Are you ready, boy? Here I come…

Twenty one years ago on this very day, “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” by Pretty Poison hit #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group got its start in Camden, NJ, formed by vocalist Jade Starling and keyboardist/guitarist Whey Cooler.

Featured in the Jon Cryer film, Hiding Out, “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” was the group’s only real hit. Follow-up single “Nighttime” barely cracked the Top 40, reaching #36. But when your band’s first at-bat is so catchy, perhaps “Catch Me” is as far as the public could fall.

For me, “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” will forever be associated with the Basic Computing class I took my freshman year of high school. While we completed that day’s assignment, my teacher would turn the radio on, and we’d listen to one of the Top 40 stations in town, Z95 or B96. This song always seemed to be on and that’s likely when I really fell in love with it. Repeated exposure often has that effect.

The video quality is crap, though Starling’s shocking red hair and crimson bustier cuts right through. The clip mixes in sequences from Hiding Out, including its SFX, burying the music somewhat (the sound of breaking glass is part of the original Pretty Poison track, and a memorable inclusion). Even with those distractions, the song survives:

And proving the song does indeed live on, “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” was featured in this year’s You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, starring Adam Sandler. (Please tell me you didn’t spend money to see that crap. It only encourages him. And them.)

Starling still records regularly (occasionally re-recording Pretty Poison material) and performs around the country. She and Cooler also wrote a song that was included on Joss Stone’s last LP.

Purchase Pretty Poison’s “Catch Me (I’m Falling)” via Amazon MP3.