This is the nineteenth cache in a series called "Awesome Eighties". This series takes us Rockers back to the days of awesome music videos shown on MTV, VH1, and who can forget the "Head Bangers Ball."
"Fallen Angel" is the second single from Open Up and Say...Ahh!, American glam metal band Poison's second studio album. The B-side of the seven inch was "Bad to Be Good".
Background
Released as a single in 1988 on Capitol Records, the track reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #32 on the Mainstream rock charts and has since gone Gold in the US. This made it the only single from the album not to reach the Top Ten. It also charted at number 21 on the Australian charts and number 59 on the UK Singles chart.
The song is about a young girl who grew up in a small town and goes to Los Angeles to try to make it as an actress. While there, she abandons her old life...
This theme is a reference to the history of the band Poison itself: Bret Michaels, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett all left their native Pennsylvania for Los Angeles in their quest for fame.
Music video
The music video to "Fallen Angel" mostly follows the lyrics to the song, and was in heavy rotation on MTV. In the video, a young blonde (portrayed by Bret's then-girlfriend, model and then aspiring singer/actress Susie Hatton) tells her family, at dinner, that she is leaving for California at the end of the week, a statement that surprises and silences them. She arrives in Los Angeles with a suitcase in tow, eventually catching the attention of a guy (played by veteran character actor Anthony James) who manages a modeling agency and who offers her a job. She becomes a success, but feels like she is selling out her morals for fame. The girl and the manager start dating, but when he starts getting friendly with other ladies at a party, she leaves. He tries to get her back, but the girl gives him a kick in the groin, and walks off. She is back on the streets, but is picked up by Bret Michaels on a motorcycle and rides off into an unknown future. As her story ends, another girl, played by Michelle Davis, arrives, hoping to find fame and fortune...
"Fallen Angel"
She stepped off the bus out into the city streets
Just a small town girl with her whole life
Packed in a suitcase by her feet
But somehow the lights didn't
Shine as bright as they did
On her mama's TV screen
And the work seemed harder
And the days seemed longer
Than she ever thought they'd be
But you know you got to stick to your guns
When it all comes down
Cause sometimes you can't choose
It's like heads they win
Tails you're gonna lose
All the songs used in this series should have been released during the 1980's and many of them were seen on MTV and VH1.
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