Fallen Angel (Poison song)
Encyclopedia
"Fallen Angel" is the second single from Open Up and Say...Ahh!
, American hair metal band Poison
's second album. The b-side of the seven inch
was "Bad to Be Good".
Released as a single in 1988 on Capitol Records
. it made #12 on the Billboard Hot 100
and #32 on the Mainstream rock
charts, making it the only single from the album not to reach the Top Ten. It also charted at number 21 on the Australian charts and number 59 on the UK Singles chart
The song is about a young girl who grew up in a small town and goes to Los Angeles
to try to make it as an actress. While there she abandons her old life...
This theme is a reference to the history of the band Poison itself: Bret Michaels
, Bobby Dall
and Rikki Rockett
all left their native Pennsylvania for Los Angeles in their quest of fame.
The song, along with "Talk Dirty to Me
," "I Won't Forget You
" and "Ride the Wind
," was the subject of a lawsuit in 2011 by members of the defunct band Kid Rocker, who claimed that the songs were based on Kid Rocker songs played to Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille before he was a member of Poison.
to "Fallen Angel" mostly follows the lyrics to the song, and was in heavy rotation
on MTV
. In the video, an unnamed girl (played by model
and then aspiring singer/actress Susie Hatton, who was dating Michaels at the time) tells her family that she is leaving for California at the end of the week. She arrives in Los Angeles with a suitcase in tow. The girl eventually catches the eye of a guy (played by veteran character actor Anthony James
) who manages a modeling agency and who offers her a job. She becomes a success, but feels like she is selling out her morals for fame. The girl and the manager start dating, but when he starts getting friendly with other ladies at a party, she leaves. He tries to get her back, but the girl gives him a kick in the groin
, and walks off. She is back on the streets, but is picked up by Bret Michaels
on a motorcycle and rides off into an unknown future. As her story ends, another girl arrives in Hollywood hoping to find fame and fortune.
ers MxPx
released a cover
of the song on their 2009 album On the Cover II
. Their version featured guest appearance
s by Craig Owens
of Chiodos
and Stephen Egerton
of Descendents
.
Open Up and Say...Ahh!
Open Up and Say... Ahh! is the second studio album by American glam metal band Poison, released in 1988 through the Enigma label. The album, which ultimately sold eight million copies worldwide , proved to be the band's most successful release...
, American hair metal band Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
's second album. The b-side of the seven inch
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was "Bad to Be Good".
Released as a single in 1988 on Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. it made #12 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and #32 on the Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
charts, making it the only single from the album not to reach the Top Ten. It also charted at number 21 on the Australian charts and number 59 on the UK Singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
The song is about a young girl who grew up in a small town and goes to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to try to make it as an actress. While there she abandons her old life...
This theme is a reference to the history of the band Poison itself: Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels is an American musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single...
, Bobby Dall
Bobby Dall
Robert Harry Kuykendall also known as Bobby Dall is an American musician best known as the bass guitarist for Poison. Dall is the youngest of three children...
and Rikki Rockett
Rikki Rockett
Richard Allan Ream , better known by the stage name Rikki Rockett, is an American drummer best known for his work with the glam metal band, Poison.-Biography:...
all left their native Pennsylvania for Los Angeles in their quest of fame.
The song, along with "Talk Dirty to Me
Talk Dirty to Me
"Talk Dirty to Me" is the second single from Poison, originally from the album Look What the Cat Dragged In. It was the band's first big international hit.It is a staple on their live shows and was named by VH1 40th greatest hard rock song of all time...
," "I Won't Forget You
I Won't Forget You
"I Won't Forget You" is the fourth single from Poison, originally from the album Look What the Cat Dragged In.Released as a single in 1987 on the Enigma label of Capitol Records, and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" and "Ride the Wind
Ride the Wind (song)
"Ride the Wind" is a song by American Glam metal band Poison. It was the third single from their 1990 album Flesh & Blood and reached number 25 on the Mainstream rock charts and 38 on the Billboard Hot 100....
