Bon Jovi (album)

Bon Jovi
Studio album by Bon Jovi
Released	January 21, 1984 (US) April 16, 1984 (UK)
Recorded	September 1982–June 1983 at Power Station, New York City
Genre	Hard rock, glam metal[1]
Length	38:33
Label	Mercury (US) Vertigo (Europe)
Producer	Tony Bongiovi, Lance Quinn
Bon Jovi chronology
Bon Jovi (1984) 7800° Fahrenheit (1985)
Singles from 'Bon Jovi'
"Runaway" Released: February 1984 "She Don't Know Me" Released: 22 May 1984 "Burning for Love" Released: 17 October 1984 "Breakout (Promo)" Released: 1984

Bon Jovi is the debut studio album of American rock band Bon Jovi, released on January 21, 1984. Produced by Tony Bongiovi and Lance Quinn, it is significant for being the only Bon Jovi album on which a song ("She Don't Know Me") appears that was neither written nor co-written by members of the band. The album charted at No. 43 on the U.S. Billboard 200.^[2]

Aside from hit single "Runaway", songs from the album were rarely performed live after the band released their breakthrough album Slippery When Wet in 1986. However, on the band's 2010 Circle Tour, songs including "Roulette", "Shot Through The Heart" and "Get Ready" were performed. The song "Shot Through the Heart" should not be confused with the much more well-known "You Give Love a Bad Name", an unrelated song from Slippery When Wet.

The album was ranked the 11th best rock album of 1984 by Kerrang! magazine.^[3]

Background

In 1980, Jon Bon Jovi started to work at Power Station Studios, a Manhattan recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was a co-owner. Jon made several demos and sent them out to many record companies, but failed to make an impact.

In 1982, Jon went to local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple". DJ Chip Hobart listened to Jon's demos and loved "Runaway", deciding to include it on the station's compilation album of local homegrown talent. The studio musicians who helped record "Runaway" were known as The All Star Review. They were: guitarist Tim Pierce, keyboardist Roy Bittan, drummer Frankie LaRocka, bassist Hugh McDonald, and additional singers David Grahmme and Mick Seeley (supposedly, Seeley also composed the distinctive keyboard riff that opens the song). McDonald would later unofficially replace Alec John Such as Bon Jovi's bassist.

The song began to get airplay around New York. Jon signed to Mercury Records, part of the PolyGram company. He wanted a group name and the A&R staff at PolyGram came up with Bon Jovi.

In March 1983 Bon Jovi called David Bryan (then Rashbaum), who in turn called bassist Alec John Such and an experienced drummer named Tico Torres. At that time Bon Jovi's lead guitarist was Dave Sabo (a.k.a. The Snake), who later formed the group Skid Row. Dave Sabo was eventually replaced by Richie Sambora.

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

AllMusic has retrospectively rated Bon Jovi three-and-a-half out of five stars. Leslie Mathew, who reviewed the album, said: "The songs may be simple and the writing prone to all clichés of the form, but the album boasts a pretty consistent hard rock attack, passionate playing, and a keen sense of melody."^[1]

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Runaway"	Jon Bon Jovi, George Karak	3:50
2.	"Roulette"	Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora	4:41
3.	"She Don't Know Me"	Mark Avsec	4:02
4.	"Shot Through the Heart"	Bon Jovi, Jack Ponti	4:25
5.	"Love Lies"	Bon Jovi, David Rashbaum	4:09

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Breakout"	Bon Jovi, Rashbaum	5:23
2.	"Burning for Love"	Bon Jovi, Sambora	3:53
3.	"Come Back"	Bon Jovi, Sambora	3:58
4.	"Get Ready"	Bon Jovi, Sambora	4:08

1998 Special Edition bonus CD PHCR-90011/2
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Runaway (Live Le Zenith, November 20, 1988)"	5:18
2.	"Roulette (Live BBC Friday Rock Show)"	5:39
3.	"Shot Through The Heart (Live Japan Tour 1985)"
4.	"Burning For Love (Live Japan Tour 1985)"
5.	"Get Ready (Live Japan Tour 1985)"	7:04
6.	"Breakout (Live Super Rock '84)"	6:26
7.	"Runaway (Live Super Rock '84)"

