riff, bold vocal delivery, and catchy “can the can” hook helped it storm straight to the top of the UK Singles Chart in June 1973, spending a week at No.1 and a total of 14 weeks on the chart.

It marked Suzi Quatro as the first female bass guitarist to achieve major rock stardom in the UK and became a cornerstone of her breakthrough success. The song performed strongly across Europe and Australia, though it took until 1976 to reach the US Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at #56).

The single’s striking artwork and Quatro’s leather image helped cement her as a glam pin-up with genuine rock credibility.

🔘 Personnel

• Suzi Quatro — Vocals, Bass

• (Session musicians under Chinnichap production)

🔘 Key Highlights

• Suzi Quatro’s first UK No.1 single

• Breakthrough glam-rock hit written by Chinn & Chapman

• Iconic leather image and powerful riff defined her persona

• Strong international success (especially Europe & Australia)

Label: RAK

Format: 7" Vinyl Single

Released: 27 April 1973 (UK)

Side A: Can The Can

Side B: Ain’t Ya Somethin’ Honey

🔘 UK Variants

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, 4-Prong Push-Out Centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Solid Centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4 prong pushout centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Misprint (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Promo (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Misprint (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4 prong pushout centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", Single (RAK – RAK 150)

🔘 UK Chart Performance

• Peak position: #1

• Total weeks on chart: 14

• First chart date: 19 May 1973

✅ Here is the updated entry with the new non-UK / International Variants block added cleanly:

🎼 Can The Can – Single: Apr. 1973

Suzi Quatro exploded onto the UK charts in spring 1973 with her second solo single, a snarling, leather-clad glam-rock anthem that announced her as a major force in the British scene.

Issued in the UK on 27 April 1973, “Can The Can” (backed with “Ain’t Ya Somethin’ Honey”) became Suzi’s first number one hit and one of the defining singles of the glam era.

🔘 The Story

The single’s striking artwork and Quatro’s leather image helped cement her as a glam pin-up with genuine rock credibility.

🔘 Personnel

• Suzi Quatro — Vocals, Bass

• (Session musicians under Chinnichap production)

🔘 Key Highlights

• Suzi Quatro’s first UK No.1 single

• Breakthrough glam-rock hit written by Chinn & Chapman

• Iconic leather image and powerful riff defined her persona

• Strong international success (especially Europe & Australia)

[IMAGES HERE — Single sleeve & label shots]

Label: RAK

Format: 7" Vinyl Single

Released: 27 April 1973 (UK)

Side A: Can The Can

Side B: Ain’t Ya Somethin’ Honey

🔘 UK Variants

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, 4-Prong Push-Out Centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Solid Centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4 prong pushout centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Misprint (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Promo (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Misprint (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4 prong pushout centre (RAK – RAK 150)

• 7", Single (RAK – RAK 150)

🔘 UK Chart Performance

• Peak position: #1

• Total weeks on chart: 14

• First chart date: 19 May 1973

🔘 International Variants

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Misprint (RAK – 3-7SCE) – Argentina, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Promo (RAK – F-3592 / 1862) – Argentina, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (RAK – RAK 10260 / YRAK 150) – Australia, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Promo (RAK – RAK 10260 / YRAK 150) – Australia, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (RAK – RAK-10260) – Australia, 1973

• 7", Single (RAK – 4C 006-94453) – Belgium, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Blue Sleeve (RAK – 4C 006-94453) – Belgium, 1973

• 7", Single (RAK – 4C 006-94453) – Belgium, 1973

• 7", 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo (Odeon – S7I-3371) – Brazil, 1974

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (Big Tree Records – BTS 16053) – Canada, 1975

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Solid Centre (Odeon – MSOD-8918) – Chile, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4 prong pushout centre (RAK – RAK 150) – Denmark, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (RAK – 150) – Finland, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Test Pressing, White Label (RAK – 150) – Finland, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (RAK – 2C 006-94453) – France, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (RAK – 2C 008-94453) – France, 1973

• 7", Single, 45 RPM (Columbia – 1C 006-94 453) – Germany, 1973

• 7", Single, Test Pressing (Columbia – 1C 006-94 453) – Germany, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (Columbia – SCMG 527) – Greece, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (RAK – RAK 150) – Ireland, 1973

• 7", Single (RAK – RAK 150) – Ireland, 1973

• 7", Single, Solid Centre (RAK – RAK 150) – Ireland, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (RAK – RAK 150) – Israel, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (Columbia – 3C 006-94453) – Italy, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Different Sleeve (Columbia – 3C 006-94453) – Italy, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (Odeon – EOR-10404) – Japan, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Reissue (RAK – ERR-10845) – Japan, 1975

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Red (Odeon – EOR-10404) – Japan, 1973

• 7", Single, Test Pressing (Odeon – EOR-10404) – Japan, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (RAK – SCRL 145) – Lebanon, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Fake cover (Capitol Records – 7432-1) – Mexico, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo (Columbia – 5C 006-94453) – Netherlands, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (RAK – RAK.150) – New Zealand, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (Odeon Del Peru – 01.01.184) – Peru, 1973

• Flexi-disc, 45 RPM, Shape, Single Sided (Agencja Wydawnicza RSW – R-0448) – Poland, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (Columbia – 8E 006-94453 MF) – Portugal, 1973

• 7", Single, 45 RPM (Columbia – 8E 006-94 453) – Portugal, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo, 4 prong pushout centre (RAK – 4E 006-94453) – Scandinavia, 1973

• 7", Single, 45 RPM (Columbia – DSA 1061) – South Africa, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (Odeon – 1 J 006-94.453) – Spain, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single (RAK – 4E 006-94453) – Sweden, 1973

• 7", 45 RPM, Single, 4 prong pushout centre (Grafonola – GTS-10036) – Turkey, 1973🔘

🔘International Chart Performance

Strong success across Europe and Australia (No.1 in several territories). Reached #56 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1976.

🔘 Context & Notes

• First female bass player to become a major rock star in the UK

• Solidified Suzi’s leather-clad image and glam credibility

🔘 Discography

Rolling Stone – 1972

Can The Can – 1973

48 Crash – 1973

🔘 Related Material

Additional material connected to this entry is listed in the tag index at the foot of the page.

🔘 Glam Flashback

A leather-clad Detroit girl with a bass guitar and a killer riff — Suzi Quatro didn’t just join the glam party, she brought her own thunder.

#ReleaseChronicle #SuziQuatro #CanTheCan #1973 #RAKRecords #GlamRock

🔘 Sources

Discogs, 45cat, Official Charts, Billboard.

📝 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.