Open Up and Say... Ahh!: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox album

| name = Open Up and Say... Ahh!

| type = [[Studio album]]studio

| artist = [[Poison (American band)|Poison]]

| cover = Open_Up_and_Say_Ahh_Cover.jpg

| alt = a model dressed as a demon with a long red tongue.

| caption = Original version of the cover art

| released = {{start date|1988|4|27|mf=y}}

| recorded = Late 1987 -– early 1988

| studio = [[Conway Recording Studios|Conway Recording]], Los Angeles

| genre = [[Glam metal]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 1, 2021|first=Bryan|last=Rolli|title=Top 30 Glam Metal Albums|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/glam-metal-albums/|access-date=July 17, 2021|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|language=en}}</ref><ref name="loudwire">{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/top-hair-metal-albums/|website=loudwire.com|title=Top 30 Hair Metal Albums|date=November 9, 2016|author=Joe DiVita|accessdate=April 12, 2021}}</ref>

| length = 36:12

| label = {{hlist|[[Enigma Records|Enigma]]|[[Capitol Records|Capitol]]}}

| producer = [[Tom Werman]]

| prev_title = [[Look What the Cat Dragged In]]

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{{Extra album cover

| header = Censored cover

| type = Studio albumstudio

| cover = Open Up and Say Ahh Censored.png

| border =

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}}

}}

{{AlbumMusic ratings

|rev1 = [[Allmusic]]

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/open-up-and-sayahh!-mw0000195785|title=Open Up and Say... Ahh! - Poison {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=October 19, 2018}}</ref>

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}}

'''''Open Up and Say... Ahh!''''' is the second studio album by American [[glam metal]] band [[Poison (American band)|Poison]], released on April 27, 1988, through [[Enigma Records]] and [[Capitol Records]]. It proved to be the band's most successful release, and spawned four hit singles: "[[Nothin' But a Good Time]]", "[[Fallen Angel (Poison song)|Fallen Angel]]", "[[Your Mama Don't Dance]]" (a [[Loggins and Messina]] cover) and their only #1number one single to date, "[[Every Rose Has Its Thorn]]". The album peaked at #2number two on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].

''Open Up Andand Say Ahh'' was certified platinum in 1988 and 5× platinum in 1991 by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Poison&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=50 |title=RIAA Gold & Platinum |website=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |year=2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924160256/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Poison&format=ALBUM&go=Search&perPage=50 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}</ref> It also has been certified 4× platinum in Canada and gold by the BPI.

==Production and marketing==

The album was recorded and mixed at ''[[Conway Recording Studios]]'' in Los Angeles. [[Paul Stanley]] from [[Kiss (band)|KISS]] (whose song "[[Rock and Roll All Nite (Poison single)|Rock and Roll All Nite]]" had been covered by Poison the year before) was originally selected to produce the record, but was unable to fulfill the role due to scheduling conflicts. Instead, the band worked with [[Tom Werman]]. Werman was an experienced rock producer, having worked with artists such as [[Ted Nugent]], [[Cheap Trick]], [[Twisted Sister]] and [[Mötley Crüe]].

Following the album was the release of the band's first video compilation, titled ''[[Sight for Sore Ears]]'', which featured all the music videos from ''Open Up and Say...Ahh!'' and ''Look What the Cat Dragged In''.

==Cover==

The original front cover of the album, which featured model Bambi dressed as a luminous red [[demon]] with a protruding [[tongue]], caused controversy among parental groups. The band changed the cover so that only the model's eyes were visible.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Compact Data: Short Cuts |journal=Radio & Records |date=1988-05-06 |issue=736 |page=38 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1988/RR-1988-05-06.pdf |access-date=18 July 2023 |publisher=Radio & Records, Inc. |___location=Los Angeles, California, USA |issn=0277-4860 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922152001/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1988/RR-1988-05-06.pdf |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |quote=Poison (who had to change the cover of their new LP after the Wal-mart chain refused to carry it) perform Loggins & Messina's "Your Mama Don't Dance" on their "Open Up And Say Ahh" LP.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/poison-open-up-and-say-ahh/|title=30 Years Ago: Poison Break Through on 'Open Up and Say … Ahh!'|first=Mary|last=Ouellette|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=May 3, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/banned-in-the-u-s-a-20-wildest-censored-album-covers-154101/|title=Banned in the U.S.A.: 20 Wildest Censored Album Covers|first1=Gavin|last1=Edwards|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=January 15, 2015}}</ref>

==Track information==

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The first single "Nothin' But a Good Time" was born from the merger of a guitar riff by [[C. C. DeVille]] and a chorus by Michaels. Michaels later explained that he was in search of a "kick ass big arena rock song" which would make him feel good about his life. The song was about "not wanting to be held back by working a job and being depressed", as portrayed in its music video.

The fourth single, "Your Mama Don't Dance", was a cover version of the 1972 song written by Loggins and Messina from their 1972 [[Loggins and Messina (album)|self-titled album]], which was recently covered by hard rock band [[Y&T]] on their album [[Down for the Count]].

The music video for the second single, "Fallen Angel", features [[model (person)|model]] and then aspiring singer/actress Susie Hatton (Bret's then-girlfriend, who released one solo album, ''Body and Soul''; in 1991).{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

The fourth single, "Your Mama Don't Dance", was a cover version of the 1972 song written by Loggins and Messina from their 1972 [[Loggins and Messina (album)|self-titled album]], which was recently covered by hard rock band [[Y&T]] on their album [[Down for the Count]].

