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 #21 on the Australian charts and #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.
Cash Box said that "once again the boys bash and thrash their way through a good tune about the small-town girl gone bad in the big city."
"Fallen Angel", along with "Talk Dirty to Me", "I Won't Forget You" and "Ride the Wind", was the subject of a lawsuit in 2011 by members of the defunct band Kid Rocker, who claimed that the songs were based on Kid Rocker songs played to Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille before he was a member of Poison. On April 8, 2013, a California federal judge said that the plaintiffs waited too long to file their lawsuit, stating, "It is totally implausible that plaintiff did not discover the alleged infringement until 2011." The judge ruled that the plaintiffs could only sue for damages dating back three years from the date of the lawsuit (following a three-year statute of limitations), and no more.
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 sleazy manager (played by Anthony James). She becomes a success as a lingerie model, but feels like she is selling out her morals for fame. She begins dating her manager, but when he starts getting friendly with other ladies at a club, 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 Harley-Davidson Softail on Hollywood Boulevard and rides off into an unknown future. As her story ends, another girl, played by Michelle Davis, arrives on the bus hoping to find fame and fortune.
Rikki Rockett's white tee-shirt was blurred in several scenes, as it contained the Vision Street Wear logo, a popular brand with skate-boarders; Rikki was an avid skate-boarder. Two other logos, one being on a store window and another being a bus logo were also blurred as well perhaps for product brand issues.
"Fallen Angel" is widely regarded as one of Poison's best songs. In 2017, Billboard and OC Weekly each ranked the song number seven on their lists of the 10 greatest Poison songs.
Fallen Angel
Poison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
Days seemed longer
Than she ever thought they'd be
But you know you gotta 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
Win big, mama's fallen angel
Lose big, livin' out her lies
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
Lose it all, rollin' the dice of her life
Now, she found herself in the fast lane livin' day to day
Turned her back on her best friends, yeah
And watched her family slip away
And just like a lost soul caught up in the Hollywood scene
All the parties and limousines
Such a good actress
Hiding all her pain
Trading in memories for fortune and fame
Just a step away from the edge of the fall
Caught between Heaven and Hell
Where's the girl I knew a year ago?
Win big, mama's fallen angel
Lose big, livin' out her lies
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
Lose it all, rollin' the dice of her life
Too much too soon
Or just a little too late
'Cause when her ship came in
She wasn't there, it just wouldn't wait
Win big, mama's fallen angel
Lose big, livin' out her lies
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
Lose it all, rollin' the dice of her life
Win big, mama's fallen angel
Lose big, livin' out her lies
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
Lose it all, rollin' the dice of her life
Win big, mama's fallen angel
Lose big, livin' out her lies
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
Lose it all, rollin' the dice of her life
Win big, mama's fallen angel
Lose big, livin' out her lies
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
The lyrics of Poison's song "Fallen Angel" tell the story of a small-town girl who dreams of making it big in Hollywood. She leaves her family and friends behind, hoping to achieve fame and fortune. However, life in the city isn't as glamorous as she thought it would be, and the work is much harder than she anticipated. The girl, referred to as 'Mama's Fallen Angel', experiences the ups and downs of stardom, but it comes at a price. She's forced to trade in memories for fortune and fame, hiding her pain behind her acting skills. Caught between heaven and hell, Mama's Fallen Angel is on the edge of the fall.
Line by Line Meaning
She stepped off the bus out into the city streets
A small town girl is leaving her life behind and moving to the city.
Just a small town girl with her whole life
The girl has her entire future ahead of her.
Packed in a suitcase by her feet
All her belongings are in her baggage beside her.
But somehow the lights didn't shine as bright as they did
The city isn't as glamorous as she expected it to be.
On her mama's TV screen
Her idea of city life came from movies and TV shows.
And the work seemed harder
The girl is struggling with work.
Days seemed longer
Her days are feeling never-ending.
Than she ever thought they'd be
City life is more challenging than she anticipated.
But you know you gotta stick to your guns
One must persevere through adversity.
When it all comes down
In difficult times, one must remain steadfast and determined.
'Cause sometimes you can't choose
There are specific circumstances that may prevent having a choice.
It's like heads they win
Some choices are rigged in favor of others.
Tails you're gonna lose
Choosing in some cases is merely choosing which disaster.
