#85 - Raise Your Hands

Artist: Bon Jovi
Album: Slippery When Wet, Live From the HAND Tour
Other Versions: None
Era: Late 80s "hair metal:

Lyrics

I don't like this one that much. It has a very generic rock feel, and I get a very distinct "we specifically recorded this to play live, look how many things to make people cheer we can throw in". It's gimmicky.

It's fun, though. I love the "out on the run/under the gun" parts. And I like to bob around in my chair and sing this one. The chorus, the "raise your hands"es are extremely triumphant, and I like that.

But I just can't shake that vaguely generic feeling. The first time I listened to this song I had a shadow of "I've heard this before". I never had, but it's typical rock guitar and typical rock drumming and a fairly typical set up. It's like someone went to Jon and said "this is the formula for creating an arena rock anthem. Please include something on 'Slippery' that follows this formula to the letter" and he was all "okey dokey".

The synths, in a lot of places, are really similar to Van Halen's "Jump". Actually it might be "Panama" I'm thinking of, but it's definitely one of those. Not exactly copied, but there are definite similarities.

I do like some of the lyrics of this one: "I, I heard there ain't nobody better" and "I, I ain't here lookin' for surrender/I'll raise the flag if you defend her/It's up to you" are very nice.

Here's the kicker: if I had only ever heard this song when I saw them in concert, I'd love it. This is a song that takes on a whole new life in a concert setting. The audience singing the chorus that is MADE to be sung along to, punching the air in rhythm with "raise your hands", it's an experience. This is probably a hundred times better live than it is on cd. That atmosphere doesn't even really translate to a live recording.

My Rating: 5/10

Alright, one of the songs where it's totally cool to say "oh, I love him":

• Dyin' Ain't Much of a Livin'
• Little City

And I know a couple people had trouble downloading the Hughbot 5000 Rap, so here's an alternate link. This link's only good for 7 days (which is why I didn't use it initially).

Best Rap Ever