Two additional songs written for the record, "Livin' for the Minute" and "Face the Hangman", were later released as B-sides. "Face the Hangman" was later included on ''[[Crack a Smile... and More!]]''.

==Track listing==

{{track listing

{{tracklist

| all_writing = [[Bret Michaels]], [[C.C. DeVille]], [[Bobby Dall]] and [[Rikki Rockett]], except where noted.

| title1 = Love on the Rocks

| length1 = 3:33

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| title5 = Tearin' Down the Walls

| length5 = 3:50

| title6 = Look butBut You Can't Touch

| length6 = 3:25

| title7 = [[Fallen Angel (Poison song)|Fallen Angel]]

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| title9 = [[Your Mama Don't Dance]]

| note9 = [[Loggins and Messina]] cover

| lyrics9 = [[Kenny Loggins]], [[Jim Messina (musician)|Jim Messina]]

| length9 = 3:00

| title10 = Bad to Be Good

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}}

{{track listing

{{tracklist

| headline = 20th2006 anniversaryremastered remasteredition bonus tracks:

| title11 = Livin' for the Minute

| length11 = 2:41

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'''Additional credits:'''

*[[John Purdell]] – [[keyboard instrument|keyboard]], [[French horn|horn]]

*Evren Göknar – 2006 and 2018 remastering

==Charts==

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{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|-

! Chart (19881988–1989)

! Peak<br/>position

|-

{{Album chart|Australia|7|artist=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |rowheader=true|accessdate=AprilJune 276, 20182024}}

|-

{{Album chart|Canada|10|chartid=8670|artist=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |rowheader=true|accessdate=AprilJune 276, 20182024}}

|-

! scope="row"| Finnish Albums ([[The Official Finnish Charts]])<ref name=FINI>{{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|___location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5 | page= 166 | language= fi}}</ref>

| align="center"| 16

|-

!scope="row"|Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref name="JPN">{{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=[[Oricon|Oricon Entertainment]]|___location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}</ref>

{{Album chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |rowheader=true|accessdate=April 27, 2018}}

| align="center"| 35

|-

{{Album chart|SwedenNew Zealand|371|artist=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |rowheader=true|accessdate=AprilJune 276, 20182024}}

|-

{{Album chart|SwitzerlandSweden|3037|artist=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |rowheader=true|accessdate=AprilJune 276, 20182024}}

|-

{{Album chart|UKSwitzerland|1830|artist=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |rowheader=true|accessdate=AprilJune 276, 20182024}}

|-

{{Album chart|New ZealandUK2|118|artistdate=Poison|album=Open Up and Say... Ahh! 19880515|rowheader=true|accessdate=AprilJune 276, 20182024}}

|-

{{Album chart|Billboard200|2|artist=Poison|rowheader=true|accessdate=April 22, 2018}}

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===Year-end charts===

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|-

! Chart (1988)

! Peak<br/>position

! Position

|-

! scope="row"|US ''[[Billboard'' 200]]''<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 21, 2021|archive-date=January 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123060504/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/the-billboard-200}}</ref>

|align="center"|23

|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|-

! Chart (1989)

! Peak<br/>position

! Position

|-

! scope="row"|New Zealand Albums ([[RMNZ]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nztop40aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/chartarchive/annual-albums?chart=3878/1989-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1989|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=February 17, 2022}}</ref>

|align="center"|10

|-

! scope="row"|US ''[[Billboard'' 200]]''<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1989/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1989|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 20, 2021|archive-date=January 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150124023926/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1989/the-billboard-200|url-status=live}}</ref>

|align="center"|20

|}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=3|type=album|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|certref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1989/albums-chart|title=ARIA Australian Albums Chart 1989|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]]|access-date=August 25, 2020}}</ref>}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Poison|title=Open Up and Say... Ahh!|access-date=August 25, 2020|relyear=1988|award=Platinum|number=4}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|artist=Poison|title=Open Up and Say... Ahh! |award=Platinum|id=33751989-10-20|relyearsource=1989newchart|access-date=March 4, 20222024-11-20|relyear=1989}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Poison|title=Open Up And Say... Ahh!|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|award=Gold|id=4916-697-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Poison|title=Open Up and say ... Ahh|access-date=August 25, 2020|relyear=1988|award=Platinum|number=5}}

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==External links==

* [https://www.poisonofficial.com/music-details?albumId=44 Official website]

* {{MusicBrainz release group|id=c36e18c3-e3e2-372f-a9f7-ec7aa4408d40|name=Open Up and Say... Ahh!}}

* {{Discogs master|master=94324|name=Open Up and Say... Ahh!|type=album}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060528101310/http://www.thegazz.com/guide/articles/stories/171/Something+to+believe+in] theGAZZ.com, Interview with Bret Michaels. Retrieved October 13, 2006.

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041119185626/http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/trax/classic%20trax%20poison.htm] Classic Rock Revisited, Classic Trax, Interview with Bret Michaels. Retrieved January 6, 2005.

{{Poison}}

{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:1988 albums]]

[[Category:Albums produced by Tom Werman]]

[[Category:Capitol Records albums]]

[[Category:Enigma Records albums]]

[[Category:Albums recorded at Conway Recording Studios]]

[[Category:Obscenity controversies in music]]