After Memphis racked up such big wins at the Tony Awards, I went back through my music collection with an eye to songs that Dave had written or co-written. And I compiled a list of my favorites. (These all came from Bon Jovi albums or Stranger In This Town, as I don’t actually have any of his solo stuff.)
Rest In Peace
This song makes an excellent first track for Stranger In This Town, and really sets the tone for the whole album. I really can’t think of another word to describe this piece other than ‘haunting’. I know it’s been used before, but I can’t think of a better one. It’s amazingly subtle, and incredibly beautiful, and it’s the composition of the instrumental parts that really makes it.
In These Arms
This is one of Bon Jovi’s better ‘power ballads’. It’s more balanced than some of their other ones and it definitely has better lyrics. To be honest, I really like this one better than ‘Always’, which I find to be a tad melodramatic.
The Hardest Part Is The Night
Okay, this one you could call cheesy. It sounds like a product of its time. But it’s got a good melody, and I like it. And it wouldn’t have its personality without Dave’s synthesizer work.
Related posts:
- Work for the Working Man
- Work for the Working Man (album track)
- What makes a favorite album?
- Another interview with Dave
- Top Ten Songs for Fixing a Rotten Day
Tags: 7800 Fahrenheit, David Bryan, Keep The Faith, Stranger in this Town