"Wanted Dead or Alive" | ||||
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Single by Bon Jovi | ||||
from the album Slippery When Wet | ||||
B-side | "Never Say Goodbye"/"I'd Die For You" | |||
Released | March 2, 1987 | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:09 4:09 (video version) | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Bruce Fairbairn | |||
Bon Jovi singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
Wanted Dead or Alive on YouTube | ||||
Alternative cover | ||||
"Wanted Dead or Alive" is a power ballad [4] [5] [6] [7] by American band Bon Jovi. It is from their 1986 album Slippery When Wet . The song was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora and was released in 1987,as the album's third single. During a February 20,2008 encore performance in Detroit,Jon Bon Jovi told the crowd about running into Bob Seger at a Pistons game. As he introduced his song "Wanted Dead or Alive",he said it was inspired by Seger's "Turn the Page" hit and called the song the band's anthem. [8] The song peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart,making it the third single from the album to reach the Top 10 of the Hot 100. As a result,Slippery When Wet was the first glam metal album to have 3 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2001 a live version from the album One Wild Night Live 1985–2001 was released as a single featuring a promotional music video. In 2003 a new version was released on the album This Left Feels Right and this version was also released as a single with a promotional video.
Considered to be one of the band's signature songs,it is the theme song for Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch TV show. It was also featured in the movies Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man , Scooby Doo 2:Monsters Unleashed ,and Wild Hogs . The song has been used in episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia , Supernatural , The Sopranos , Miami Vice and The Vampire Diaries .
The song was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2015. [9]
The song's title pays homage to Jon's admiration for Old West heroes,and how he identifies with them as being hated and loved at the same time ("wanted dead or alive",so to speak). During an interview on Inside the Actors Studio ,Jon said he got the inspiration for the song early one morning when he could not sleep while riding in a tour bus. The "lifestyle of every rock band" was similar to that of outlaws in that each was,"a young band of thieves,riding into town,stealing the money,the girls,and the booze before the sun came up." [10]
Jon said during a concert in Detroit,Michigan,on February 20,2008,that the song "absolutely positively was influenced by [Bob] Seger's 'Turn the Page'." [11] Bon Jovi performed "Turn the Page" during a concert in Toronto,Ontario on July 21,2010. Afterward,Jon told the audience he remembered listening to this song in 1985 while traveling on a tour bus in the midwest and telling Richie Sambora,"We got to write a song like this." The following year the duo composed "Wanted Dead or Alive".
Cash Box praised Bon Jovi's "convincing gravel-throated" vocal. [12]
The music video was directed by Wayne Isham and features footage from the band's Slippery When Wet Tour,including shots from Rochester,New York's War Memorial Auditorium;Chicago's UIC Pavilion;Rochester,Minnesota's Mayo Civic Center;Denver's McNichols Sports Arena;Pittsburgh's Fort Pitt Tunnel and skyline;Huntington,West Virginia's Huntington Civic Center;I64E View of Charleston,West Virginia Skyline crossing the Kanawha River;Oklahoma City and other venues. The video captures the life-on-the-road feeling,with several shots of the exhausted band members. [13] The audio for the video uses the short (edited) version of the song.
In Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet Special Edition,Jon and Richie perform the acoustic version of "Wanted Dead or Alive" live,and before singing they mention they wrote the song in Richie's mother's basement a year ago (1985 or 1986) and Richie says "Mom,this is for you" and Jon thanks her by saying "Thanks for Richie's mom for not doing the laundry the day we wrote this song,it's called 'Wanted Dead or Alive'". In this version,Richie and Jon take turns singing during the second and the last verse. The guitar solo is performed on one of Sambora's trademark multi-neck 12-string Ovation guitars,rather than switching to an electric guitar for the solo and last verse of the song.
Les Claypool of Primus chose the song for The A.V. Club column "HateSong",where musicians choose songs they dislike. Claypool,who called the song a "wretched soundscape",reflected,"Bon Jovi was actually a big influence on Primus back in the day. Basically,the influence was that we wanted to make music that was the polar opposite of Bon Jovi." [14] Jeff Tweedy of Wilco expressed similar disdain for the song,commenting,"This song sucks,and you should not like it." [15]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 4:10 |
2. | "Shot Through the Heart" | Bon Jovi, Jack Ponti | 4:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Single Version) | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 5:11 |
2. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Acoustic) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 5:39 |
3. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Live) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 8:14 |
4. | "Edge of a Broken Heart" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Desmond Child | 7:25 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Long) | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 5:07 |
2. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Short) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Never Say Goodbye" | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 4:48 |
2. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 5:07 |
3. | "I'd Die for You" | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Desmond Child | 4:31 |
4. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Acoustic) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 5:41 |
5. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Music video) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:08 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Wanted Dead or Alive (Live)" (Recorded Live on September 20, 2000, New York City, NY) | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | |
2. | "Thank You for Loving Me" (Recorded Live Acoustic on December 6, 2000, TMF Cafe, The Music Factory, Bussum, The Netherlands) |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Live) | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 3:43 |
2. | "The Distance" (Live at the Yokohama Arena, Japan, January 29th 2003) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 5:54 |
Original version
| 2000 live version
Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [34] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [35] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [9] | 6× Platinum | 6,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Publication | Country | Accolade | Rank |
---|---|---|---|
The New York Times | US | 15 Essential Hair-Metal Videos [36] | 5 |
Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John Such left the band in 1994, and longtime guitarist and co-songwriter Richie Sambora left in 2013.
