Impossible to put all their best on 1 album! (Crossroad: The Best Of Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi)

Member Name: Belfastgirl

Product:	Crossroad: The Best Of Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi
Date:	30/05/01 (173 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Compilation

Disadvantages: Not all their best songs here

In anticipation of going to the RDS in Dublin on the 10th June, to see the wonderfully amazing Bon Jovi (yes, I am quite fond of that Jovi Lad), I thought that I would write another review on one of their albums, and what better one to write about than their "Greatest Hits" album, so to speak, "Crossroads".

Crossroads was compiled in 1994, with songs from all of Bon Jovi's previous albums plus two new songs, "Someday I'll be Saturday Night" and one of Bon Jovi's most well known ballads, "Always".

How they ever picked which songs to put on this album, I don't know, but somehow they managed to pick out some, but I was disappointed that the likes of "Sleep when I'm Dead" (a great crowd thriller at concerts) and Blood on Blood were not on the album.

The insert of the CD, instead of the usual longer "thanks" from Jon Bon Jovi, simply says, "Thanx for Believin' J.B." - obviously dedicated to those fans, and everyone who has had faith in them.

Now onto the album before I bore you all to death about how much I love these guys!


Livin' on a Prayer (from Slippery When Wet) opens this brilliant album, this is probably one of Bon Jovi's most famous songs, with very few people being able to resist singing along with the chorus, "Wowow, we're half way there'" It tells the story of Tommy and Gina, a couple that Jon used to go to school with that got married very young, who struggled each day to get by. (Just a note to those interested : the same Tommy and Gina are mentioned in the recent hit "It's my life")

Keep the Faith (From Keep the Faith - the album) - yet another one of Bon Jovi's well known songs, this is the one that a lot of fans like.

Someday I'll be Saturday Night (exclusive to this album) - a great addition to this album, a brilliant song, from the opening li
nes, "Hey, man, I'm alive, I'm taking each day and night at a time" right through to the very end. It's a very positive song, telling the story of people who are struggling in life, but that they know that someday they will get there.

Always (exclusive to this album) - a real soppy one this one. Apparently it was originally wrote by Jon for a Movie called, "Romeo is Bleeding", hence the opening line, "It's Romeo who's bleeding, but you can't see his blood" - Jon is reported not to have liked the movie, and did not wish for it to be used, and so it was put on this album *I'm not complaining.

Wanted Dead or Alive (from Slippery When Wet) This song sees us going into Cowboy mode - a state that Jon seems to love, this one has a "Wild west" feel to it, and I can just see him standing on stage with that cowboy hat on looking mmmm : )

Lay your hands on me (from New Jersey) This song is another really well known one, and is set in a religious tone, with church organs playing in the background, as Jon asks us all to Lay our hands on, a brilliant song that you will find yourself singing to over and over again.

You give Love a bad name (from Slippery When Wet) This is another one you will find yourself singing to, Richie Sambora plays some amazing guitar in this song.

Bed of Roses (From Keep the Faith - the album) "Sitting here wasted and wounded at this old Piano" - this was how Jon was while writing this song. It's a very honest song and was reportedly wrote during a time when he was apart from his wife Dorothea. In an interview, Jon said that he was in a hotel, all on his own and that he was a little bit down, but he wanted to write some songs, so he asked for the hotel to bring a piano to his room. Which they did. That night Jon went out and had a few too many to drink, and when he came back to the hotel, he realised that these peopl
e had to go to so much trouble to bring the piano to his room that he better write a song - the result - Bed of Roses, probably one of the best loved Bon Jovi Songs.

Blaze of Glory (Jon Bon Jovi's solo effort on Blaze of Glory soundtrack) - continuing on the cowboy theme, Jon loved the movie Young Guns II so much that he wrote the music to go along with it, Blaze of Glory was his first solo single, and it stayed at number 1 for a number of weeks. I absolutely love this one.

In these arms (from 7800 Fahrenheit) - This song is one that you will find yourself singing along to, yet another well known Bon Jovi song.

Bad Medicine (from New Jersey) Bad Medicine is a great song, in a similar tone to Lay your hands on me.

I'll be there for you (from New Jersey) Another Bon Jovi ballad - very slow and nice.

In and Out of Love (from 7800 Fahrenheit) I love this song, it reminds me of being a teenager, especially the line "Your daddy is who? Just how old are you anyway? Oh no!." Reminds me of when I was 15 and going out with a 21 year old who genuinely thought I was older - until I said who my dad was- oh no- now that one brings a smile to the face! Hehe.

Runaway (from Bon Jovi the album) This was Bon Jovi's first hit single, very upbeat song, and so typical of the Bon Jovi that we know today.

Never Say Goodbye. (from Slippery When Wet) Many people wrongly think that this song was written by Jon for Dorothea (his childhood sweetheart, who is now his wife and mother to his two children) It actually mentions "Remember at the prom that night, You and me, we had a fight" Jon did not go to the Prom as he had a gig on that night, so instead it was Richie that wrote it and it really seems to sum up what it is like to be young, experimenting and in love. A slow ballad, very romantic, a very fitting way to end this brilliant album.

So, there it is - Some of Bon Jovi's f
inest on one album, I just wish all of you could hear them live.

Anyone who's going to the UK and Ireland concerts, have a great, and safe time : )

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