Bad Medicine (song)
Encyclopedia
"Bad Medicine" is a number-one single by American
rock
band Bon Jovi
. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi
, Richie Sambora
, and Desmond Child
. It was released in 1988
as the lead single from the band's album New Jersey
. The song is 5 minutes and 16 seconds long.
that is well defined in the beginning of the song and at several interludes, as well as loud guitar playing by Richie Sambora
, background singing in the bridge and chorus, and a loud fast-paced delivery of lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi
. It is one of the more upbeat and hard rocking songs on New Jersey.
Towards the end of the song, Jon says he is got to go and he is running out of breath, but then says "I'm not done...one more time, with feelin'" and the band finishes out the song with another repeat of the chorus.
if they (the public) "can make a better Bon Jovi video than these guys can." The crowd gives a very enthusiastic response, and members of the crowd are given hand-held cameras and invited onstage to help shoot the video.
, Bad Medicine has been played with many more Bon Jovi covers, than just "Shout"
The song was featured on the band's compilation albums Cross Road
and Greatest Hits
, the live album One Wild Night: Live 1985-2001, the acoustic collection This Left Feels Right
, as well as several concert videos including Live From London and The Crush Tour
.
, #3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart, #17 in the UK
and #4 in Australia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
, Richie Sambora
Richie Sambora
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band...
, and Desmond Child
Desmond Child
Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
. It was released in 1988
1988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
as the lead single from the band's album New Jersey
New Jersey (album)
New Jersey is Bon Jovi's fourth album, released on September 19, 1988. The album charted at #1 on The Billboard 200. New Jersey was particularly notable for producing five Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles, the most top ten hits to date for a hard rock album.-Unreleased songs:The album was...
. The song is 5 minutes and 16 seconds long.
Song structure
The song is highlighted by a near constant keyboard playing by David BryanDavid Bryan
David Bryan is the keyboard player of the band rock classic, Bon Jovi. Bryan also sings backing vocals and often at live shows sings part of or the whole of the song "In These Arms", one of a handful of Bon Jovi songs credited to him as songwriter...
that is well defined in the beginning of the song and at several interludes, as well as loud guitar playing by Richie Sambora
Richie Sambora
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band...
, background singing in the bridge and chorus, and a loud fast-paced delivery of lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
. It is one of the more upbeat and hard rocking songs on New Jersey.
Towards the end of the song, Jon says he is got to go and he is running out of breath, but then says "I'm not done...one more time, with feelin'" and the band finishes out the song with another repeat of the chorus.
Video
There are two videos for the song, one with the band live in concert, and a more well-known live video in which a crowd of young people waiting in line to get into the video shoot is asked by Sam KinisonSam Kinison
Samuel Burl "Sam" Kinison was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Kinison was known for his intense, harsh and politically incorrect genre humor...
if they (the public) "can make a better Bon Jovi video than these guys can." The crowd gives a very enthusiastic response, and members of the crowd are given hand-held cameras and invited onstage to help shoot the video.
Legacy
"Bad Medicine" continues to see considerable airplay on many rock radio stations and has always been a live staple at Bon Jovi concerts. In concert, an approximately 1-minute interlude of the classic "Shout" is incorporated into the middle of the song. Although with the Circle TourThe Circle Tour
The Circle Tour is a worldwide concert tour by American rock band Bon Jovi. The arena leg of the tour has finished and the stadium run has begun, starting off in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and then heading to East Rutherford, New Jersey for the grand opening of New Meadowlands Stadium...
, Bad Medicine has been played with many more Bon Jovi covers, than just "Shout"
The song was featured on the band's compilation albums Cross Road
Cross Road
Cross Road is a greatest hits compilation released by the American band Bon Jovi in 1994. The album contains hits from between Bon Jovi and Keep The Faith and two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer"...
and Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Bon Jovi album)
-International edition:While the standard edition released in North America will have 28 tracks, the Australian and Japanese editions are set to have 30 and 31 tracks respectively. There are a few differences between the North American tracklist and the international tracklist. The main difference...
, the live album One Wild Night: Live 1985-2001, the acoustic collection This Left Feels Right
This Left Feels Right
UK Bonus TracksJapan Bonus TracksBrazil Bonus Tracks-New songs:Two new songs, "Last Man Standing" and "Thief of Hearts", were written and recorded for inclusion of the album. "Last Man Standing" was a song revealing lead singer Jon Bon Jovi's anger toward the state of the music industry...
, as well as several concert videos including Live From London and The Crush Tour
The Crush Tour
The Crush Tour was a worldwide concert tour by American rock band Bon Jovi. This tour was in support of the bands multi-platinum selling album Crush. This was the bands first tour since their 1995-1996's highly successful These Days Tour. The band played to 1.1 million fans in 40 arena and...
.
In popular culture
- "Bad Medicine" is part of Bon Jovi's Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Bon Jovi album)-International edition:While the standard edition released in North America will have 28 tracks, the Australian and Japanese editions are set to have 30 and 31 tracks respectively. There are a few differences between the North American tracklist and the international tracklist. The main difference...
pack released for Rock Band 3Rock Band 3Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
.
- In 2008, the Canadian hit show Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
named an episode after this song.
- In the 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike BackJay and Silent Bob Strike BackJay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 American action adventure comedy film written, directed by, and starring Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, the fifth to be set in his View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of his cult favorite Clerks...
, the song was played when Justice (Shannon ElizabethShannon ElizabethShannon Elizabeth is an American actress and former fashion model. Elizabeth is well known for her roles in comedy films such as Scary Movie, American Pie, and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. She is also well known for her work in horror films such as Thirteen Ghosts, Cursed, and Night of the Demons...
) walks into Mooby's restaurant, giving Jay (Jason MewesJason MewesJason Edward Mewes is an American television, film actor, and internet radio show host best known for playing Jay, the vocal half of the duo Jay and Silent Bob, in longtime friend Kevin Smith's films.-Early life:...
) dreams about kissing her.
- Mexican Wrestler Dr. Wagner Jr. uses the song as his entrance theme.
- The song was frequently sung by football fans with the lyrics changed to "Your love is like Barry Venison" in honour of Barry VenisonBarry VenisonBarry Venison is a retired English footballer who enjoyed a successful playing career from 1981 to 1997. He later worked as an television pundit.-Sunderland:...
, the former Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
footballer.
Chart performance
The song climbed to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, #3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart, #17 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and #4 in Australia.
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
| UK Rock Chart UK Rock Chart The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the Top 40 Rock Singles and the Top 40 Rock Albums Chart compiled by the Official Charts Company from physical record sales in British retail outlets with larger than average genrespecific sales.... |
17 |
| ARIA Chart | 4 |
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |