Did you hear Bon Jovi’s new single?
It’s called “We Weren’t Born to Follow,” and it was released to radio yesterday.
We find this beyond hilarious, because Bon Jovi has pretty much made a career following music templates laid down by other, better artists (starting with Bruce Springsteen and ending with whatever country-pop guy they ripped off on their last album).
The song — which is from the band’s upcoming album The Circle, coming out on November 10 — features typical Bon Jovi radio-anthem polish and rah-rah lyrics like “When life is a bitter pill to swallow, you got to hold on to what you believe/Believe that the sun will shine tomorrow, and that your saints and sinners bleed.”
Ugh.
Sounds like they’re following a book of inspirational clichés your mom reads every morning to get her through the day. —Michael Gallucci
This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2009.
well at least you can understand the lyrics and there not talking about killing somebody or about using drugs like most of the music these days
Very informative review, okay I was being sarcastic, personnally I think its a great fell good anthem and like Lucy 01 mentioned at least the lyrics aren’t full of usless lines about getting high and killing people, bon jovi have been around for 25 years and I am sure they have made more money that you have Michael with your bullshit reviews
Bon Jovi have made a lot of people very happy with their music – and are still packing out the stadiums, so must be doing something right! By the way you are following most other critics typical blah reviews!
All of you self proclaimed Critics don’t know your a$$ from a hole in the ground. Bon Jovi are and always will be a class act and have more talent in their baby fingers than a lot of musical acts out their currently. The song is wonderful and if it makes people feel better who are you to decide what is good and what is not. They are not copycats and have god given talent; they have done so much for so many. They are still packing stadiums and I can’t help but wonder if yourself and a lot of other so called critics are just jealous.
I agree with Michael. That song sucks. I’m a big fan of singing “Living on a Prayer” first thing in the morning when I wake up from a weekend bender. I met Richie Sambora last year in Cleveland and he was a completely out of touch celebrity douchebag. I don’t hold that against Jon though.
I am pretty sure that a band that has been ridiculously successful in their own right for 25 years isnt following anybody.
What a bitter review! Is someone feeling a bit resentful? I think Bon Jovi are great, nothing wrong with sometimes music just being about making you feel good instead of being always new, angry and bitter. Perhaps that’s why you don’t like them – they are a bit too optimistic for you?
Big feel-good arena/anthem rock is what they DO. They are masters at it and their fans love it. Give it a rest.
You accuse them of ripping off some “country-pop guy” without even being able to come up with one. What kind of review is that? Did it ever occur to you that some country-pop artists have been influenced by Bon Jovi? Perhaps a little more thought and/or research is needed before hitting the ENTER key.
Big feel-good arena/anthem rock is what they DO. They are masters at it and their fans love it. Give it a rest.
You accuse them of ripping off some “country-pop guy” without even being able to come up with one. What kind of review is that? Did it ever occur to you that some country-pop artists are influenced by Bon Jovi? Perhaps a little more thought/research is needed before hitting the ENTER key. You certainly didn’t add any credibility to your critical reputation with this review.
Sour grapes is what I call that review. Who wants to hear about drugs and killing?! I like to feel good and Bon Jovi have been making people all over the world feel good for 25 years. As the poster above says, your critical credibility is now zero. Nobody here has agreed with you and that should make you think! This record and the album will sell BIG and Bruce Springsteen won’t be worried. He and Jon have always been great friends and Jon & Co do NOT rip him off.
Be careful putting down Bon Jovi…. the fans (including me) are hard core… and there are lots of them!! We will defend this band to the end cause we LOVE them!!! The new song, “We Weren’t Born to Follow” is a feel good song… so it makes you feel good when you listen to it.. and there is nothing wrong with some inspiration, especially in the times we live in…. so leave them alone… if you don’t like them… sorry, your loss… but millions of us do, so putting Bon Jovi down… puts all of us down…. and please don’t do that!!!! We like to feel good!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I think the people who put down Bon Jovi are the ones who are jealous. How many men have been able to make women weak at the kness for 25+ years?? Bon Jovi keeps doing the right thing, both with their lyrics & their appearance. I’d like to see the guy who wrote this review keep selling out stadiums. They are one of the best selling bands of all times and prove it again and again with each album they release.
I’m glad so many of you are setting Mr. Galluci straight. I am fed up w/ critics and their snarky comments for Jon and the boys. There is an old saying, “Those who can’t, teach.” I truly believe that it s/b revised to read, “Those who can’t become music critics.”
Personally, I prefer to hear about doing drugs and killing as opposed to watching this fanboy circle jerk. Gallucci’s supposed to have an opinion – that’s what he gets paid for. He’s supposed to have an in-your-face, far-from-the-center take. He works for an alternative tabloid. So comb your mullets back into place, crank up Slippery When Wet, and go back to work at Wal-Mart. Your lunch break is over.
I have been a fan of Bon Jovi for many, many years now and think they have to be pretty amazing to still be around, bringing new albums out 25 years down the line!
