Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Infobox Single
Name = Every Rose Has Its Thorn


Artist = Poison
from Album = Open Up and Say...Ahh!
B-side = Gotta Face the Hangman, Back To The Rocking Horse
Released = October 12, 1988
Format =
Recorded =
Genre = Glam metal, Country rock
Length = 4:20
Label = Capitol Records
Writer = Bret Michaels
Producer = Tom Werman
Certification =
Chart position = * #1 (US Hot 100)
* #13 (UK Singles Chart)
* #16 (Australia)
Last single = "Fallen Angel"
(July 6, 1988)
This single = "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"
(October 12, 1988)
Next single = "Your Mama Don't Dance"
(February 1, 1989)"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" is a power ballad/rock song by American glam metal band Poison. It was released in 1988 as the third single from Poison's second album "Open Up And Say...Ahh!". It is the band's first and only number-one hit in the U.S., reaching the top spot on Christmas Eve in 1988 for three weeks (carrying over into 1989). It was also a #13 hit in the UK. ["digitaldreamdoor.com"] [http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_billbord4.html Billboard 'Hot 100' #1 Songs (1980 - 1989)] . Retrieved on October 26th, 2007] "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" was named number 34 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the '80s" and #100 on their "100 Greatest Love Songs."

ong

The song starts quietly and features two intricate guitar solos, one mellow and one fast.

Vocalist Bret Michaels wrote the song in response to a failed love affair with a Los Angeles stripper. Poison had been playing at a cowboy bar called "The Ritz" in Dallas, Texas. After the show, Michaels called the woman at her apartment and heard a man's voice in the background. Heartbroken, Michaels wrote the song with an acoustic guitar in a laundromat. ["theGAZZ.com"] [http://www.thegazz.com/guide/articles/stories/171/Something+to+believe+in theGAZZ.com - the Weekly Arts & Entertainment Guide of the Charleston Gazette in Charleston, West Virginia] . Retrieved on October 26th, 2007]

The song is also recognizable for its reference to cowboys in the chorus, and the twang in Bret Michaels' vocals, which give the song a country feel not often heard in power ballads composed by glam metal bands.

When asked in "Twisted Sister: The Completed Uncensored Story" about why the glam metal scene came to an end, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister said: "Hey man, it was them motherfuckin' "power ballads", you know! Brett is gonna kill me for saying this but "Every Rose" completely killed the metal in the pop metal scene man. All of a sudden, all the heavy metal rock bands got rid of their distortion pedals and went fuckin' acoustic." [Ribbert, Anthony John (2001). "Twisted Sister:The Completed Uncensored Story". Omnibus Publishing. pg. 365. ISBN 1342523432]

Music video

The music video for this song is in the same vein as other videos for similar songs of the era. It features Michaels sitting down, playing the guitar, and singing along to the song, interspersed with black and white clips from concerts, and colour frames of what passes for a 'storyline' that follows the song.

Albums

"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" is on the following albums.

* "Open Up and Say...Ahh!"
* "Swallow This Live" (live version)
* ""
* "Crack a Smile...and More! (Unplugged)
* "Power to the People" (live version)
* "Best of Ballads & Blues"
* "Freedom Of Sound - (Country version)
* ""
* "Open Up and Say...Ahh! - 20th Anniversary Edition"

TV/Movie features

*The track was featured in an episode of "The Simpsons" ("It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge"), with the character Otto identified as a fan of Poison.
*John Mayer performed the song in a sketch on "Chappelle's Show".
*"Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" features Bill and Ted performing the chorus to prove that they're worthy of entry into heaven.
*The song is performed in an episode of "Yes, Dear" ("Greg's Big Day") when the main characters meet Bret Michaels.
*The song has also been featured in the movie "".
*The song was featured in an episode of "The O.C." ("The Rager").
*The song was featured in the Broken Lizard film "Beerfest" when the character 'Landfill' dies.
*The song was featured in the David Cross film "Run Ronny Run" When Ronny loses his wives.
*The song was featured at the end of an episode of "October Road" ("The Pros and Cons of Upsetting the Apple Cart").
*The song was used in an episode of "Neighbours" where Bouncer was run over by an unknown driver.
*The song was featured in several episodes of "Rock of Love".
*The song was featured in South Park in the episode "Guitar Queer-o".
*The song appeared in a episode of cold case ("martenial instincts"}
*The song appeared on an episode of Supernatural (TV Series)
*The song appears on the music game

Covers

*Street punk band The Unseen covered the song on their album "Lower Class Crucifixion".
*Melissa Auf der Maur covered this song for the movie "Run Ronnie Run"; her version plays during the end credits. Auf Der Maur went to become the bassist for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. The song's riff was played by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, on the "Pistachio Medley" a twenty minute instrumental jam.
*Joey Fatone performed a cover for the movie "On the Line".
*Australian punk band No Idea covered the song for the "Punk O Clock IV" compilation.
*Joshua Fit For Battle covered the song as a bonus track on the album "To Bring Our Own End".
*Bucky Covington covered the song at the 2007 Jamboree In The Hills in Morristown Ohio.
*Frankie and the Floyds performed a version of this song on their recent "Save Our Salvation" tour.
*Anarcho-punk band The Absoluts recorded a pop-punk version of this song for the "Heal the World" charity album.

References