Something for the Pain

"Something for the Pain"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album These Days
A-side	"Lie to Me" (US only)
B-side	"Wild in the Streets" (live) "634-5789"
Released	September 5, 1995 (1995-09-05)
Length	4:48
Label	Mercury
Songwriters	Jon Bon Jovi Richie Sambora Desmond Child
Producers	Peter Collins Jon Bon Jovi Richie Sambora
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"This Ain't a Love Song" (1995) "Something for the Pain" (1995) "Lie to Me" (1995)
Music video
"Something for the Pain" on YouTube

"Something for the Pain" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on September 5, 1995, by Mercury Records as the second single from their sixth studio album, These Days (1995). It is written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, and produced by Bon Jovi, Sambora and Peter Collins. The song charted at number 15 in Canada, number eight on the UK Singles Chart, and number four in Finland. In the United States, it was released as a double A-side with "Lie to Me" and peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Helen Lamont from Smash Hits gave the song two out of five, writing, "Hands up if you've been complaing about Bon Jovi playing too many "rock" ballads of late? Well, the Jovi have returned to their roots. Or at least they've tried. 'Something for the Pain' is just a fairly unremarkable rock song with nothing to commend it other than that it's by Bon Jovi. Not so much 'Livin' on a Prayer', then, as 'Living on a Past Reputation'." ^[1]

Music video

The music video for the song was released in 1995 and directed by Marty Callner. It shows a young man walking into a Virgin music store and heading to listen to some sample music. On the screen, it shows the band playing with other cast members singing the song in different scenarios. In the video are actors impersonating Eddie Vedder, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Courtney Love, and Scott Weiland, who also sing along to the song. The teenager enjoys the video when Bon Jovi appears, but expresses disdain when seeing the other artists. It ends with the teenager stealing a copy of These Days .

Track listings

US CD, 7-inch, and cassette single (with "Lie to Me") [2] [3] [4] "Something for the Pain" (edit) – 3:57 "Lie to Me" – 5:33 US maxi-CD single (with "Lie to Me") [5] "Something for the Pain" – 4:46 "Lie to Me" – 5:33 "Wild in the Streets" (live) – 5:01 "634-5789" – 3:08 UK CD1 [6] "Something for the Pain" – 4:46 "This Ain't a Love Song" (live) – 6:27 "I Don't Like Mondays" (featuring Bob Geldof—live) – 5:58 UK CD2 [7] "Something for the Pain" – 4:46 "Livin' on a Prayer" (live) – 5:56 "You Give Love a Bad Name" (live) – 3:40 "Wild in the Streets" (live) – 5:01 UK cassette single and European CD single [8] [9] "Something for the Pain" (LP version) – 4:46 "This Ain't a Love Song" (live) – 6:27

Australian CD single [10] "Something for the Pain" (LP version) – 4:46 "This Ain't a Love Song" (live) – 6:27 "You Give Love a Bad Name" (live) – 3:40 "Wild in the Streets" (live) – 5:01 Australian limited-edition CD single [11] "Something for the Pain" (LP version) – 4:46 "This Ain't a Love Song" (live) – 6:27 "I Don't Like Mondays" (featuring Bob Geldof—live) – 5:58 "Livin' on a Prayer" (live) – 5:56 Japanese CD single [12] "Something for the Pain" (LP version) – 4:46 "This Ain't a Love Song" (live) – 6:26 "You Give Love a Bad Name" (live) – 3:51 "Wild in the Streets" – 4:59 "Como yo nadie te ha amado" (hidden track) Japanese mini-CD single [13] "Something for the Pain" (LP version) "Livin' on a Prayer" (live) "I Don't Like Mondays" (live)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [14] 14 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [15] 36 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [16] 37 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [17] 31 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [18] 15 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [19] 10 Europe (European Hit Radio) [20] 7 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [21] 4 Germany (GfK) [22] 51 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [23] 18 Ireland (IRMA) [24] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [25] 18 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [26] 14 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [27] 16 Scotland Singles (OCC) [28] 9 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [29] 33 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [30] 10 UK Singles (OCC) [31] 8 UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [32] 1 US Billboard Hot 100 [33] with "Lie to Me" 76 US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [34] 39

Year-end charts Chart (1995) Position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [35] 86 UK Airplay (Music Week) [36] 43

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [37]	Gold	35,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).
United States	September 5, 1995	CD	Mercury	[38]
United Kingdom	September 11, 1995	CD cassette		[39]
Australia	September 18, 1995	CD1 cassette		[40]
Japan	September 30, 1995	Maxi-CD		[41]
	November 5, 1995	Mini-CD		[42]
Australia	November 6, 1995	CD2		[43]

References

1. Lamont, Helen (August 30, 1995). "Singles". Smash Hits . p. 61. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
2. Something for the Pain / Lie to Me (US CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. 422 852 296-2.
3. Something for the Pain / Lie to Me (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Mercury Records. 1995. 422 852 296-7.
4. Something for the Pain / Lie to Me (US cassette single sleeve). Mercury Records. 1995. 422 852 296-4.
5. Something for the Pain / Lie to Me (US maxi-CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. 422 852 387-2.
6. Something for the Pain (UK CD1 liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. JOVCD 18, 852 235-2.
7. Something for the Pain (UK CD2 liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. JOVCX 18, 852 237-2.
8. Something for the Pain (UK cassette single sleeve). Mercury Records. 1995. JOVMC 18, 852 234-4.
9. Something for the Pain (European CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. 852 234-2.
10. Something for the Pain (Australian CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. 852 317-2.
11. Something for the Pain (Australian limited CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. 852 315-2.
12. Something for the Pain (Japanese CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. PHCR-8333.
13. Something for the Pain (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Mercury Records. 1995. PHDR-920.
14. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
15. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
16. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
17. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
18. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2813". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
19. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 42. October 21, 1995. p. 23. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
20. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 42. October 21, 1995. p. 33. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
21. "Bon Jovi: Something for the Pain" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
22. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
23. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (5.8. '95 – 11.8. '95)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). August 4, 1995. p. 44. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
24. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Something for the Pain". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
25. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 41, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
26. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
27. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
28. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 7/10/1995 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
29. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
30. "Bon Jovi – Something for the Pain". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
31. "Official Singles Chart on 7/10/1995 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
32. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart on 30/9/1995 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
33. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved November 3, 2012.
34. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved November 3, 2012.
35. "Music & Media 1995 in Review – Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 51/52. December 23, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
36. "Airplay Top 50 of 1995" (PDF). Music Week . January 13, 1996. p. 23. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
37. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
38. "Something for the Pain / Lie to Me". Amazon . Retrieved July 26, 2021.
39. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . September 9, 1995. p. 51. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
40. "New Releases – Product Available from : 18/09/95: Singles". The ARIA Report . No. 292. September 17, 1995. p. 21.
41. "サムシング・フォー・ザ・ペイン | ボン・ジョヴィ" [Something for the Pain | Bon Jovi] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved August 29, 2023.
42. "サムシング・フォー・ザ・ペイン | ボン・ジョヴィ" [Something for the Pain | Bon Jovi] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
43. "New Releases – Product Available from : 6/11/95: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 299. November 5, 1995. p. 20.