The Greatest Album Is...Crack A Smile

Every band that has been around for a while and released great records runs into this debate; what is their greatest album? The greatest album is… is a column dedicated to tackling that age old question. What is the greatest album recorded by Poison? Join with us now as the question is answered and arguments are made that the greatest Poison album is Crack A Smile.  

When Poison went to record their fifth studio album, Crack A Smile, they were at a crossroads. Long gone was original guitarist C.C. DeVille. His replacement, Richie Kotzen had been fired from the band after it was discovered he was having an affair with drummer Rikki Rockett’s fiancé. Blues Saraceno came in and took over lead guitar duties. Glam was a dying musical genre, and while their previous album Native Tongue had decent sales numbers, they paled in comparison to the first three Poison records. The band had also changed their musical style from glam slam party jams, to socio-political blues rock. It was a huge change that fans had a hard time accepting. So, when Poison went into the studio to record Crack A Smile everything was conspiring against them. They had to make a hit record or their career could be over.

There are very few Poison fans that would choose Crack A Smile as the band’s greatest album. It wasn’t recorded with beloved guitarist C.C. DeVille. It was released five years after it was finished and the band had moved on from those songs. There are no concert staples contained on the record because none of the songs have ever been played live. It’s hard for fans to even know this album, let alone embrace it as the best. Yet, once the album has been consumed a few times, the beauty of the record clearly comes into focus.

Crack A Smile showed that Poison was going back to their party style of glam metal, leaving the seriousness of Native Tongue in the past. Returning to their roots paid big dividends musically. Poison was loose and fun on this record, having a party with their music, and they produced songs that are as classic as any material from their first three records. Except for the cover of the Dr. Hook hit “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” the entire band wrote every song for this release together. And it is that band unity that makes these songs so strong, focused, and fun.

Sexually charged fantasy songs are plentiful with “Best Thing You Ever Had,” “Shut Up, Make Love,” “Baby Gets Around A Bit,” and “Sexual Thing.” All these songs focus on the theme of being used just for sex and that is not portrayed as a negative. It’s taken more tongue in cheek and shows the humorous side of a man being used just for his body. Every boy’s fantasy. Poison hit the mark with songs like these and if Crack A Smile was released in 1987 these all would have been top ten hits.  

Power ballads are also accounted for with “Be The One,” and “Lay Your Body Down.” Poison reminds everyone how power ballads are done with both these songs. They are magnificent beauties that show the ability to write majestic slow jams. And while neither song is as grand as “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” both are amazing in their own right.

“Lay Your Body Down” was even released on the band’s greatest hits record, which ironically came out before Crack A Smile. “Lay Your Body Down” is the stronger of the two with some of the best lyrics the band has ever crafted. The opening lines of “I spend my life waiting for that famous final scene…I believe you know the one…where she falls in love with me” are just fantastic! It’s great artistic writing, painting a scene and setting up the rest of what is to come. “Lay Your Body Down” could give “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” a challenge for best Poison ballad. And while it probably wouldn’t win it would be a close race. “Lay Your Body Down” is stunning.

One of Poison’s best songs is also included on Crack A Smile. “No Ring, No Gets” is a tremendous, light hearted, humorous track that has fun with a serious topic. Blues Saraceno shows off his skills with the solo and the beat of this tune make it a great sing along song. “No Ring, No Gets” would have been a huge concert staple if it was recorded at a different time in the bands career. As it is, Poison should consider adding this gem to their set for upcoming tours. Even the fans who don’t know the song would fall in love with it after one listen.

Crack A Smile is the best work Poison ever recorded and that level of talent would carry over for the studio songs that were included on Power To The People. Even with a new guitarist, Poison was at the top of the mountain with Crack A Smile. If this album had been released at an earlier time in the band’s career it would be as beloved as their first three records are. Unfortunately, Crack A Smile suffered from poor timing and genre preference changes. Thus, it is a record that not a lot of fans know about, and the ones that do are die-hards only. The casual fan has never heard Crack A Smile and that’s the real shame.

The greatest album is…Crack A Smile.

Vital Statistics

Release Date: March 14, 2000

Produced By: John Purdell and Duane Baron

RIAA Sales: Did not receive certification

Peak Position on the US Charts: 131

The album was recorded in 1994 and 1995 but put “on hold” by Capitol records. It would finally be released in 2000 with bonus tracks, due to fan demand.

“Sexual Thing” and “Lay Your Body Down” were previously released on Poison’s greatest hits album.

