Love on the Rocks and Other Treats

I was listening to Poison's Open Up and Say...Ahh!! the other day and realized something: the album cuts are just as good - if not better - than the singles.

Picture it: Dayton, Ohio and I'm at my cubicle, listening to my iPod. I suddenly catch myself skipping all the famous songs and constantly repeating both "Love on the Rocks" and "Back to the Rocking Horse." Now, let me be clear in saying that Open Up and Say...Ahh!! has been one of my favorite albums for literally 20 years now.

Open Up and Say...Ahh!! turned 20 just last month. Never in a million years would I have guessed I would still be listening to this album as much at 28 as I did at 8. I guess life is funny that way.

Back to the B-sides. So, I'm listening to "Love on the Rocks"  and thinking "gosh, this is a great tune." So, I proceed to really listen to all of  Open Up and Say...Ahh!! for the nine millionth time. By really listen, I mean, not allowing the songs to become background noise. Instead, I focused on the guitar tone, the lyrics, the entire feel of the disc. People can mock Poison all they want, but this band was in one hell of a groove while writing Open Up and Say...Ahh!!

Poison get slammed a lot for playing the same set every summer. People want to hear "Look What the Cat Dragged In" and the band obliges, but my goodness, I'm pretty sure I'd lose it if C.C. DeVille played the opening of "Love on the Rocks." Scratch that: I know I'd lose it.

There are five albums in the entire world of which I know every word of every song, and Open Up and Say...Ahh!! is one of them. The others, if you care, are Def Leppard's Hysteria and Aerosmith's Get a Grip, Rocks and Toys in the Attic.

What do you think of the Open Up and Say...Ahh!! album cuts?

Here's the album version of"Love on the Rocks." For the record, I did find a YouTube clip of Poison performing this song live in 1991, but it's not fair or accurate to compare set lists from different decades.

Comments

[Randy]

The intro to "Bad To Be Good" always sounded sweet blasting thru subs... "Good Love" is always kick ass...

[NikkeSixx]

Always thought "Back To The Rocking Horse" should have been released as a single, its so damn good!

[Joe]

I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!..I love "good love" too..the harmonica rules on it..I love Poison and I have the most respect for them too..Because they never turned their backs on what they were and theyre still proud to admit they're a glam band...Bret, CC, Bobby, and Rikki..If you guys are reading this..Thanks for keeping it real..YOU RULE!!!!..Thanks for the great article and video Allyson..Hope you're having a great weekend too =).

[Xavier]

This is by far one of my favorite albums of all time,
Thats the album that got me into the whole Glam thing, and you are so right,this is an album that you can listen from beggining to end and never get bored !!
Love on the Rocks and Back to the Rocking Horse are some of the best tunes in that album.
Even the art work on the cover is great !!
And just to add that the looks of the Poison guys on the videos released from that album, where really cool !!(to me much better than the looks on the first album or the looks on Flesh and blood).
And again, Allyson, if I have to name my 5 best albums of all time, 2 of them are also on your list, Poison, Open up and Say Ahhh....Def Leppard, Hysteria..the other 3 would be Cinderella, Long Cold Winter...Danger Danger, Screw it!! and Tuff, What comes around goes around.
Have a great weekend you all !!

[Xavier]

By the way, I will add one more to the best 5, will be the 6th on the waiting list for the top 5, Pretty Boy Floyd, Leather Boys with Electric Toys.....couldnt resist to add that, sorry....

;))

[GUNS N F'N ROSES]

GREAT ALBUM LOVE ON THE ROCKS AND ROCKING HORSE AWSOME TUNES. BTW IN 99 THEY PLAYED LOVE ON THE ROCKS IN NJ U KNOW I WENT INSANE!!!!

[MotleyCrue666]

When i first lisented to it i wasn't impreesed by anything but the singles. i'll give it another listen! :)

[Christian]

Wow - am I the only one who thinks that PBF pretty much blows ?

I love Flesh & Blood, I wish they'd play the title track live.

[aXe mAn]

I am with you Allysone, Open Up And Say Ahh! is one of my favorite albums as well. I don't think there's a bad song on it.

[Joe]

Christian I'm with you..I never was a big Pretty Boy Floyd and I didn't like how Steve Summers was so sarcastic to Allyson...I heard by many people hes a real jerk toward women too.

[Gene]

"back to the rocking horse"..one killer tune. ..I think I'm going to ask my 80s cover band if we can add this tune to our set...

[Jack]

They did play Back... on the tour w/ DLR when Open... first came out (Skyscraper tour for Dave), which was very cool since I hadn't seen Poison headline yet at that time. Not sure if they played Love... though (it was 20 years ago). Open Up... is my fav album from them too.

[carl]

I prefer Look What The Cat Dragged In myself but still like this cd also.

[Phil]

I was at that show that Jack was talking about. May 1, 1988 at Cincy Gardens, Poison opened up for DLR. They did play Back to the Rockin Horse, I remember because they said it was a new song that would be on the new album coming out later that month. I also remember the day Open Up came out, right after school we went to Spud City Records in Huber Heights and bought it. Its all I listened to for about 2 months straight. I always loved the intro to Look But you Can't Touch. Thanks for bringing back some good memories, Allyson!!!

[Kenny Ozz]

One of my favorite tracks on this album didnt even MAKE the record!! The song "living for the minute" which you can find on the reissue and as a bonus track on the crack a smile record is a phenominal glam song!

[kari]

I was going to acknowledge Livin' For the Minute (but someone beat me to it). I fully agree with ya Aly on the album cuts as opposed to the singles, however there's something about NBAGT and Fallen Angel, hearing those songs live just never gets old! Poison put Love on the Rocks in their sets some years back and yes, that made the set list for me. I sure wish they'd add BTTRH this summer, what a treat it would be for their REAL fans!!

[tommydahl]

20 years fuck im old they still and always rock what about let it play that says it all