Personal Songs - which and why?

Great stories!

Bon Jovi has meant a lot during my whole life really. In the beginning it was the happy memories associated with being a child in a very musical household. I grew up watching very little conventional TV but lots of concerts, music programs, video clips and also going to pubs to hear local bands with my father since I was a very little girl… and BJ was a big part of it, being extremely popular and unavoidable and whatnot. 80s music was and is my happy place, brings back lots of memories of fun times, parties with friends and family, dreaming of joining a rock band one day (ehem) and a simpler life. I still stop what I’m doing every time YGLABN is on the radio. I seat there, feeling sucked back to that incredible high I felt as a kid.

But just like the 90s took a darker turn, my life did too, and I could only find refuge in music since I couldn’t make anybody understand how I was feeling inside. I was apparently a happy kid, very extroverted, had a simple life, had my family and lots of friends, a straight A student. I was always the one who listened, the one who helped, the one who had the crazy ideas and cheered everybody up. But I felt so sad and inadequate inside for some reason and I hated (and still do) burdening people with my problems and sharing my feelings, some of my friends were already dealing with broken families and loss, what was I going to complain about? I was lost for a good 6-7 years starting in my early teens and made a lot of really bad decisions along the way.

But I digress, the worst period of my life was also when I rediscovered Bon Jovi and forged the connection to their music and especially the lyrics. I was first a huge fan of grunge music, miserable inside as I was. But then I realized that I wasn’t really angry and that kind of music wasn’t helping. That’s exactly when These Days came into my life, in the precise exact moment when I needed it most. It has been a perfect companion during these past 20 years, every time I’ve felt like shit, it has never failed to lift me up.
Back in the 90s the first time I listened to TD it felt so weird. That’s exactly how I was feeling, sad, melancholic and full or dark thoughts, but I was going to get over it, just like the lyrics were compelling me to do. I can’t tell you how many times in a span of 5 years I listened to TD on repeat, it was really speaking to me. STBI was MY song in that period, I felt as if it was written for me and sappy as it sounds, I knew that even if everything around me went south, I’d always have that song to hold on to.

Moving forward to ever worse times (I know, I’m such a ray of sunshine :P), I really really really hit rock bottom and felt like giving up for a while. I drank myself to oblivion quite a few times (never do that kids, not a good feeling!). Looking back I’m like damn gurl, get over it, you were only 20, everybody makes mistakes and has a dark period, but I know it could’ve been way worse than it was. Music was the only thing that pulled me through. TD was again my light at the end of the tunnel. I remember a very very very shitty day where I was going to stay home and just feel sorry for myself and forget everything and everybody and franky drink as much as I could, but then I listened to TD and I lost it with Bitter Wine. That had been my song during a very happy time only a few months back but that night instead of making me feel like I’d give up, it strangely comforted me. I then realized I’d always have the good memories every time I listened to the song. Sigh. Such strange times.

Then I became happier, or better at coping with shit I guess, and I didn’t listen to music a lot. But one day a dear friend made me a copy of CD1 of the boxset, which he knew I wanted but I couldn’t afford. And when I first listened to Radio sad memories started coming back and then it was Miss 4th of July and I bawled my eyes out for hours! Oh my gosh, it was such a cathartic experience, I finally finally let go of all the anguish I was feeling inside. The songs described so ****ing perfectly the feeling that had been gnawing at me for ages. I didn’t even know what the lyrics were truly about until I bought the boxset, but I knew they were talking to me and they’d help me heal inside. Miss 4th of July to this day is the song that makes me feel happy when I’m down. I even got a tattoo with my favorite lyric.

Soooo, to end in a slightly happy note (he he) I went on with my life using music as a crutch in the worst moments, but feeling generally normal. But shit happens and I had to cope with a good friend hitting a very rough patch that affected me in the end and with my parents separating after 40 years because of my father suddenly leaving (!!). Both things didn’t affect me a lot since I’ve grown a very thick skin over the years, but it did create that tiny alarm inside of me that was telling me “you need to find a way to let go of all the feelings or you’ll regret it one day” and just in cue came A Teardrop To The Sea to remind me that there’s always someone somewhere also having their worlds crumbling and especially Living With The Ghost which has helped immensely to understand feelings and reactions and empathize with those who were struggling even though I wasn’t and I couldn’t relate. Maybe it doesn’t make a lot of sense but I don’t want to go into more detail.

