Poison’s ‘Swallow This Live’ came out on November 12, 1991 and it was the band’s first live album. As an added treat the album contained four studio tracks so the band released the single for “So Tell My Why’ which was one of those four new studio tracks on the album. It did not chart in the States and a point of interest, it was the very last single with C.C. DeVille…well at least in to the album ‘Power to the People’ in 2000.

This CD Single was Made in England which is significant in the fact that the UK version of ‘Swallow This Live’ was a single disc edition. Aside from not having the solos, it was missing the songs “Let it Play”, “Life Goes On” and the 3rd track on this single “Ride the Wind” making it the only place to get that song in the UK. “So Tell Me Why” actually charted in the UK going to #25 on the Singles Chart maybe it was helped by this CD single. The other track on here is the live version to “Unskinny Bop” giving us 3 songs on the single which is always a nice value.

The single “So Tell Me Why” is a fun track with a lot of energy. It sounds like anything that was on either of the last two albums. Great melodies and lots of guitar and Bret sings his heart out. Probably the best of the four new tracks on that album which is why it was a single I’m sure. The song is about a guy who still wants to be this woman and do anything and everything for her, but she is cold, distant and seems to be emotionally empty. He just wants to know why she doesn’t want to be with him anymore.

The two live tracks are reminiscent of everything else on the album. “UnSkinny Bop” is such a cheesy song that it is actually good. Live is no different. That killer riff by C.C. is not as great live as C.C.’s guitar sounds pretty bad and sloppy for most of this show. Someone dipping in the sauce too much maybe. Rikki’s drum and Bret’s vocals sound great so that are two things going for it. There is an irritating crowd noise that sounds like a hum throughout both live songs. This sounds like it was added to make the song feel live, but I guess it could be the actual crowd noise, but could the crowd keep that consistency throughout the song…probably not.

The final track and missing from the single disc UK version of the album is “Ride the Wind”. Bret announces it, the guitar riff comes in and it starts off really good. That crowd hum returns throughout this song as well…like I said, I think it is the whole album. Some great backing vocals on the chorus and the song stays true to the studio version which is from the ‘Flesh & Blood’ album, but maybe it is a little more lively and has a little more punch than the studio track. Not a bad live version actually.

And there you have it. The UK CD Single for “So Tell Me Why” is a nice piece to the collection even if it doesn’t offer up anything new for me, but I live in the US and my ‘Swallow This Live’ actually has both live songs. If I was in the UK, that would be different. I do like the autographs on the CD as I see that as a nice touch, but I really only got this to pad the Poison collection and because this was pretty cheap. I like that in a CD. Thanks for hanging around and I hope you have a wonderful day!