Tag: Rikki Rockett

Poison – ‘Your Mama Don’t Dance” – 7″ Single

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic11 Comments

In my quest for 7″ singles with Picture Sleeves, I found another great 80’s single and this one is for Poison. The song is a cover of Loggins & Messina’s “Your Mama Don’t Dance” and was released as a single for Poison on February 1, 1989. The song reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went Gold which the Loggins & Messina version also went Gold while their version went to #4. So, not too different from one another. The song can be found on Poison’s second album, ‘Open Up and Say…Ahh!’

My version of the single is the U.S. promo as it says “Not for Sale” on the 7″ single label. There is no B-Side as “Your Mama Don’t Dance” is on both sides of the single. If you were to find the actual single for the song, the B-Side would be “Tearin’ Down the Walls” also from the ‘Open Up and Say…Ahh!’ album.

The song is about the generational gap between kids and parents. The parents don’t agree with that rock & roll and all the degenerative behavior. It is based off what happened during the ’50’s and ’60’s with the onslaught of that new fangled thing called Rock & Roll. The lyrics are cliched with all stereotypes from that era. It was also based a little on what Jim Messina went through with his mom and step-father.

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Poison – “So Tell Me Why” (1991) – CD Single

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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.

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My Sunday Song – “Something to Believe In” by Poison

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For My Sunday Song #95, this power ballad comes to us from Poison. The song is “Something To Believe In” and is off their 1990 album ‘Flesh & Blood’.  The song went to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is great example of how moving and poignant a song can be.

The song is about two people in Bret Michael’s life.  The first is his personal friend and bodyguard, James Kimo Maano or Kimo.  Kimo got hooked up in the rock & roll lifestyle and with his abuse of drugs and alcohol, his life tragically ended early.  When Bret found out, he was inspired to write this song as a tribute to his friend.  When you watch the video of this song, you see an emotional Bret Michaels reacting to pictures that showed up on the TV of his friend.  The Director of the video didn’t tell him the pictures were being used and it took Bret by surprise.  It was a cruel trick, but it captured a real moment.

The other person is Bret’s cousin Bob who had been wounded in Vietnam and the song talks about his struggles mentally with what happened as well as the loss of so many of his cousin’s friends in the way.  It paints a stark reality of the damage war can have on a person.

The whole song discusses reasons for Bret’s loss of faith whether it is from false prophets, the homeless, the impact of war or the loss of a close friend.  The song paints such a graphic picture that you can’t help but be touched by it in some way.  And depends on your mood when you listen, it could even bring a tear to your eyes.

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