I’m loving the new song, another great Bon Jovi hit!!!
I feel it is a great shame how people love putting amazingly great artists down, there is no need! They can’t be as rubbish as people say or they wouldn’t still be around and their concerts wouldn’t be sold out would they!!!!!
Bon Jovi Rocks, they always have and they always will. There is something to be said for knowing what works and then doing it. This is what Bon Jovi does and they do it as well or better than any other band out there. Not everything has to be cutting edge does to satisfy the fans, only the critics.
Bon Jovi is, always has been, and always will be over-produced, under-composed garbage. Maybe the sheep that flock to their “stadium shows” should take a hint from the song’s title and check out something other than what 100.7 is vomiting on the train wreck known as Big Hair Wednesday.
Bon Jovi is absolute garbage. Soulless corporate rock crap. Hated them growing up..hate them now.
Surprised that there would be so many Bon Jovi defenders on a site like Clevescene, but oh well.
As for other music being about “drugs and killing”..there is a whole WORLD of music out there beyond what corporate radio, eMpTV/VH1/CMT and Wal-Mart spoonfeed people.
Just because someone/something is popular doesn’t make them good.
as denis leary said: stevie ray vaughn is dead, and we can’t even get bon jovi near a heliocopter.
what are you talking about? i didn’t see many of the rock bands from the 80’s release a country album, John and Richie were also responsible for the MTV ‘unplugged movement’. I don’t know why this band gets such a hard time!
Bon Jovi is phenomanal as musicians, icons. Agreed, this song may not be their best effort, but at least they are putting out music and working for a living.
If you had heard any news about Bon Jovi’s new album, you would know that it isn’t a country album this time. Richie Sambora said that the band was going back to rock and roll for this album to celebrate their 25th anniversary. And it wasn’t ripped off from any previous artists. Sure, it might sound like another song by a different artist with a similar style of music, but it isn’t the same. The reason some of Bon Jovi’s songs sound like Bruce Springsteen’s songs is that Bruce Springsteen is actually one of Jon Bon Jovi’s influences. I find that occasionally when I’m trying to write a guitar riff or just improvise something while I’m playing around, I’ll often start playing something which I quickly realize sounds like something from a song I know. It’s just natural for the brain to function that way. And besides, it’s extremely difficult for any band today to produce a song that is entirely original because there are currently well over a billion songs out there, and a limited number of chords and notes that can be played.
I’d like to meet this critic in 25 years time and see where he is. Just because Bon Jovi doesn’t release a gothic R’n’B sound you think that the band isn’t trying anything new. Bon Jovi is about feel good, living life the the full and forgetting how hard times can be.
Speak to any artist and I am sure that they would give their right arm for the level of success and fan following Bon Jovi has acquired over TWO DECADES. The fact is that today’s music is all very similar, I find it hard to tell my Tincy Striders from my N’Dubz and I am only 23 but I love music and love Bon Jovi. Eminem wasn’t exactly revolutionary with his new album but the guys a legend and as long as different artists today release singles/albums that sound good and make me want to hear it over again then that is exactly what music is all about.
Bon Jovi’s “We wernt born to follow” is exactly that, the first time I heard it I wanted to hear it over and over again and it inspired me to look up other music by them, to which I equally enjoyed as well. The new single will be another top ten hit in the UK, maybe even top three and they will pull in new fans as well as please the millions of followers they have acumilated already. Bon Jovi:inspirational:stadium filling:LEGENDS!
Bon Jovi rocks, ‘Nuff Said!!! I, like many of the people on this board, have no need for class, talent, or meaningful lyrics. I LOVE fake anthems, and Bon Jovi relates to the typical “everyman” like we relate to him!!! LIVIN’ ON A PRA-AYER!!!! Sorry, I couldn’t help myself…JBJ is New Jersey, New Jersey is America, and America sucks!!! So get on the bandwagon guys and girls, we’re gonna sing some fist pumpin’, empty, generic ballads all the way to Giants Stadium for the show to close the monument on New Jersey rock. BAD MEDICINE!!!!
I love and always will love every single bonjovi song, i do not believe they have ever recorded a bad one! if they were as horrible as you punk ass haters think then they would not still be around, and noone wants to hear about drugs and slappin bitches and killing hoes thats whats wrong with music now thats where the music industry went wrong letting that crap out there for our children to hear. And bonjovi must be doing something right when my 12 yearold daughter and niece both love his music all of it! Yes every one is entitles to an opinion and so is that mike guy but dont knock bonjovi for being better than you jealous asses! most of these nasty damn rappers wont be around for long they’ll never live up too or out last the greats like Bonjovi of cours and aerosmith. they have earned thier right to keep making awesome music. Bonjovi’s music lifted me up both emotionaly and spirtitualy when i was @ a down and depressed time in my life they are awesome and i say ROCK ON BON JOVI ROCK ON!!!