#93 - Postcards From the Wasteland

Artist: Bon Jovi
Album: Bounce (Japanese Bonus Track)
Other Versions: None
Era: Early 00s "hard pop"

Lyrics

These might be my favorite lyrics ever. I don't love the song, but almost every line I find myself going "huh, that's cool".

Let's see, there's:

And nosey stars, they seem to know where everybody goes

and

As poets reach for words with broken motel pens

and

Out here the days they don't have names they've got numbers
And the nights just seem to fade into each other

and

Following my headlights down the highway in the dark

and

Postmarked from the state of my heart
In care of wherever you are

and

Now before the summer sun gets chased away
And all of our tomorrows turn to yesterdays
I'm going to build you that castle
I'm going to write you that song
I've got to find the words to say
Until I hold you in my arms

(I'll write a bit more about that verse in a minute) and

Tonight I'll meet you in my dreams
See you soon
Love,
Me

Those are all the parts that have, at some point, made me go "oh, wow, that's good".

That second verse, it's amazing. Near the end of my senior year in high school, I used nothing but lines from Jovi songs as away messages on AIM (no one ever had any idea where I was, but they got exposed to good writing!) and when I had this one up, a friend of mine IMed me just to say "YES YES YES THAT'S IT." And it is. It's not empty promises the way it looks. He is absolutely convinced he is going to build a castle and write that song, and I'm rooting for him to actually do it. I believe he did, or he will.

Instrumentally I don't dig this that much. I don't love the drum machine, and I'd much prefer if the keyboard was real piano instead. The guitar is excellent (yep, it's definitely Be Nice to Richie Week [like Shark Week but less cool 'cause there's less blood]), very warm and personal. The drum machine and synthed keyboards detract from that. There is real piano that comes through, mostly in the last two minutes, and I love it. This might be the only time I've really had an issue with how they approached the keyboard. Synths and drums are impersonal, the piano and Jon's voice and the acoustic guitar and the lyrics are very personal. Doesn't quite work. (I should mention the not-machine drumming isn't bad, but it isn't stellar either. Might be the closest I've come to being really disappointed with Tico)

This is a pretty, pretty song with gorgeous lyrics and a really nice message. It does manage to overcome the instrumental shortcomings, and definitely should have made the album.

My Rating: 9/10

Late 80s:

• Social Disease
• Homebound Train