Look What the Cat Dragged In

Look What the Cat Dragged In is the debut studio album by American glam metal band Poison, released on May 16, 1986 through Enigma Records.[2][3] Though not a success at first, it steadily built momentum and peaked at #3 on the US Billboard 200 on May 23, 1987.[4] The album spawned four singles, three of them charting successfully: "Talk Dirty to Me", "I Want Action", "I Won't Forget You" and "Cry Tough".[5] It serves as a prime example of the glam metal genre both musically and image-wise. The album ultimately has sold four million copies worldwide,[6] one of their best-selling albums.

For the song by Giggs, see Look What the Cat Dragged In (song).

Look What the Cat Dragged In
Studio album by Poison
Released	May 16, 1986 (1986-05-16)
Recorded	March 1986 at Music Grinder Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Glam metal, hard rock
Length	33:24
Label	Enigma
Producer	Ric Browde
Poison chronology
Look What the Cat Dragged In (1986) Open Up and Say... Ahh! (1988)
Singles from Look What the Cat Dragged In
"Cry Tough" Released: August 5, 1986 "Talk Dirty to Me" Released: February 18, 1987 "I Want Action" Released: May 20, 1987 "I Won't Forget You" Released: August 5, 1987

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Look What the Cat Dragged In was certified gold in 1987 and 3x multi-platinum in 1990 by the RIAA.[7] It has also been certified silver by the BPI and platinum in Canada. It is No. 2 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time.[8]

Musical style

Described by Revolver Magazine as "oversexed, under-thought, and relentlessly fun",[9] the album's style is typically described as "glam metal" and was strongly influenced by East-Coast bands such as Aerosmith and Kiss. Reflecting a period in time before the band's music began to take on the influence of Californian, Van Halen-styled stadium rock, the album is characterized by more traditional heavy metal sounds.

Production and marketing

The record was described by vocalist Bret Michaels as a "glorified demo". It was recorded in twelve days at Los Angeles' Music Grinder Studios with producer Ric Browde, for a cost of US $23,000, part of which was funded from the pockets of the band members and their families.

The front cover of the album featured the members of Poison at their most "glam", with each sporting excessive make-up, thick girlish hair, and the pouting "kiss" pose which was to become a Poison trademark. The cover is often compared to the alternate cover of Mötley Crüe's 1983 album Shout at the Devil due to both featuring the band members' faces in heavy makeup, but it also may or may not have represented a loose parody of the cover of The Beatles' Let It Be, or perhaps more likely, Van Halen's debut album.

Themes and tracks

The album's themes are ambition ("Cry Tough"), lust ("I Want Action," "Talk Dirty To Me," and "Want Some, Need Some"), sexual frustration ("Blame It on You"), love lost ("I Won't Forget You"), and, most importantly, anti-social behavior ("No. 1 Bad Boy," "Look What the Cat Dragged In," "Let Me Go to the Show," and "Play Dirty"). "Talk Dirty to Me" was written by guitarist C. C. DeVille prior to his joining the band. DeVille played it to Michaels, Rikki Rockett and Bobby Dall during his audition for the role as the band's guitarist. "Talk Dirty to Me" has been covered by several bands, including Children of Bodom and Reel Big Fish. It is also included as a playable cover track in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, with Michaels re-recording the vocals.

Reissues

In 2005, Madacy Entertainment reissued the album, with a new cover but identical contents, under the title Rock Breakout Years: 1987.[10] The following year, a 20th Anniversary edition was released by Capitol, with the original title. This version added single versions of two of the album's tracks and a cover of Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" as bonus tracks.[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Cry Tough"	3:36
2.	"I Want Action"	3:05
3.	"I Won't Forget You"	3:35
4.	"Play Dirty"	4:08
5.	"Look What the Cat Dragged In"	3:10
6.	"Talk Dirty to Me"	3:44
7.	"Want Some, Need Some"	3:39
8.	"Blame It on You"	2:32
9.	"#1 Bad Boy"	3:14
10.	"Let Me Go to the Show"	2:45
Total length:		33:28

2006 remastered edition bonus tracks:

No.	Title	Length
11.	"I Want Action" (single version)	3:06
12.	"I Won't Forget You" (single version)	3:39
13.	"You Don't Mess Around with Jim" (Jim Croce cover)	3:05

Personnel

• Bret Michaels – lead vocals,
• C.C. DeVille – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Bobby Dall – bass, backing vocals
• Rikki Rockett – drums, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Ric Browde – arrangement, production
• Jim Faraci – engineering, production
• Michael Wagener – mixing

References

1. Huey, Steve. "Look What the Cat Dragged In - Poison". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
2. "Mitch Lafon on Twitter: "See below... "Look What The Cat Dragged In i…". archive.is. 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
3. "Poison 1986 Interview from Seattle - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
4. "Allmusic (Poison charts and awards) Billboard albums".
5. "Allmusic (Poison charts and awards) Billboard singles".
6. "Moondance Jam/Poison".
7. "RIAA Gold & Platinum". 2010. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24.
8. Weingarten, Tom Beaujour,Richard Bienstock,Chuck Eddy,Reed Fischer,Kory Grow,Maura Johnston,Christopher R. (2015-10-13). "50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
9. Revolver Magazine, April 2005, at 75.
10. Pacal, Marcus (2005-11-05). "Review: "Rock Breakout Years: 1987" by Poison". Missing or empty |url= (help)
11. Luce, Patrick (2006-07-25). "Rockers Poison celebrate 20th anniversary with expanded releases of albums". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on 25 November 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2009.

External links

• Interview with Bret Michaels at Classic Rock Revisited