#48 - Diamond Ring

Artist: Bon Jovi
Album: These Days
Other Versions: None that I know of
Era: 90s "moody rock"

Lyrics

The Bon Jovi love song is an interesting breed. There's songs like "Silent Night" and "This Ain't A Love Song", watching a relationship die. There's "I'll Be There for You", "Never Say Goodbye", "Always", in which we find our hero pining over love lost. There's "Bed of Roses" that, while the sentiment is there, I can't get behind as a real love song because of the blonde still in his bed. There's "Wildflower" and its ilk, in which he does love the girl, but goes on for three and a half minutes about her faults - in a loving manner, but still. There are some real love songs on Bounce, but they're bland and lacking something. And of course, songs like "I Got the Girl" about a daughter, and "I Am", which could just as easily be applied to a good friend as a lover. And, finally, there's "Diamond Ring."

Lyrically, there's nothing here to suggest this isn't a straightforward love song. It's traditionalism, it's devotion, it is love. This is a man in love, singing about love, no twists, no cheating or faults or ambiguousness, no relationship dying. The ring suggests quite the opposite, in fact.

There's hints of something else here - the phrase "blood red" is ominous, the obsessiveness of "I bleed every night you sleep", the second-to-last-line of "now you've got me on your string." None of those are particularly happy, but they're not blatantly denying the sentiment of the song.

But when you take this song as more than lyrical, it completely shifts. The tone is dark, there's something there that's off, somehow. Jon's voice is low and soothing, but there's an edge, brought in mostly by Richie's voice. Here, they are similar, but where Jon is smooth Richie is rough, creating an interesting tension. The instrumentation is extremely simple - low, slow, quiet drumming, acoustic guitar, basic piano. It's lush, though, thick and indulgent and almost hedonistic. This song is dark, there is something lurking. You get the feeling that this man is not quite normal - maybe he's just a little possessive, maybe he's a stalker. Is he just a delusional admirer of this woman? Tone and lyrics mesh together in a way that is simply beautiful, but it's unsettling.

This is one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs, one of those jaw-droppers from my first time listening to These Days. Because lyrically it's a simple love song, making use of traditional romantic symbols like rings and roses. And musically it's a dark, rich, enveloping experience. You don't listen to it, you feel it. David's at his absolute best here - the piano is what adds the depth and tone that force you to feel this. The guitar plucks along, soaring a bit, enhancing the piano that you just can't ignore. And the synth strings that soar up in some places, making the whole thing deeper, are haunting, especially paired with the percussive shaker.

"Diamond Ring" is a love song. But it's nothing you play for your beloved to show how much you care, somehow. This is one you listen to sitting alone, reflecting. A personal love song. It's an amazing combination of lyrics and music and makes use of the voice as an instrument - using Richie to add that tension is just perfect.

My Rating: 10/10

Edited 3/25/06: Added lyrics