Win big, mama's fallen angel
The girl desires to succeed massively.
Lose big, livin' out her lies
She's willing to take substantial risks for fame and fortune despite the potential ramifications.
Wants it all, mama's fallen angel
The girl is desperate to obtain all she desires.
Lose it all, rollin' the dice of her life
Her decisions could result in losing everything she's gained.
Now, she found herself in the fast lane livin' day to day
The girl is now living life in the fast lane, one day at a time.
Turned her back on her best friends, yeah
She's abandoned her old life and friends.
And watched her family slip away
Her familial relationships have started to deteriorate.
And just like a lost soul caught up in the Hollywood scene
She's become entranced by fame and fortune.
All the parties and limousines
The girl is being taken to exclusive parties in fancy cars.
Such a good actress
She's skilled at hiding her true emotions.
Hiding all her pain
She conceals the pain of her previous life by putting on a facade.
Trading in memories for fortune and fame
She's willing to forgo her past memories and experiences for success and wealth.
Just a step away from the edge of the fall
She's standing on the verge of a breakdown.
Caught between Heaven and Hell
She's stuck between two opposing forces: good and evil.
Where's the girl I knew a year ago?
The girl has been drastically transformed within a year.
Too much too soon
She's been bombarded with too much success and attention too quickly.
Or just a little too late
Her success may have arrived too late for it to matter.
'Cause when her ship came in
When the time finally arrived for her glory,
She wasn't there, it just wouldn't wait
She had already missed it, or it had moved on.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bobby Dall, Bret Michaels, Bruce Anthony Johannesson, Rikki Rockett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@knikitahensley9042
God how I wish I could back to the 80's.
Being a teen back then was the Best...
My friends, the parties...
The music....
Being in love was the best part....🙄🤔😳💔
OK. maybe not...😳
Having friends...
...The 80's ROCKED!!
OLD SCHOOL. ⏰
@buddydyer7836
80s music TOTALLY ROCKED!!!! I'm so incredibly thankful that I grew up as a teen in that decade. The perfect time to be in the teen years. Back then we had to go to an arcade to play video games. We had drive in theatres and stone washed blue jeans. No internet, instead we actually had real friends who liked to do crazy things to have fun. Friday and Saturday nights we even went to the skating rinks. Oh it was so much fun, especially when you eyed that pretty girl you were scared to talk to. No we didn't text back then, there were no smart phones or cell phones. Back then you actually called a girl, if you had the nerve, and asked her out on a date. To top it all off the movies were great and so was TV back when everyone was always trying figure out what JR Ewing was up to on Dallas. We only got to see cartoons on Saturday morning, then after that we played outside all day trying to find an old tire to push down the hill to see it bounce. We played outside all the time. A wonderful time to be a kid, especially when you finally heard your favorite song from Casey Casem top 40 on the radio. If you were focused, you would record the song from the radio onto a tape recorder, LOL!!!
@sgt.mjr.2270
oh god yes, 70's and 80's were the best of times. if we have 9 lives like cats, I am on life 8.9 LOL
@e5m956
OMG you described my childhood to a tee! The first song that I ever recorded onto cassette was We're Not Going To Take It by Twisted Sister! You really summed it up from arcades to roller rinks. I see the neighborhood kids get off the school bus these days and straight into the house and disappear while us 80s kids couldn't be kept inside! The 80s where absolutely great times!
@billwilliams3884
Well said sir I couldn't agree more.. thank you for your post.
@leel6219
When being a kid was fun adventures and real friends not fake internet friends. You walked to there house talked in person and played outside. Used imagination
@gagagoosey
Too bad I didn't grow up in the 80s... Though it is my favorite decade, especially in music... I wish I could do those things as a teen, but I would probably get rejected....
@rachelalexandra3052
Like all 70's babies,how lucky were we to live as teenagers through the 80's. This song : an absolute anthem for a then 16yo girl.. and as a 50yo now....the rebel inside reignites whenever I hear this song. Huge thanks Poison for making us feel forever young 🎸🔥
@danacunningham6944
I'm 15 I wish I was born 1963.
@rachelalexandra3052
@@danacunningham6944 Being 15 makes you a Technological Whiz📱!! You can transport yourself to any 🎸 genre you wish!! Enjoy the ride📱🏍🎸!!⚡️⚡️
@toddwood9585
@@danacunningham694473. 😂