"I Want Action" by Poison

Song#:  3156
Date:  06/13/1987
Debut:  90
Peak:  50
Weeks:  10
Genre:  Hard Rock, Glam Rock



Pop Bits:  This band broke through in a big way with the second single from their debut album Look What the Cat Dragged In. The raucous "Talk Dirty to Me" surprisingly found its way into the Pop Top 10 (#9). However, in an odd twist the tune didn't even make the Rock chart and neither did this follow-up single. Again, it was able to make the Pop chart where it topped out at the halfway point. The two songs plus exposure on MTV helped sell their album, which had already been certified platinum by this point in time. But the album hadn't run out of gas yet as a fourth single would be another significant hit for them.

ReduxReview:  With it's shuffle beat and arena-ready chorus, this was a good follow-up choice even though it wasn't as immediately accessible or commercial-leaning as "Talk Dirty to Me." It probably should have gotten into the Pop Top 40, but its #50 peak wasn't a bad showing. It helped to further establish the band's sound and party vibe. Plus, their videos on MTV certainly won them a lot of fans.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  The evolution of the band started with lead singer Bret Michaels who began a band in his basement at home in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania called Laser. Then he formed a band with his friend Rikki Rockett called the Spectres. By 1980, Michaels and Rockett formed the band Paris with Bobby Dall and Matt Smith. Hoping to expand their career, they moved to L.A. in 1983 and changed their name to Poison. Smith would leave the band and would be replaced by C.C. DeVille. That would be Poison's line-up through their heydays. There are varying stories on how the band chose the name Poison. It's been said that they took the name from the song "Poison" that was on the 1981 self-titled debut album of the hard rock band Kix. Another story is that they got it from a t-shirt sported by the character/drummer Mick Shrimpton in the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. Another site states the name came about due to a politician calling rock music poison. Whatever the real story, Poison was certainly a better and more marketable metal band name than Paris.

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