Richard Stephen Sambora is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013. He and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi formed the main songwriting unit for the band. He has also released three solo albums: Stranger in This Town in 1991, Undiscovered Soul in 1998, and Aftermath of the Lowdown released in September 2012.
Slippery When Wet is the third studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on August 18, 1986, by Mercury Records in North America and Vertigo Records internationally. It was produced by Bruce Fairbairn, with recording sessions taking place between January and July 1986 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. The album features many of Bon Jovi's best-known songs, including "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive".
New Jersey is the fourth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on September 19, 1988, by Mercury Records. The album was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The album was the follow-up to the band's third album, Slippery When Wet, and reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in its second week of release after debuting at number eight. It remained at the top for four consecutive weeks and was Bon Jovi's last album to do so until Lost Highway (2007). The album was named after the birth state of Jon Bon Jovi, New Jersey.
Keep the Faith is the fifth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on November 3, 1992, by Mercury Records. It is Bon Jovi's last studio album to feature all five original band members as bass guitarist Alec John Such was dismissed from the band in 1994, though it was not his last release with the band. It is Bon Jovi's first album to not be produced by either Lance Quinn or Bruce Fairbairn. The album was produced by Bob Rock and was recorded at the Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. Keep the Faith marked a change to a "more serious interpretation of the band's pop-metal groove". It is also Bon Jovi's longest album to date, clocking in at 66 minutes.
These Days (stylized as (these Days)) is the sixth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on June 27, 1995, by Mercury Records. This was the first album Bon Jovi released after the dismissal of original bass guitarist Alec John Such, and their first album to be recorded officially as four-piece band (without an official bassist, but featured Hugh McDonald as a session/touring member on bass guitar). The album, produced by Peter Collins, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, is praised by many critics and fans as their best album. These Days is overall a darker album in contrast to the band's usual brand of feel-good, inspiring rock songs and love ballads.
"Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi from their third studio album, Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, performed strongly on both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their second consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit.
Stranger in This Town is the first solo studio album by Richie Sambora, the guitarist from the New Jersey band Bon Jovi. The album was released in 1991, while Bon Jovi was on a 17-month hiatus. Jon Bon Jovi also released a solo album, Blaze of Glory (1990), during this period.
"I'll Be There for You" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, released as the third single from their 1988 album, New Jersey. The power ballad was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Album Rock Tracks chart.
"You Give Love a Bad Name" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, released as the first single from their 1986 album Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child about a woman who has jilted her lover, the song reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on November 29, 1986, and became the band's first number-one hit. In 2007, the song re-entered the charts at No. 29 after Blake Lewis performed it on American Idol. Despite the lyrics of the chorus, the song should not be confused with "Shot Through the Heart", an unrelated song from Bon Jovi's 1984 self-titled debut album.
"Bed of Roses" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, first appearing on their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith (1992), then released as a single on January 11, 1993 by Mercury and Jambco. Jon Bon Jovi wrote the song in a hotel room while suffering from a hangover and the lyrics reflect his feelings at the time. The song contains drawn out guitar riffs and soft piano playing, along with emotive and high vocals by Jon Bon Jovi.
"Keep the Faith" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. It was released on October 7, 1992, as the lead single from Bon Jovi's fifth album, Keep the Faith (1992). It is characterized by its driving bass line and is a live staple for the band. "I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas" appeared as a B-side to the song in the United States. In the US, the song reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100. Worldwide, "Keep the Faith" topped the charts of Norway and Portugal and reached number five in the United Kingdom.
"Bad Medicine" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child, and was released on September 12, 1988, as the lead single from the band's fourth album, New Jersey (1988). The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, Bon Jovi's third single to do so, and became a top-10 hit in Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
"Lay Your Hands on Me" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on August 1, 1989, as the fourth single from the band's 1988 album New Jersey. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's fourth single from New Jersey to chart in the Top 10 and it also charted at #20 on the Mainstream rock charts.
"Have a Nice Day" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. Written, composed and produced by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and John Shanks, "Have a Nice Day" was the first single released from the band's 2005 album of the same name. The overall message of the song can be taken several ways, but reflects an overall theme of both tolerance and defiance, and its title has a discordant effect from its message. Musically, the song features a propulsive blast of power chords, drum beats, and sneering vocals, as well as choruses and hooks similar to Bon Jovi's previous material. It received a positive reception from critics, some of whom praised the song's arrangement and message; both favorable and unfavorable comparisons were made to the band's previous hit "It's My Life".
"Never Say Goodbye" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. It was a track off the band's third album, Slippery When Wet, on June 15, 1987, and reached number 11 on the mainstream rock charts and number 21 on the UK Singles Chart. Because it was not released domestically as a commercially available single, "Never Say Goodbye" was ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100; Nevertheless, it reached number 28 on the Hot 100 Airplay survey.
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"What Do You Got?" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It is one of four songs written for the band's Greatest Hits album, released in November 2010. The song is the first single from the compilation album. The song was released on the band's official website on August 27. It was also released to radio airplay on August 27. It was officially released on September 21, 2010 as a digital download, but the physical single was released in Germany on October 22, 2010.