#12 - Last Cigarette

Artist: Bon Jovi
Album: Have A Nice Day
Other Versions: None
Era: Current "power pop rock"

Lyrics

I hate trying to categorize songs with labels like "pop" and "rock" because I always wind up with this long string of words that probably doesn't mean anything to anyone else. Oh well, it's the best I could do.

I've had trouble picking a favorite song from this new cd. I don't think there's anything on there I really don't like, although there's two or three I'm pretty indifferent to, and there's a lot I really like. I think I've referred to this as my favorite more than any of the other "favorites", though, so let's go with that.

When they put the samples up on bonjovi.com shortly before the album release (they had all of "HAND", all of "Last Man Standing", and about 30 seconds each of the rest), I hated this. They just had the chorus and it seemed like the most irritating repetitive shit they've ever done. I was actually disappointed with most of the samples, worried for what the cd would be, but I hated this with a passion.

Then I listened to the whole thing, and holy crap. Yes, the chorus is repetitive, yes Jon's voice approaches that kind of nasally territory it gets to sometimes, but goddamn is this a fun song. I love the beat, I love the lyrics, I love the subtle keyboard work in the chorus that just builds the mood, I love the little break-away Brian Wilson thing they do.

This is the first song David has a writing credit on since (I believe) In These Arms from Keep the Faith, and man am I glad to see him writing again. Bon Jovi / Sambora is most fans' songwriting team of choice, but a lot of my favorites are Bon Jovi / Bryan (or, if you go by the first cd, Bon Jovi / Rashbaum). The only exception I can think of are the two songs he has a credit for off the box set I don't like that much ("Flesh and Bone", "Ordinary People"). I think when Jon and David write, there isn't that seriousness that Jon and Richie have, that "look we can be deep and meaningful" thing. The stuff David co-writes is usually really fun, and this is no exception.

Within three days of owning HAND, I knew all the words to this song. That's how much I listened to it and how much I love it.

My Rating: 10/10