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Rating: Following the wave of success from "Crush," this live collection seems to aim to celebrate the New Jersey rocker's life on the road, also wanting to remind the skeptics that, despite numerous commercial forays, Bon Jovi are still a rock band. Indeed, there is a lack of a true live album in their official discography, and this may be the opportunity for Jon and the band to say "It's my life"(!) once more.
It is precisely with this track, performed exactly like the studio version, that the album opens, and a question spontaneously arises: live, is it better to vary something, interpreting the tracks differently each time, or to try to perform a version as close to the original as possible? It's hard to choose because in the latter case, it would demonstrate the musicians' skill, and any doubt about the use of effects and various tweaks in the studio version would be dispelled. However, performing a song differently each time, even slightly, means the musicians really want to have fun and entertain, even at the risk of making mistakes. The fact is people go to concerts not just to listen to the record, they want the band too. And this is where Bon Jovi stand out here, showing they are just the right amount of eclectic. The inclusion of Neil Young's cover "Rockin' in the Free World" is apt, as is the sped-up version of "Keep the Faith". The truly cowboy-like atmospheres in "Dead or Alive" are moving, where Jon performs a solo guitar intro; in the same track, Richie Sambora showcases all his vocal talents, as already heard in some of his solo albums, almost overshadowing the frontman. In general, even in the choirs, the guitarist displays excellent qualities as a vocalist, without neglecting his true craft: "Livin' on a Prayer" and "In & Out of Love" are always his calling cards. The beautiful ending of the timeless "You Give Love a Bad Name" where the audience can be heard in unison, without the band needing to touch an instrument. Guest Bob Geldof sings "I Don’t Like Mondays", but the rest of the CD is nothing special. The title track closes well, but in "Bad Medicine", which precedes it, Jon falters a bit in the vocals.
There are strong doubts about the choice of the tracklist; some pieces are missing that would have been more welcomed than others that are not mentioned here, but overall, an enjoyable album.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 It's My Life (03:51)
This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
A silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud
Chorus:
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
Chorus:
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
Chorus:
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
Chorus:
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life!
02 Livin' on a Prayer (05:13)
Once upon a time
Not so long ago
Tommy used to work on the docks
Union's been on strike
He's down on his luck; it's tough
So tough
Gina works the diner all day
Working for her man
She brings home her pay for love
For love
She says we've got to hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other, and that's a lot for love
We'll give it a shot
Oh, we're half way there
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Tommy's got his six string in hock
Now he's holding in what he used
To make it talk so tough
It's tough
Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night Tommy whispers
Baby it's okay
Someday
We've got to hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We've got each other, and that's a lot for love
We'll give it a shot
Oh, we're half way there
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Livin' on a prayer!
We've got to hold on
Ready or not
You live for the fight when that's all that you've got
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
[Fades out]
03 You Give Love a Bad Name (03:53)
Shot through the heart,
And you're to blame.
Darling you give love...
A bad name.
An angel's smile is what you sell,
You promised me heaven,
And put me through hell.
Chains of love got a hold on me,
When passion's a prison,
You can't break free.
Oh... You're a loaded gun... Yeah...
Oh... There's nowhere to run,
No one can save me,
The damage is done!
Shot through the heart,
And you're to blame.
You give love a bad name. (Bad name)
I play my part and you play your game.
You give love a bad name. (Bad name)
You give love a bad name.
Paint your smile on your lips.
Blood red nails on your fingertips.
A school boy's dream, you act so shy.
Your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye.
Oh... You're a loaded gun... Yeah...
Oh... There's nowhere to run,
No one can save me,
The damage is done!
Shot through the heart,
And you're to blame.
You give love a bad name.
I play my part and you play your game.
You give love a bad name,
You give love...
Shot through the heart,
And you're to blame.
Darling, you give love a bad name.
I play my part and you play your game.
You give love a bad name, (Bad name)
You give love a bad name!
You give love a bad bad name!
A bad name.
You give love a bad name.
You give love.... a bad name.
04 Keep the Faith (06:19)
Mother mother tell your children
That their time has just begun
I have suffered for my anger
There are wars that can't be won
Father father please believe me
I am laying down my guns
I am broken like an arrow
Forgive me
Forgive your wayward son
Everybody needs somebody to love
(mother, mother)
Everybody needs somebody to hate
(please believe me)
Everybody's bitching
'cause they can't get enough
And it's hard to hold on
When there's no one to lean on
Faith: you know you're gonna live thru the rain
Lord you got to keep the faith
Faith: don't let your love turn to hate
Right now we got to
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Lord we got to keep the faith
Tell me baby when I hurt you
Do you keep it all inside
Do you tell me all's forgiven
And just hide behind your pride
Everybody needs somebody to love
(mother, father)
Everybody needs somebody to hate
(please don't leave me)
Everybody's bleeding
'cause the times are tough
Well it's hard to be strong
When there's no one to dream on
Faith: you know you're gonna live thru the rain
Lord you got to keep the faith
Now you know is not too late
Oh you got to keep the faith
Faith: don't let your love turn to hate
Right now we got to
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Keep the faith
Lord we got to keep the faith
Walking in the footsteps
Of society's lies
I don't like what I see no more
Sometimes I wish that I was blind
Sometimes I wait forever
To stand out in the rain
So no one sees me cryin'
Trying to wash away the pain
Mother father
There's things I've done I can't erase
Every night we fall from grace
It's hard with the world in yours face
Trying to hold on, trying to hold on
Faith: you know you're gonna live thru the rain
Lord you got to keep the faith
Faith: don't let your love turn to hate
Right now we got to keep the faith
Faith: now it's not too late
Try to hold on, trying to hold on
Keep the faith
08 Wanted Dead or Alive (06:00)
It's all the same, only the names will change
Everyday it seems we're wasting away
Another place where the faces are so cold
I'd drive all night just to get back home
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days
And the people I meet always go their separate ways
Sometimes you tell the day
By the bottle that you drink
And times when you're all alone all you do is think
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
And I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back
I play for keeps, cuz I might not make it back
I been everywhere, still I'm standing tall
I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all.
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
I'm a cowboy, I got the night on my side
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
And I ride dead or alive
I still ride dead or alive
Dead or alive
09 Runaway (04:47)
On the street where you live girls talk about their social lives
They're made of lipstick, plastic and paint, a touch of sable in their eyes
All your life all you've asked when's your Daddy gonna talk to you
You were living in another world tryin' to get your message through
No one heard a single word you said
They should have seen it in your eyes
What was going around your head
Chorus:
Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
All those things he couldn't say
Ooh, she's a little runaway
A different line every night guaranteed to blow your mind
I see you out on the streets, call me for a wild time
So you sit home alone 'cause there's nothing left that you can do
There's only pictures hung in the shadows left there to look at you
You know she likes the lights at nights on the neon Broadway signs
She don't really mind, it's only love she hoped to find
Repeat chorus
No one heard a single word you said
They should have seen it in your eyes
What was going around your head
Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
All those things he couldn't say
Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
Now she works the night away
Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
All those things he couldn't say
Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
Now she works the night away
11 I Don't Like Mondays (feat. Bob Geldof) (05:37)
The silicon chip inside her head,
Got switched to overload
Nobody's gonna go to school today,
She's gonna make them stay at home,
And Daddy doesn't understand it,
He always said she was good as gold,
And he can see (no reasons)
'Cause there are (no reasons)
What reason do you need to be shown
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
I want to shoot the whole day down
The telex machine is kept so clean
And it types to a waiting world,
Her Mother feels so shocked
Father's world is rocked
And their thoughts turn to
Their own little girl
Well sweet 16 ain't she peachy keen,
And it ain't so neat to admit defeat,
There could be (no reasons)
Because there are (no reasons)
What reasons do you need, oh,
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
I'm gonna shoot the whole day down, down, down
I'll shoot it all down
And all the playing's stopped in the playground now
She wants to play with her toys a while
And school is out, oh and soon we will learn that
the lesson today is how to die
And then the bullhorn crackles,
And the captain tackles
with the problems and the how's and why's
and he can see (no reasons)
'Cause there are (no reasons)
What reasons do you need to die, die, oh
And the silicon chip inside her head
gets switched to overload, oh
and nobody's gonna go to school today
She's gonna make them stay at home
And Daddy doesn't understand it
He always said she was good as gold
And he could see (no reasons)
'Cause there are (no reasons)
What reason do you need to be shown
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like, I don't like
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like, I don't like
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
I want to shoot the whole day down
12 Just Older (05:13)
Hey, man, it's been a while
Do you remember me?
When I hit the streets I was 17
A little wild, a little green
I've been up and down and in between
Through all these years AND MILES AND MEMORIES
I'm still chasing dreams
But I ain't looking over my shoulder
Chorus:
I like the bed I'm sleeping in
It's just like me, it's broken in
It's not old -- just older
Like a favorite pair of torn blue jeans
This skin I'm in it's alright with me
It's not old -- just older
It's good to see your face
You ain't no worse for wear
Breathing that California air
When we took on the world
When we were young and brave
We got secrets that we'll take to the grave
And we're standing here shoulder to shoulder
Chorus:
I like the bed I'm sleeping in
It's just like me, it's broken in
It's not old -- just older
Like a favorite pair of torn blue jeans
This skin I'm in it's alright with me
It's not old -- just older
I'm not old enough to sing the blues
But I wore the holes in the soles of these shoes
You can roll the dice 'til they call your bluff
But you can't win until you're not afraid to lose
Solo
Well, I look in the mirror
I don't hate what I see
There's a few more lines staring back at me
Now the nights have grown a little bit colder
Hey man, I gotta run
you take care
If you see coach T. Tell him (I've) cut my hair
(I've) kept my faith, i still believe i'm (just)!!... (HA!!!)
Chorus:
I like the bed I'm sleeping in
It's just like me, it's broken in
It's not old -- just older
Like a favorite pair of torn blue jeans
This skin I'm in it's alright with me
It' s not old -- just older
13 Something for the Pain (04:22)
Happiness, it's been no friend to me
But forever after ain't what it's all cracked up to be
Yeah, I had a taste, you were my fantasy
But I almost lost my faith when I hit reality
I don't need no Guru to tell me what to do
When your feeling like a headline on
Yesterday's news
Come on, come on, come on
Give me something for the pain
Give me something for the blues
Give me something for the pain when
I feel I've been danglin' from a hang-man's noose
Give me something for the rain
Give me something I can use
To get me through the night
Make me feel all right,
Something like you
Loneliness has found a home in me
My suitcase and guitar are my only family
I've tried to need someone, like they needed me
I opened up my heart, but all I did was bleed
I don't need no lover, just to get screwed
They don't make a bandage, that's going to cover my bruise
Come on, come on, come on
Give me something for the pain
Give me something for the blues
Give me something for the pain when
I feel I've been danglin' from a hang-man's noose
Give me something for the rain
Give me something I can use
To get me through the night
Make me feel all right,
Something like you
Pull me under (Help I'm falling)
Run through my veins (Night is calling)
To a place (Feels like I'm flying)
Where I feel no pain (Christ I'm dying)
Be the pillow under my head
Cover me when I'm in your bed
Take me higher than I've ever been
Take me down and back again
Come to me, be my disguise
Open your coat, let me crawl inside
Come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on
Give me something for the pain
Give me something for the blues
Give me something for the pain when
I feel I've been danglin' from a hang-man's noose
Give me something for the rain
Give me something I can use
To get me through the night
Make me feel all right,
Something like you
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