Open Up and Say…Ahh! is the second studio album by the iconic American glam metal band Poison, released on 27 April 1988. Widely regarded as their most successful and influential work. 

With its infectious hooks, anthemic choruses, and a perfect blend of pop sensibility and hard rock edge, Open Up and Say…Ahh! is not just a standout album in Poison’s discography—it’s a defining moment for the entire glam metal genre.

The late 1980s were the heyday of hair metal, a time when big hair, flashy outfits, and larger-than-life personalities ruled the music scene. Glam metal bands were everywhere, but Poison managed to rise above the noise with Open Up and Say…Ahh!. The album produced four massive hit singles: “Nothin’ But a Good Time,” “Fallen Angel,” “Your Mama Don’t Dance” (a cover of Loggins and Messina’s classic), and the timeless power ballad “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” These songs not only dominated the charts but also became anthems for a generation of rock fans.

The Album That Defined an Era

What made Open Up and Say…Ahh! so special was its ability to capture the spirit of the times. The album was a perfect reflection of the era’s excess, fun, and rebellion. It wasn’t just about the music it was about the attitude, the image, and the sheer joy of being a rock star. Poison embraced their role as entertainers, and this album was their crowning achievement.

I would like to apologize to Poison fans with deep respect, but I can’t help but criticize them for not having much musical talent, being too much of a tin can. However, I don’t mean anything negative. I just want you to see that sometimes, the right talent, not necessarily superhuman, just presenting it at the right time and the right place can lead to success. 

Look at a band like Nitro. They have a god-like guitarist and a lead singer with a wide, high-pitched voice that is second to none on earth. While Poison was looked down upon for their playing skills, their skills weren’t (too) bad. During that period, the metal scene placed intense focus on technical virtuosity (particularly fast, complex guitar playing known as shredding). This led to an unfair perception that musicians who chose a more traditional or melodic approach to playing were somehow less talented or interesting.

But Poison had a huge album sale, a string of hits, and a stadium tour, while Nitro lost to their own faults and went their separate ways.

Open Up and Say…Ahh!

As mentioned above, sometimes the right talent doesn’t have to be extraordinary, just presenting it at the right time and the right place can lead to success.

The late 80s were the time of hair bands. Glam metal music transformed into fun pop bands, with heartbreaking ballads that became hits on MTV, along with faces so heavily made up they were hard to recognize. Some people might have thought they were women!

Poison formed around 1984 and released their first album in 1986. The album Look What the Cat Dragged Inwas a success, with hits like “I Want Action,” “Talk Dirty to Me,” and the ballad “I Won’t Forget You.” The album easily sold over 2 million copies.

Look What the Cat Dragged In established them as a force to be reckoned with, but many believe that the factor of Poison’s first album success because of their image not their music. They wore heavy makeup like women, let their hair dressing, and covered their bodies in spandex, but no matter what, Poison looked good in that outfit.

the charm of Open Up and Say…Ahh!

At first glance, it might seem that it is not much different from their first album, but if you listen to the details of the album, you will see the development and the perfection blend of pop and metal, making this album the true peak of their career.

They took their sound to the next level. The band leaned even further into their pop sensibilities, crafting songs with catchy melodies, straightforward structures, and lyrics that resonated with their young audience. This wasn’t about technical virtuosity or complex arrangements—it was about creating music that was fun, relatable, and impossible to ignore.

The Voice

Bret Michaels is not a great vocalist, but if you think about it, Bret’s voice is fit perfectly to the Music like this more than Bruce Dickinson or Ronnie James Dio, it wouldn’t have that kind of vibe. The music is fun, the hooks are catchy, the riffs aren’t too strong. All things blend into enjoyable listening songs.

 The lyrics reflect what it was like to be a teenager at that time: parties, sex, and fun, while also starting to feel a little bit happier about real life. Having to endure working day to day (like washing dishes) but still having the confidence that there must be something good in life, which is a characteristic of teenagers to early 20s.

As Bret once said, he wrote about things around him. What he saw, such as “Fallen Angel,” was the discovery of the truth of adolescence that life is not fun, and that there are many responsibilities in life.

So there are fun party songs like “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” songs about stubborn teenagers who want to do something different from society’s standards like “Bad to Be Good.” And of course, there is the 80s ballad “Every Rose has It’s Thorn,” which Brett wrote based on what happened to him at that time.

The sounds of An Era

The definition of this album is “fun”, and it may be one of the definitions of hair metal at that time that they had to make fun music.

The album opens with “Love on the Rocks,” a high-energy track that sets the tone for what’s to come. The production, handled by Tom Werman, was a significant step up from their debut. 

The sound was cleaner, more polished, and perfectly balanced, allowing the band’s pop-metal hybrid to shine. While some critics might argue that the guitar riffs weren’t as heavy or complex as those of their peers, Poison’s strength lay in their ability to write memorable, radio-friendly songs that connected with a wide audience.

The guitar riffs were not as strong as you may aspect from metal bands, But what’s better than before is the writing of concise, to the point lyrics, with catchy hooks and memorable phrases, suitable for playing on radio or MTV for promotion.

Legacy of Open Up and Say…Ahh!

Open Up and Say…Ahh! is a truth of the hair metal industry that you don’t need to have excellent skills, just being able to make music that people enjoy is enough.

In terms of skills, Poison may not have been the most technically proficient band of their era, they didn’t need to be. this album is a testament to the idea that success in music isn’t always about virtuosity. it’s about timing, presentation, and the ability to create something that resonates with people.

Poison understood their audience and delivered exactly what they wanted: fun, energetic, and relatable music. The album’s enduring popularity proves that sometimes the most impactful music comes from embracing your authentic voice rather than trying to meet others’ technical expectations.

The album’s massive success selling millions of copies, spawning hit singles, and fueling a stadium tour, cemented Poison’s status as one of the biggest bands of the 1980s. 

More than that, it became a defining album for the glam metal genre. When you think of 80s hair metal, Open Up and Say…Ahh!is one of the first albums that comes to mind. It’s a celebration of everything that made the era so unforgettable: the big hair, the bigger hooks, and the unbridled joy of rock and roll.

This is an album that has a lot of charm for hair metal lovers.

Open Up and Say…Ahh!