Every Rose Has Its Thorn

As of the fall of 1988, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania-based glam rock band Poison had hit the Top 20 with four of their first five singles that reached Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.  That run started with 1987’s “Talk Dirty To Me,” which peaked at number 9, and continued through “I Won’t Forget You,” which hit number 13 in 1987; “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” which rose to number 6 in 1988; and “Fallen Angel,” which peaked at number 12 in 1988.

Then, exactly 25 years ago, the band garnered its biggest hit as the third single — and only ballad — released from their second album, Open Up and Say … Ahh!, hit number one.  “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” would spend three weeks at the top of the Hot 100 chart over the holiday season of 1988-1989.  Though Poison would score three more Top 10 hits with their next three singles (all from their third album, Flesh & Blood), “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” would be the band’s only chart-topping song.