2010 Special Edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Runaway (Live Le Zenith, November 20, 1988)"	5:18
2.	"Roulette (Live BBC Friday Rock Show)"	5:39
3.	"Breakout (Live Super Rock '84)"	6:26
4.	"Get Ready (Live Japan Tour 1985)"	7:04

Notes

• Runaway was the first single under the band's name Bon Jovi however, other than Jon Bon Jovi none of the other members of the band played on the song. The first single to feature guitarist Richie Sambora, bass player Alec John Such, drummer Tico Torres, and keyboardist David Bryan was She Don't Know Me. However, Alec John Such's later unofficial replacement Hugh McDonald does play on the track.
• The working title was Tough Talk but the name was rejected by the record company who insisted it should be a self-titled album so people would know it was the bands first album.
• It was co-produced by Jon's father's cousin, Tony Bongiovi.
• "Burning for Love" and "Come Back" were the very first songs written for the album.
• Three singles were released from the album: "Runaway", "She Don't Know Me" and in Japan only, "Burning for Love". "Breakout" was released as a promo EP/single.
• "Runaway" was inspired by Jon's observations of his journey to and from work where he was employed at The Power Station. He would see girls his own age who'd fallen down on their luck and having to resort of prostitution.
• Jon Bon Jovi hated She Don't Know Me and to this day is the only song that appears on a Bon Jovi album that Jon doesn't have a credit.

Personnel

Bon Jovi

• Jon Bon Jovi – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Richie Sambora – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Alec John Such – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Tico Torres – drums, percussion
• David Bryan (credited as David Rashbaum) – keyboards, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Roy Bittan – keyboards
• Chuck Burgi – additional drums
• David Grahmme – backing vocals
• Doug Katsaros – additional keyboards
• Frankie LaRocka – drums
• Hugh McDonald – bass guitar
• Aldo Nova – additional guitar and keyboards
• Tim Pierce – guitar
• Mick Seeley – backing vocals

Engineers

• Larry Alexander
• Jeff Hendrickson
• John Bengelshmy

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	"Runaway"	Billboard Hot 100	39
1984	"She Don't Know Me"	Billboard Hot 100	48

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1984-1987) Peak position Australian Albums Chart[5] 39 Japanese Oricon LPs Chart[6] 38 New Zealand Albums Chart[7] 18 Spanish Albums Chart[8] 24 UK Albums Chart[9] 71 US Billboard 200[10] 43 Year-end charts Chart (1984) Position US Billboard Pop Albums[11] 58 Chart (1987) Position US Billboard Pop Albums[12] 76

Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Canada (Music Canada)[13] Gold 50,000 Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[14] Platinum 50,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[15] Silver 60,000 United States (RIAA)[16] Platinum 1,000,000 ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

1. Bon Jovi (album) at AllMusic
2. "Allmusic (Bon Jovi charts & awards) Billboard albums".
3. "Rock List Music.uk".
4. Rolling Stone Album Guide
5. Australian Recording Industry Association (ed.). "The ARIA Report - Week Commencing ~ 28th January 2008 ~ Issue #935" (PDF). p. 5. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
6. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
7. "New Zealand Charts - Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi (album)". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
8. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
9. "The Official Charts Company - Bon Jovi by Bon Jovi Search". The Official Charts Company. May 6, 2013.
10. "Bon Jovi Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
11. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. "1984 Billboard Year-End". Billboard. Google Books. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
12. articles with dead external links%5d%5d%5b%5bCategory:Articles with dead external links from February 2016%5d%5d "Top Pop Albums of 1987" Check |archiveurl= value (help). billboard.biz. Archived from the original on 2012-12-31. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
13. "Canadian album certifications – Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
14. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Bon Jovi; 'Bon Jovi')". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
15. "British album certifications – Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 4, 2013. Enter Bon Jovi in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
16. "American album certifications – Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 July 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH