Native Tongue is the fourth studio album by American hard rock bandPoison, released in 1993 through Capitol Records. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200, #20 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 21, 1993. It has also been certified by CAN platinum. This is the only album to feature lead guitaristRichie Kotzen. Kotzen was hired as the band's guitarist following the firing of C.C. DeVille in late 1991. The album features the singles "Stand", "Until You Suffer Some " and "Body Talk".
Production and marketing
Admitted as a full-fledged member of the band rather than a "hired gun", Kotzen was given considerable creative freedom. Resultingly, Kotzen's writing and performing contributions dominated the album. Kotzen would later be expelled from the band following the world tour, after it was discovered that he had been romantically involved with the fiancee of drummer Rikki Rockett. Recollections of the album, while no doubt soured by these events, nonetheless appear to faithfully reflect the basic clash between Kotzen's style and that of the band's founding members. Kotzen would later claim that "being in Poison helped me forget I was a musician" while Rockett would lament the loss of the band's original "attitude" The album was recorded and mixed at A&M Studios in Hollywood, California, and Rumbo Recorders in Canoga Park, California with producer Richie Zito. It was dedicated to Van Halentour managerScotty Ross and former Poison guitarist DeVille. The album peaked at #16 on the Billboard chart. The first two singles "Stand" and "Until You Suffer Some " featured music videos and charted in the US and the UK. "Stand" reached number 15 on the Mainstream rock chart, #35 on the Top 40 Mainstream chart and #50 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also charted at number 25 on the UK Singles chart and "Until You Suffer Some " peaked at number 32 on the UK Singles chart. Following the album the band released a video/DVD titled Seven Days Live which featured a concert from the Native Tongue world tour.
Songs
Lyrically, the band continued on the growing sophistication that began in Flesh and Blood. The album's themes include battles against injustice, heartbreak, and inner demons. "When The Whip Comes Down" is a track not included on the album but used as a b side for the singles.
