"Gypsy Road" by Cinderella

Song#:  3986

Date:  08/05/1989

Debut:  88

Peak:  51

Weeks:  7

Genre:  Hard Rock, Glam Metal

Pop Bits:  The band's second album Long Cold Winter became a #10 double-platinum seller thanks mainly to a pair of power ballads including the #20 "Coming Home." That song was the fourth single from the album and since it did well, the band's label decided to push out a fifth single. Yet instead of picking a new unreleased track, the label chose to reissue the LP's original first single "Gypsy Road." On its original run, the tune was able to make it to #20 at Rock, but it failed to crack the Pop chart. Since the band was on a roll, the label decided to try and push the song to pop radio again. On its second release, it would do better nearly making the Pop Top 50, but it really didn't do much to spur further sales of the album. Over the years the album would continue to sell and in 1997 it would finally go triple-platinum.

ReduxReview:  I'm guessing the label didn't hear another single in the remaining unreleased tracks on the album and decided to trot this one out again. While that can work in rare cases, it didn't do much for the band in this instance. It probably cost more to release and promote the song than what revenue it might have generated. Sometimes it is better to cut n' run than try to drag things out for the sake of an extra buck or two. The song really wasn't a good single selection for crossover success. While it was a solid glam rock tune, it didn't have enough mainstream appeal to gain a pop audience.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Cinderella would return in 1990 with their third album Heartbreak Station. The LP would find the band moving further into blues rock territory. The first single, "Shelter Me," would get to #5 Rock (their biggest hit on that chart) and #36 Pop. Then the title track would reach #10 Rock/#44 Pop. The album would peak at #19 and go platinum. The following year, lead singer Tom Keifer had voice issues that led to him having surgery, which then delayed the recording and release of the band's fourth album. They would finally get it done and in '94 would release Still Climbing. The extended break came along at a bad time as tastes changed from glam metal to grunge. By the time the LP was released, it seemed very few people were interested in Cinderella and it tanked at a minor #178. With that result, the band lost their contract with Mercury Records. They would later sign with Sony, but it seems the label lost interest in the band and dropped them before anything was released. From that point on, Cinderella mainly just toured. They would eventually call it a day in 2014.

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