Poison Native Tongue album Revisted 30 years later

Looking at the calendar this year 2023 I can’t help but wonder it has been 30 years since Poison released the native tongue album. It was a chaotic year with the 80s music genre Motley Crue and Anthrax had new singers, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden didn’t have a singer. Poison had recruited a young guitarist named Richie Kotzen to join Poison. I had no idea who he was, I had never heard of him but as a Poison fan I was curious about the new album and willing to hear what Native Tongue would sound like. Everyone is going to have their opinions some people are going to hate this album that’s fine some people are going love this album that’s fine some people are going to think this is the best Poison record and that’s fine there’s no right or wrong answers just opinions about the songs in the music and that is perfectly fine. I am one of the ones that actually loves this album. The cool thing is that you really hear Richie‘s influence on this record give him credit he did not try to be a gunslinger guitarist he was just himself and that translates into the music I think that’s what makes this record really good and really honest it represents poison in 1993. And that’s how most albums are they represent where a band was at a certain time this was Poison in 1993. The album went gold. It did not go triple platinum like it’s  predecessors did but enough about that I really want to talk about the songs on this record. 

     Native Tongue kicks off with the scream and I really love that song I wish that Poison would play it live because it still sounds that good today. It’s a great way to open an album. Stand was the first single I kind of liked. The song was a hit; it was a good representation of what the rest of the album would be like. 

      Bret Michaels and Richie Kotzen’s writing on this album is amazing. That’s the best way to put it. The album has a few fillers. Everyone’s going to have their favorites. One of my favorites is Blind Faith for some reason ever since the first time I heard it I just love that song. 7 days over you is my favorite song on the album. Bret Michaels is deeply influenced by the blues, and you heard it on the flesh and blood album (Poor Boy Blues) on this album he had a songwriting partner that he can really make more of those songs come to light. On the next album Crack a smile there’s a song called let your body down that is very blues like that song could’ve easily been on the native tongue album. 

    30 years later after the native tongue album the album has stood the test of time. Poison most definitely made the best decision to get Richie in the band. Poison is still touring, and Richie Kotzen went on to be an amazing songwriter he still writes great songs to this day.