Unskinny Bop Explained

Unskinny Bop
Cover:	Unskinnybop.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Poison
Album:	Flesh and Blood
B-Side:	Valley of Lost Souls
Genre:	Glam metal^[1] ^[2] ^[3] pop metal^[4]
Length:	3:48
Label:	Capitol Enigma
Producer:	Bruce Fairbairn
Prev Title:	Your Mama Don't Dance
Prev Year:	1989
Next Title:	Something to Believe In
Next Year:	1990

"Unskinny Bop" is a song by American glam metal band Poison, released as the first single from their third studio album, Flesh & Blood (1990), on June 18, 1990. The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, number five on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and number one on Canada's The Record chart. It also entered the top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Background

The meaning of "Unskinny Bop" has always been shrouded in obscurity. C.C. DeVille later confessed that the phrase "unskinny bop" has no particular meaning: he invented it as a temporary measure while writing the song, before vocalist Bret Michaels had begun working on the lyrics. The phrase was used on the basis that it was phonetically suited to the music. The song was later played to producer Bruce Fairbairn, who stated that, although he did not know what an "unskinny bop" was, the phrase was perfect.^[5]

Music video

The music video for the song has Bret Michaels, dancing with a couple of animated neon cowgirls next to him.

Track listings

7-inch and cassette single^{[6] [7]}

1. "Swampjuice (Soul-O)" – 1:26
2. "Unskinny Bop" – 3:47
3. "Valley of Lost Souls" – 5:37

12-inch and CD single^{[8] [9]}

1. "Swampjuice (Soul-O)" – 1:26
2. "Unskinny Bop" – 3:47
3. "Valley of Lost Souls" – 5:37
4. "Poor Boy Blues" – 5:19

Japanese mini-CD single^[10]

1. "Unskinny Bop"
2. "Valley of Lost Souls"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Canada (The Record)^[11]	1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[12]	42

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[13]	28
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[14]	31
US Billboard Hot 100^[15]	32

Decade-end charts

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United Kingdom	June 18, 1990			^[17]
	June 25, 1990	12-inch picture disc		^[18]
Japan	June 29, 1990	Mini-CD	CBS/Sony	^[19]

See also

• List of glam metal albums and songs

Notes and References

1. Web site: Earnest . Mark . April 18, 2018 . Coming Reno concerts: Melissa Etheridge, Kiefer Sutherland . January 6, 2021 . Reno Gazette-Journal.
2. Web site: Matt . Metal . February 21, 2014 . Achy-Breaky Too: Five Hair Metal Jams Destined For Rap Redux . March 14, 2021 . MetalSucks.
3. Web site: Poison's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks . May 30, 2021 . Billboard.
4. Web site: Poison’s 10 Best Songs: Critic’s Picks. Christa. Titus. July 5, 2017. Billboard.
5. http://www.ink19.com/issues/july2000/inkSpots/samantha7.html "In Samantha 7 Heaven: An Interview with C.C. DeVille of Samantha 7
6. Unskinny Bop. Poison. 1990. US 7-inch single vinyl disc. Capitol Records, Enigma Records. NR-44584.
7. Unskinny Bop. Poison. 1990. US cassette single sleeve. Capitol Records, Enigma Records. 4JM-44584.
8. Unskinny Bop. Poison. 1990. UK 12-inch single vinyl disc. Capitol Records, Enigma Records. 12CL 582, 20 3923 6.
9. Unskinny Bop. Poison. 1990. UK CD single liner notes. Capitol Records, Enigma Records. CDCL582, 20 3923 2.
10. Unskinny Bop. Poison. 1990. Japanese mini-CD single liner notes. CBS/Sony. CSDS 8143.
11. Book: Nanda Lwin . Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide . Music Data Canada . 1999 . 1-896594-13-1 . Nanda Lwin.
12. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles . . 7 . 29 . IV . July 21, 1990.
13. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1990 . . August 21, 2020.
14. Web site: End of Year Charts 1990 . Recorded Music NZ . December 3, 2017.
15. 1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles . Billboard . 102 . 51 . YE-14 . December 22, 1990.
16. Web site: Top 100 singles of the 1990s . Lwin . Nanda . . https://web.archive.org/web/20000829070927/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html . August 29, 2000 . March 26, 2022.
17. New Singles . . 31 . June 16, 1990.
18. New Singles . Music Week . 37 . June 23, 1990.
19. Web site: アンスキニー・バップ ポイズン . Unskinny Bop Poison . . ja . January 23, 2024.