Fly High Michelle – Enuff Z’nuff | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#47) & Mainstream Rock (#27); 1990
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
The first night 15-year-old bassist Chip Z’Nuff heard Donnie Vie sing, he suggested they pool their talents. The Blue Island, Illinois boys quickly came up with a bunch of original songs; prompting Chip to set aside a promising career in minor league baseball in favor of one in music. Chip and Donnie added two other teens and – as Enough Z’Nuff – put together a demo tape. With a slight name change to Enuff Z’Nuff, a new guitarist (Derek Frigo), and a new drummer (Vikki Fox), the band hit the Chicago circuit. Although a growing reputation gained them a spot on the soundtrack to Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer with Fingers On It in 1986, several more years passed before EZ got a label deal. Their self titled debut dropped in 1989, along with the leadoff single, New Thing, which attracted Top 40 airplay. Fly High Michelle, a ballad inspired by the death of one of Donnie’s friends, did even better: giving Enuff Z’Nuff the success they’d chased for so long.
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:
- Ron Fajerstein
Lyrics Written by:
- Donnie Vie
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).