Wang Dang Sweet Poontang (Live 1978)

Zoo Freaks, get ready to crank up the volume as The Zoo Crew spins the raw, electrifying "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang (Live 1978)" from Ted Nugent's iconic Double Live Gonzo! album! This hard-hitting track, recorded live at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in July 1977, clocks in at a wild six minutes and 18 seconds, showcasing Nugent’s untamed energy. In the song’s intro, Nugent cheekily dedicates it to "all that Nashville pussy," a line so legendary it inspired the band Nashville Pussy to take their name from it. Drummer Mike Portnoy has called this intro "one of the greatest live intros of all time," and it’s easy to see why—Nugent’s larger-than-life persona and blistering guitar riffs set the stage on fire. The song’s unapologetic lyrics, centered around a "teenage queen" named Nadine, have stirred controversy for their explicit nature, especially as Nugent leaned into conservative politics later in life. Satirical outlets like The Hard Times even poked fun in 2020, falsely claiming the Joe Biden campaign adopted the song as an anthem, causing a brief media frenzy when some outlets took it seriously.

Another gem from the song’s history comes from Nugent himself, who told Songfacts that the track was inspired by the electric atmosphere of his concerts, particularly the energy of dancing fans. He described the title’s cadence as a playful nod to Chuck Berry’s "Nadine," blending his love for rock’s roots with his own provocative style. In a 1980 interview with Musician, Nugent boldly claimed his guitar solo on this song, performed in Detroit on September 3, 1979, was the second most important event of the 1970s—talk about confidence! Fans still rave about the track’s raw power, with Ultimate Classic Rock ranking the live version as Nugent’s fourth-best song, and Classic Rock History placing it third among his top ten. Whether you love its in-your-face attitude or blush at its bawdy lyrics, this song is a cornerstone of Nugent’s gonzo legacy.

Ted Nugent, born Theodore Anthony Nugent on December 13, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan, kicked off his musical journey as a teenager in Chicago, inspired by the rock ‘n’ roll explosion of the 1960s. By 1965, he formed The Amboy Dukes, a band named after a risqué novel, blending psychedelic rock with his fiery guitar work. Returning to Michigan in 1967, Nugent assembled the classic Dukes lineup, and their 1968 hit "Journey to the Center of the Mind" rocketed them to national fame, peaking in the Top 20. Despite internal band conflicts, Nugent remained the driving force, eventually rebranding as Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes in the 1970s. His solo career took off with albums like Cat Scratch Fever and Double Live Gonzo!, cementing his reputation for wild stage antics, like performing in a loincloth à la Tarzan. Nugent’s high-energy shows and arena-rock anthems made him a staple of 1970s hard rock, though his outspoken conservative views and advocacy for hunting and gun rights have kept him a polarizing figure.

Stay connected with the Motor City Madman through his official website, tednugent.com, where you can find tour dates, merch, and more. Follow him on Facebook for updates and live performance clips, check out his Instagram for behind-the-scenes shots, and catch his unfiltered takes on X, where he recently shared a throwback to a 1988 performance of "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang." Zoo Freaks can also join fan communities like the Ted Nugent Fans Facebook group to swap stories and celebrate his music. For more fan-driven content, check out hardrockin80s.com, a site dedicated to classic hard rock with plenty of Nugent love. So, crank up that vinyl, let the riffs rip, and keep it gonzo, Zoo Crew!