Unskinny Bop by Poison

Album: Flesh And Blood (1990)

Charted: 15 3

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Songfacts®:

According to Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille, the phrase "Unskinny Bop" has no particular meaning. DeVille wrote the music and used the phrase as a placeholder for the lyrics, which lead singer Bret Michaels would write. When their producer Bruce Fairbairn heard the phrase, he thought it was perfect for the song, even though he had no idea what it meant.
Poison formed in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1984 as Paris. They moved to Los Angeles in an ambulance Michaels bought for $700 and begin playing in clubs there. When their guitarist quit, they chose DeVille over Slash and Steve Silva, who also applied. Slash eventually joined Guns N' Roses and Silva was in The Joe Perry Project. Poison got a record deal in 1986, disbanded in 1994 and re-formed in 1999.
On the 2002 Poison album Hollyweird, there's a song called "Home (Bret's Story)," where Bret Michaels offers an explanation of the "Unskinny Bob" lyric. Michaels sings: "I eat dinner with Nick Cage and Charlie Sheen, Nick asks me what the hell 'Unskinny Bop' means, it's slang for CC banging a porno queen." >>
Suggestion credit:
Jeff - Milton, Canada

Comments: 19

Cristian Duarte from ColombiaUnskinny bop is a eay to mention the clitoris, that is.
20mdc22 from IowaMy mother and I drew the conclusion of this song not having any logical or rational meaning behind way back in the early 90s.
Lisa from L.a.Next question... why was the Bret Michael's Rock of Love tour bus parked at the dead end of my street around 2007. All the ten year Olds were going to see it and found it fascinating.

I thought unskinnybop was a bop between too skinny people yet that was very full.
Jeanne Mcgrath from JohnsrownUnskinny bop? Silly name for a song. Yins shoulda called it "Iron City Bop"
GeneIt means nothing. As has been noted many times. It’s was place holder of phonetic reference.
AnonymousI thought it was another way to say “fat f--k”
Dustin from NashvilleThe song is actually quite coyly written but fairly simple to understand:

"The Skinny" is a slang term meaning "confidential truth". If the title is even remotely related to that term, then "Unskinny" would mean that he's NOT getting "the skinny" or full truth of why she is so hyper-sexual with him, the "bop" part.

Which, if you analyze the lyrics thoroughly, that's is exactly what is going on...

She's using passion and sex to try to blind him (first verse) to the fact that she is not really interested in being with him exclusively (second verse) but he is wise to what she's doing (third verse) and let's her know that she isn't the only one using the other. Hence, leading to the statement: "Yeah whose ridin' who at the end of the race".
Cathy from Omaha, NeRob, Bret Michaels is an equal opportunity what? Manwhore? Pervert? I'll call him what he is.
Rob from Duluth, GaI heard on VH1's behind the music that Bret was an "equal opportunity ..." well can't say it here or it'll get deleted, but you get the drift. Fat ones, skinny ones, it didn't matter. So take that for what it's worth.
Marissa from Akron, OhI always figured Unskinny Bop was about a girl who wasn't skinny... I never really read the lyrics but hey, music is art, and all art is open to interpretation, am I right?
Thomas from Copenhagen, DenmarkYeah, DeVille not being able to play the right song at the MTV-awards got him fired. Heavy metal/hard rock/glam rock died that night and the sound from Seattle took over.
Michelle from Maplewood, MnThis would have to be my favorite poison song ever i love any type of hair metal and this and some of my other favorite songs rank #1 of my favorite hair metal songs
Tyler from Folsom, CaPoison never 'broke up' CC Deville was fired due to his alcohol and cocaine problem after he couldnt play the right song at an MTV awards show and return to the band 7 years later. He was replace by 3 different people over those seven years.
Bill from Minneapolis, MnThis song is about C.C. with 2 porn stars in a room with Bret Michaels watching C.C. and the 2 chicks doing the unskinny bop. Bret wrote a song about it. Go watch the video for it.
Mandie from Port Royal, Pathis song gives the real meaning to woman's curves and it doesnt have to make um fat cuz it drives the guys wild
Jeri from Edmonton, CanadaThis is an amazing song! It's so nasty... like most hair metal. I love it
Shadow from El Paso, TxThe information in the second block above is not accurate. Poison did not break up in 1994 and reform in 1999. To the contrary, Poison recorded an album in 1996 (two years after the above says they broke up) called "Crack a Smile" although it was held from release by Capitol Records until 2000. Two of the songs from Crack a Smile- "Lay Your Body Down" and "Sexual Thing" were released on Poison?s Greatest Hits CD in 1996, which Capitol released instead of the new album.
Amy from Dallas, Txgood song. thats it
Anthony from Morgantown, WvAccording to the booklet in the album, C.C. Brought in a famous Porn Star. C.C. started making licks with her in the room and Bret started singing his lyrics to impress her. Both of them didnt impress her... but it did become a major Poison song!

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