," was the subject of a lawsuit in 2011 by members of the defunct band Kid Rocker, who claimed that the songs were based on Kid Rocker songs played to Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille before he was a member of Poison.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
to "Fallen Angel" mostly follows the lyrics to the song, and was in heavy rotation
Heavy rotation
In broadcasting, rotation is the repeated airing of a limited playlist of songs on a radio station or satellite radio channel, or music videos on a TV network. They are usually in a different order each time, however they are not completely shuffled, so as to avoid playing the same song again too...
on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. In the video, an unnamed girl (played by model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and then aspiring singer/actress Susie Hatton, who was dating Michaels at the time) tells her family that she is leaving for California at the end of the week. She arrives in Los Angeles with a suitcase in tow. The girl eventually catches the eye of a guy (played by veteran character actor Anthony James
Anthony James
Anthony James is an American actor. Tall, often greasy-haired and with an oily grin, James specialized in creepy, sleazy villains in films and TV, many of them Westerns. His first major role, and probably his best known, was as Ralph, the diner counterman in the 1967 Oscar-winning movie In the...
) who manages a modeling agency and who offers her a job. She becomes a success, but feels like she is selling out her morals for fame. The girl and the manager start dating, but when he starts getting friendly with other ladies at a party, she leaves. He tries to get her back, but the girl gives him a kick in the groin
Groin attack
A groin attack is an attempt to cause pain to the groin area of one's opponent. The technique can be quickly debilitating, due to the large number of sensitive nerve endings in the penis and testicles of males, as well as the highly innervated vulva of females. A sufficiently powerful blow may...
, and walks off. She is back on the streets, but is picked up by Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels
Bret Michaels is an American musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single...
on a motorcycle and rides off into an unknown future. As her story ends, another girl arrives in Hollywood hoping to find fame and fortune.
Albums
"Fallen Angel" is included on the following albums:- Open Up and Say... Ahh!
- Swallow This LiveSwallow This LiveSwallow This Live is the first live album by American glam metal band Poison, released in 1991 through Capitol Records. The album peaked at #51 on The Billboard 200...
(live version) - Poison's Greatest Hits: 1986-1996Poison's Greatest Hits: 1986-1996Poison's Greatest Hits: 1986–1996 is the first greatest hits compilation CD from the Glam Metal band Poison. The album was released on November 26, 1996 by Capitol Records...
- Power to the PeoplePower to the People (Poison album)Power to the People is a music album from the American rock band Poison, released on June 13, 2000 on the band's independent label, Cyanide Music. It marked the return of the original lineup, together for the first time since 1991's Swallow This Live with the return of C.C...
(live version) - Show Me Your Hits - Bret Michaels tribute compilation with alternate versions of Poison songs. (slower version)
- The Best of Poison: 20 Years of RockThe Best of Poison: 20 Years of RockThe Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock is a compilation album from the American rock band Poison, released to celebrate the band's 20 year anniversary. It has sold more than 1 million copies to date in the U.S as of September 2009....
- Open Up and Say...Ahh! - 20th Anniversary Edition
- Live, Raw & UncutLive, Raw & UncutLive, Raw & Uncut is a music dvd/cd combo from the Hard rock band Poison, released in 2008 for their summer tour. It sold around 2,400 copies in its first week of release to debut at position No...
(live version)
Cover versions
Punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
ers MxPx
MxPx
MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
released a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song on their 2009 album On the Cover II
On the Cover II
On the Cover II is an album of song covers by pop punk band MxPx, like On the Cover. The album features covers of various 80s songs. Beginning on February 9, 2009, feature artists were announced, one per day, on Alternative Press' website....
. Their version featured guest appearance
Guest appearance
In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...
s by Craig Owens
Craig Owens (musician)
Craigery Michael "Craig" Owens is an American musician from Davison, Michigan. He is best known as the former lead vocalist of Chiodos and has had an involvement in various side projects such as Cinematic Sunrise, and the supergroup Isles & Glaciers...
of Chiodos
Chiodos
Chiodos is an American post hardcore band from Davison, Michigan. Formed in 2001, the group was originally known as "The Chiodos Bros," the band's name was a tribute to filmmakers Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo, responsible for the film Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Chiodos released their...
and Stephen Egerton
Stephen Egerton
Stephen Patrick O'Reilly , better known as Stephen Egerton , is an American guitarist, best known for his work playing with The Descendents and All....
of Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Charts | 21 |
| UK Singles Chart | 59 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 32 |