Nicole – Point Blank | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#39); 1981

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

A key turning point in Point Blank’s career came at a gig as the opening act for the Marshall Tucker Band and J.J. Cale at The Warehouse in New Orleans. The Texas rockers arrived there in less than peak form due to a carbon monoxide leak from their van’s exhaust system.

Learning that they had no dressing room, the already apprehensive musicians changed in the club’s front office. To top it all off, the recently-formed group also had no name, so when the stage announcer asked for one, their manager quickly shouted out, “Bluetail Fly.”

Although the crowd seemed to enjoy the set, the band members left the stage discouraged by the whole experience. Suddenly, the call came for an encore and the boys knew they might just make it.

Renaming themselves Point Blank, the boys toured relentlessly, released their first album in 1976, and finally earned the big payoff in 1981 with Nicole.

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:

  • B. Randolph
  • B. Keith
  • K. Davis
  • M. Hamilton
  • B. Gruen
  • R. Burns

Lyrics Written by:

  • Bill Ham