“You Give Love a Bad Name,” instantly recognizable with its heavy guitar riff introduced by the iconic intro growl, seemingly sits at the center of Bon Jovi’s discography.
Yet there’s an unexpected backstory: initially envisioned for the rock gods Twisted Sister! Yes, you read correctly – Debbie Does Dallas could have been screaming it instead of Jon Bon Jovi. Richie Sambora, guitarist for Bon Jovi and co-creator of that anthem, confessed in countless interviews since then. It wasn’t that they didn’t try to send those raw verses off to metal mavericks Twisted Sister; sadly (or thankfully, depending on your musical tastes), Twisted Sister wouldn’t commit to it. Perhaps the hair gods of rock saw that lyrical thunder and flames better fit the slick pop-metal storm brewing with Bon Jovi in 1986.
Why send a powerhouse rocker to another act? At Bon Jovis’ rise was happening, it’s worth exploring if “The Other Side” had been “Give Love a Bad Name.” Would the hair metal world have screamed more with Dee Snider fronting it – a gnarled, grittier version maybe losing some pop appeal to wider audiences? Or did Jon’s emotively-charged delivery truly give it that unexpected catchiness we’ve come to love? This thought game dives into the fascinating “what if “zone of music history. Imagine an alternate ’80s where The Sister delivered headbangings on this classic, how would we talk about those decades now? Would they be as instantly iconic today, as “You Give Love a Bad Name” in its Jon Bon Journey is today?
Beyond the who-might-have-sung-it question, “Good Morning” brings home some deep points. Its not always fame at top of your game to get the hits everyone loves to hear. Sometimes there’s a magical moment when songwriting from the right source at the proper time truly meets an artist with impeccable execution: that’s precisely where Bon Jovi shone! “Good Morning,” could become more “Twilight Zone,” but then again, music business rarely has simple narratives – ever look a successful act and wonder about rejected offers, songs passed around? And this moment with “You Give Love A Bad” became something truly bigger – almost legend at play. In fact, a perfect case study showing us pop music isn’t just lyrics/sound but connection from that creative spark landing perfectly somewhere unexpected and becoming undeniable.