For more than 25 years, Bon Jovi was one of the biggest hitmakers in rock music. Fronted by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, the band had massive success with songs like “You Give Love A Bad Name“, “Livin’ On A Prayer”, and more.
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But not all of Bon Jovi’s songs were big radio hits. These three songs didn’t hit No. 1, although their fans can still sing along to them word for word.
“Runaway”
“Runaway” is Bon Jovi’s first single. Out in 1984 on their self-titled freshman record, the song is written by Bon Jovi and George Karak.
“Runaway” says, “No one heard a single word you said / They should have seen it in your eyes / What was goin’ 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.”
“Runaway” peaked just inside the Top 40. It would be two more years and five more singles before Bon Jovi had any radio success. In 1986, the band had their first No. 1 hit, with “You Give Love A Bad Name”.
“Bed Of Roses”
In 1993, Bon Jovi released “Bed Of Roses”. On their Keep The Faith album, “Bed Of Roses” peaked at No. 10 on the charts.
Written by Bon Jovi, “Bed Of Roses” says, “While we’re talking / About all of the things that I long to believe / About love the truth and what you mean to me / And the truth is, baby you’re all that I need / I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses / For tonight I sleep on a bed of nails / Oh, I wanna be just as close as the Holy Ghost is / And lay you down on a bed of roses.”
Bon Jovi’s inspiration for “Bed Of Roses” was thinking of his own life as a rock star.
“These are all the wonderful clichés of rock stardom,” Bon Jovi tells The Guardian. “It’s about never lying about having been a saint. But not being a fool enough to f— up the home life, either.”
“Lay Your Hands On Me”
On Bon Jovi’s fourth studio album, New Jersey, is “Lay Your Hands On Me”. Bon Jovi and band member Richie Sambora are the song’s writers.
“Lay Your Hands On Me” says, “I’m a fighter, I’m a poet, I’m a preacher / I’ve been to school and baby, I’ve been the teacher / If you show me how to get up off the ground, ground, ground / I can show you how to fly and never, ever come back down / Everything you want is what I need / Your satisfaction is guaranteed / But the ride don’t never, ever come for free, no, no-no, no, no / If you want me to lay my hands on you / Lay your hands on me.“
Bon Jovi and Sambora wrote “Lay Your Hands On Me” in the studio, while creating New Jersey.
Photo by Bill Nation/Sygma via Getty Images
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