It's Hard Letting You Go

that article was a great read, thanks.

A bit of an old post I know, but I didn't really want to make another thread about it seeing as I just wanted to write a bit about my current feelings towards this song. Now I recently have been going off from listening to Bon jovi, not completely but for chunks of time i just haven't felt any desire to put a Bon jovi song and listen to it. It's really only live performances on youtube that get me interested nowadays.

But for some reason or another this song came on while I was shopping for some clothes. It really hit home for me, I sort of stopped what I was looking at and just stood there listening to the song pretending to still be looking at some shirts and pants and whatever else there was there. From the first notes the song really evokes that nostalgic, lonely feeling that for a while I really was looking to put it somehow into words but simply couldn't really find which ones. The part about driving down the streets that wouldn't bend really made me choke up as it reminds me of just getting in my car, buying a pack of cigarrettes and just driving to clear my head, initially just looking for a 15 min drive and later on it turning into a 3-4 hour drive. When you're thinking about someone and that someone is so far away, not really physically but more emotionally. The days somehow just don't seem the same, the imagery in the song is something you can feel. When you know you're both better off leaving things as they are and not going back but it still makes it so hard just letting go, even if you know that whatever will be will be ok somehow it's still hard just letting go and moving on.

These lyrics are really special and somehow I just never knew it until 14 years after I first heard them. In a lot of ways it's much more than a sad ballad, to me that is. I really don't know much about what I'm writing now, I just know that I needed this song at this point, and my love for music as a creative and emotional outlet has somehow been re-awakened by it.

It may be the best song they have released... maybe.

It certainly is the most emotional. It is a perfect song in every way.

It carried me through a couple difficult break ups growing up... fortunately it has been a long time now. Hopefully, it will never affect me that way again. But then, listening to it, there is comfort knowing that Jon feels the same way... or at least someone has known that type of loneliness. Even the Ooh oh ohs carry so much heart break...

Again, it is a perfect song. Sorry you are going through a rough time. Hope things get better!

This song reminds me a lot about my grandpa who passed away a few years ago. I always skipped over it before that happened but ever since I can't bring myself to do that.

It's incredible and that's the only thing I can say sadly.

Thanks for bumping, I had missed those article scans, it was a great read. One of the most interesting things about the song, that I found out a while ago, was that only Jon and Richie play in the studio track. Rich on guitars and harmonies, Jon on the organ + a drum machine. I never even realised there was no bass on the track.

I LOVE the song...and I would die to be able to hear it live. It's a real special one lyrically...and all the stuff you guys have said already.

People have their "Dry county" songs -ones that they would love to hear once live.Well Hard letting you go is mine even though i did hear get to hear it once as part of these days tour in rds dublin in 96.
I actually won tickets for that o2 date but coudlnt get over and gave them to my cousin-i was so pissed when i heard they played it that night and even after bristol hoped i might get it in dublin last week but i guess ill have to wait some more-cant complain i got it once-it just is 1 amaizing song

Here is the pro shot from it

I was so lucky to be at the O2 for this last year and at Bristol at the end of June.

Heres my recording if you havent seen it

I was lucky to get it twice too .. it was a major surprise in bristol .. bristol will always be special to me now between Letting you go and Lie to me in 2008 ... GREAT show this year ... in my top 3 out of the 11 I have been to in june