Artist: Bon Jovi
Album: Crush
Crush was my second Bon Jovi album, after Cross Road. At the time, the only song from it that I was familiar with was ‘It’s My Life’. (I know, big surprise there.)
Anyway, for some reason, this particular song quickly turned out to be one of my favorites on the album. I do have a taste for the darker aspects of music–that was what eventually led me to get interested in true heavy metal. I think that played a role in my liking for this particular song. The imagery in the lyrics of this song is pretty much universally dark.
This particular song is also one of the more poetic works that Bon Jovi has produced. The band is capable of evoking some incredibly vivid imagery in their songs when they want to, and this particular song is a prime example of it. Each verse paints a distinct picture.
The intense delivery of the lyrics, coupled with the pounding bass line just reinforces the dark mood of the song. The harmonies used in the back vocals could have lightened the song and made it feel more pop-like, however even those are controlled well enough that they just keep the song from being too depressing.
Also, it’s Jon’s defiant delivery of the chorus that transforms the song from depressing to a battle cry. You can hear the resolve in his voice, and he makes you believe that he’s going to make it out.
All together, this is a very well crafted song. All of the pieces–the lyrics, the vocals, and the instrumental performances all come together perfectly here.
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