It was 40 years ago when Twisted Sister introduced fans to what would become their hit album Stay Hungry.
Released, May 10, 1984, the record was the third studio album from the Dee Snider fronted glam metal outfit, becoming the most successful release of their career. The album’s success was propelled by two anthems of rock rebellion: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.”
“We’re Not Gonna Take It” was considered controversial at the time and was included in the Parents Music Resource Center’s “Filthy Fifteen,” a list of songs with alleged violent lyrical content. Despite the controversy, the track peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Twisted Sister’s first and only top 40 single.
In 2016, Snider told ABC Audio that while the song was originally considered to be “dangerous,” that changed as time went on.
“When it first came out, it was a threat, it worried parents, it worried teachers, it was a voice of teenage and youth rebellion,” Snider shared, explaining that over the years it became “very popular and watered down” and was even “used on a woman’s premenopausal medication commercial.”
“The song has become almost a folk song, but the message has gotten lost,” he added.
Stay Hungry peaked at #15 on the Billboard Album charts and went on be certified three-times Platinum by the RIAA. In 2004, Twisted Sister revisited the album with the release of Still Hungry, on which they rerecorded the songs and added seven bonus tracks.
Following the 2015 death of drummer A.J Pero, Twisted Sister embarked on a farewell tour in 2016, calling it quits when it was over. The surviving members reunited in January 2023 to perform at their induction into the Metal Hall of Fame.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.