Great Metal Albums of 1987: Motley Crue- Girls, Girls, Girls

Motley Crue have been referred to as a band of musicians with limited talent. Even I used to think that Mick Mars was the worst guitarist in metal, I’ve since apologized to him for that wrong assumption. The question back in 1987 was: If Motley Crue were second rate musicians, why was their album, “Girls, Girls, Girls” so successful going multi-platinum? My sister, in her article in her college newspaper, said the answer was in the title. Motley Crue appealed to teenage girls who were more into the good looks of the band rather than the music. There might have been truth in that but what about the boys who bought the album? I really can’t say that Motley Crue were like Bon Jovi in the sense that boys listened to them because their girlfriends did. No, boys bought this album on the own accord because Crue were capable of putting out good music.

For me, “Girls, Girls, Girls” opens with the best track on the album, “Wild Side.” The band really bring it musically here, I can’t fault the song in any way. It also helped that the track also appears on the soundtrack to the film “Rock Star.” However, the title track was definitely meant to be a single, which it was. It did it’s job producing a hit for the band but for me, it’s not nearly the best song on the album. The next two are much better. They bring the hard rocking on “Dancing on Glass” and I do like Tommy Lee’s piano chops in the back ground. With “Bad Boy Boogie,” they bring a bit of blues swagger. There is a ZZ Top vibe to this song and Mick’s guitar work makes me even more ashamed of calling him the worst guitarist. His hooks and solo here are just simply top notch! This is the hidden gem on the album.

The second half of the album dips in quality in comparison to the first. The thankfully very short “Nona” is just filler and if I can borrow a line from 2Loud, I would delete it. It shouldn’t be on the album. Fortunately, things go back on track with “Five Years Dead.” It’s not a bad track but it sounds too much like the title track and therefore lacks originality. Things continue to improve with “All in the Name Of.” Tommy’s drumming is key here and Mick and Nikki are great in support. It’s a faster paced metal song and it doesn’t bother me that it’s about getting with under aged girls.

Mick’s best guitar performance on the album heralds in “Sumthin’ for Nuthin’.” While the chorus might be a little bland, the song has an infectious hook that you can’t resist bobbing your head along to. Then we come to the other single on the album, the power ballad, “You’re All I Need.” Being a neo-officianado on power ballads, this one is okay. The fact that the video was banned from MTV for its supposedly violent theme is reason for this non-conformist to like it. A live recording of the Elvis hit, “Jailhouse Rock,” closes the album. I remember they closed their show with it when I saw them on the “Theatre of Pain” tour and it works as a closer here.

Track Listing:

1. Wild Side
2. Girls, Girls, Girls
3. Dancing on Glass
4. Bad Boy Boogie
5. Nona
6. Five Years Dead
7. All in the Name Of
8. Sumthin’ for Nuthin’
9. You’re All I Need
10. Jailhouse Rock

Motley Crue

Vince Neil- vocals

Mick Mars- guitar

Nikki Sixx- bass

Tommy Lee- drums

Additional backing vocals:

Bob Carlisle, Dave Amato, John Purdell, Pat Torpey, Phyllis St James, Tommy Funderbuck

I highly doubt that thirty-five years on, my sister’s attitude towards Motley Crue and this album, “Girls, Girls, Girls,” has changed. She will still say they are second rate musicians who only teenage girls can like. I see her point but there is just something about this album that makes me like it, a lot.

Next post: Agent Steel- Unstoppable Force

To buy Rock and Roll Children email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com

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