Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Poison is one of my favourite 80s glam rock band especially towards the end of this glorious era of music. i heard 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' in 1988 when i was in primary five and bought off one of their albums on cassette tape. I was driving along the highway today when this song came on in the car stereo and i just instinctively hit the repeat button and let the song run over and over till i reach home. It still resonates deeply, more than 20 years since i heard it.

'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' is a simple acoustic song but its lyrics really tells a lot. Poison's lead vocalist Bret Michaels wrote this after a failed love affair. I remembered fondly that i had asked my elder brother who was five years older what the song title and lyrics meant and he explained in simple terms it actually means that everything, no matter how good has it's bad points and flaws and so metaphorically, a rose which supposedly represents all things beautiful has its bad and ugly side to it in its thorns. I understood right there.

Every picture has its imperfection
Every good novel has an ending
Every person has his flaws
Every relationship has its bad times

Every Rose has its thorn...


I hope this song comforts me and will whisk me to sleep soundly tonight...

'I know i could have saved a love that night
If I'd known what to say
Instead of making love
We both made our separate ways'

- Every Rose Has Its Thorn