Cherry Pie – Warrant | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#10 ) & Rock (#19); 1990
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Although their ultimate financial fate is unknown, Warrant’s early fortunes followed the lead of their first album title, Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. Both it and album #2, Cherry Pie, went double platinum, and threw off a number of pop hit singles in the process.
The aforementioned Rich accounted for four rock hits, notably the #2 crossover smash Heaven. Cherry Pie, the album, then chipped in with the title track and I Saw Red.
Singer Jani Lane wrote all of Warrant’s hits and whereas Heaven was filled with the requisite power ballad hooks, Cherry Pie smacked of the ever-popular raunch-rock approach. Unfortunately, warrant or not, Warrant couldn’t get arrested after these successes.
According to Jani, he knew the band’s days were numbered when, visiting the record label offices, he spotted a poster of Alice In Chains occupying the spot on the wall once allotted to Warrant. Incidentally, Jani wanted to title Warrant’s second album Uncle Tom’s Cabin, after the third single released from it.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Beau Hill
Lyrics Written by:
- Jani Lane
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).