No song from this record has ever been played live by Poison.

Singles

Shut Up, Make Love

Be the One

Track Listing

Best Thing You Ever Had

Shut Up, Make Love

Baby Gets Around A Bit

Cover of the Rolling Stone

Be The One

Mr. Smiley

Sexual Thing

Lay Your Body Down

No Ring, No Gets

That’s the Way I Like It

Tragically Unhip

Doin’ As I See on My TV

Band Members

Bret Michaels – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards

Rikki Rockett -drums, percussion

Bobby Dall – bass, backing vocals

Blues Saraceno – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals

Concert Review: Poison/Cinderella - July 14, 2002

Prior to the days of M3, Rock on the Range, or other hair metal festivals, the only way an 80’s rocker could get their live hair metal fix was when the Poison tour would come through town. Poison started touring in 1999 with the Glam Slam Metal Jam tour, taking other 80’s hair bands out with them. There were usually 3 other bands on the bill performing prior to Poison. That particular year saw Cinderella, Faster Pussycat, and Winger as the acts prior to Poison.

As I have mentioned in some previous concert reviews, sometimes recollections can be a little fuzzy, or nonexistent. This is one such case. I vaguely remember seeing Faster Pussycat’s performance. I don’t recall anything about Winger’s set. That’s not to say they were bad performances, it’s just that I can’t remember much, if anything, about them. By 2002, I was seeing Poison for the fourth year in a row and all of their concerts from that time period seem to blend together. It’s hard to recall what the opening acts performed. Heck, I can barely remember who they were, let alone what they sounded like or played.

Cinderella was the co-headliner that year. It was the second time that I was seeing them perform, the first being in 2000 when they went outon the road with Poison. Cinderella gave a solid performance and I was impressed by how great they sounded. Tom Keifer’s vocals were in fine shape and the rest of the band was tight. Their set included the mega hits that we had all hoped and expected. Cinderella did not disappoint. “Night Songs,” “Comin’ Home,” “Shelter Me,” and the power ballad “Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Til It’s Gone)” were all played to the delight of myself and the crowd. Most of the audience would say that Cinderella had the best performance of the night and it was hard to argue that. However, being a huge Poison fan, I was anticipating nothing but excellence from them.

Poison had recently released a new album, Hollyweird, and I was interested in hearing some of those songs in the live setting. Hollyweird wasn’t their best album, but I thought it was a solid record and there were some songs that were going to be great live. Unfortunately, Poison decided that their cover of “Squeeze Box” and the worst song on the album (the CC Deville led “Emperor’s New Clothes”) were the songs to perform. That was a bad decision on their part. I never thought that CC Deville was a great singer and I think the decision to let him perform a song where he sang lead vocals was meant to serve his ego. CC is a great guitarist, but he is not a front man. Leave the vocals to Bret Michaels, please!

Poison did mix up the set a bit by performing “Talk Dirty To Me” as the second song of the night instead of at the end of the set. That was a nice surprise. The rest of the set was filled with all of the hits. “I Want Action,” “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” “Something To Believe In,” and of course, “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn.” In the slot normally reserved for “Talk Dirty To Me,” Poison closed with their fantastic cover of the classic KISS song, “Rock And Roll All Nite.” They even pulled fans onstage with them to dance and sing the song. That was quite a cool moment to witness.

The one song encore was the expected “Nothing But A Good Time” and it was fabulous! I absolutely loved seeing this band in concert and they gave another wonderful performance. New songs, classic hits, and a shakeup of the setlist led to a wonderful evening of hard rock.

Unfortunately Poison no longer tours and that’s a real shame. I would love to have the opportunity to see these guys live again. I would especially love it if they would headline the M3 rock festival. I know that Bret Michaels did a solo performance there a few years ago, but it just wasn’t the same. I want to see Poison in all their glory. Until that happens, I will have to relive the memories of nights like this one.

Cinderella Setlist

Somebody Save Me

Push Push

The Last Mile

Night Songs

Fallin’ Apart At The Seams

Heartbreak Station

Comin’ Home

Shelter Me

Don’t Know What You Got Til It’s Gone

Nobody’s Fool

Encore

Shake Me

Poison Setlist

Look What The Cat Dragged In

Talk Dirty To Me

Ride The Wind

Squeeze Box

I Want Action

Emperor’s New Clothes

Something To Believe In

Your Mama Don’t Dance

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Unskinny Bop

Fallen Angel

Rock And Roll All Nite

Encore

Nothin’ Bit A Good Time