I hope somebody shares happy stories. I do think mine are positive though, those songs have helped me and will continue to do so, there’s no better feeling than that I think.

I was in Mannheim too and I only remember that it was a very good show! I was very sceptical about the show at first
I remember how I had to leave my water at the entrance. Some nice fans took me to a train station so that I wouldn't miss my train to Frankfurt. People at concerts are usually really open because you share something nice together.

Cool that you had such a nice experience as well! These moments stay with you which is what can make a live show so precious!

I am sorry to read this. Good luck to get back again!!!

Thank you. I'm very grateful for your support.

To many to mention.
The first 6 albums are littered with memories of my life from 13 to 21.

These days is a dark album and that summed me up in 1995/96. Big break up from a long relationship and this album was on permanent rotation.

I think thats why the last few albums disappoint me. The songs dont mean anything to me bar a very small few.

It was really quite sobering to read all these stories. In the midst of it all, this band really does mean a lot, despite the critisism.

For me, the Bon Jovi songs I relate to the most might not often be the most lyrically or musically great songs, but the ones where it just sort of clicked. I don't often post about my religion on this board, but being a devout Christian, some of these songs have oddly pushed me through with my own personal faith, and have helped me see more. The other songs that mean a lot to me are the ones that make me remember a girl that I was once in love with for a short time, and probably still am, a little bit.


1. Something To Believe In

Probably my favorite Bon Jovi song, and one that pushes me through. We all need something to believe in, or we become nothing. For me that's God, despite all the "Americanism" stigmas that come from the Christian faith, this song challenges me to really remember what I believe in, and why.

2. Someday Just Might Be Tonight

This song was and still is everything to me. I know the song probably isn't about a girl at all, and maybe instead further explores the exploitation of innosense as a child becomes a man, and how lost you can feel during that - Bu The lyric "You're the kind that goes swimming with a raincoat", just is that girl. She was depressed, lonely, but daringly beautiful, yet incredibly cautious, and weird about her caution. I always thought it was adorable, and she always needed a push when it came to her depression. "Don't give up, don't give in - stand and fight - you just might win." - that will always be her song in my mind.

3. Bang A Drum

Another spiritual one. For those who don't remember, my screenname on this board for the first couple years was "Bang A Drum", until I asked to change my name to "Panda". This one is a gospel song, and one that maybe simplifies everything. "He said if you wanna tell him something, you ain't gotta fold your hands - say it with your heart, your sould, believe it - and I'd say Amen" In the political climate of bullshit right and left crap, and Christian Republicans, and Christians insisiting that their government needs to align with their personal Christian convictions, I can sometimes feel very discouraged. But this song, and that line, kind of just shows an innocence in relgion that is often lost, and it definitely comforts me.

4. The Radio Saved My Life Tonight.

This song is true because it reminds me of the time I heard Bon Jovi on the radio. The song was Keep The Faith. "Bon Jovi coming to Calgary" was announced by the DJ, and this song points me back to a time where I truly discovered Bon Jovi. That is the first time I ever remember conciously hearing Keep The Faith, and it stuck to me like glue. after hearing it, I knew I had to see them live. And I did, and it changed my life - permanently. So whenever I hear Jon sing about how the radio saved his life, I remember the sad song I heard on the radio as well, that also saved mine.

5. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night

I struggle with depression, and have for a while. I'm not vocal about it, but my own spiritual journey has helped me through that. This song, in all of the ruts, has gotten me through a lot of shit. It not only reminds me that I'm not alone in my occasional misery, but that there will be joy, happiness, and yeah - it may feel like a ****ing tuesday afternoon for months straight, but someday I will be Saturday night.


These songs have remained staples in my life for years, and I doubt that will change. I know a lot of you might not have read everything, but I really appreciate the honesty everyone else had, as it helped me do the same in return

Thanks for all your stories.

Talking about depression:

If the sun is up. If it is not cold. If you have a decent health state. If you have some decent food to eat. If you have some time to enjoy all this (meaning your everyday job does not totally take all your time and energy, or you are enjoying your everyday job, or you have money without working everyday).

Then you have almost everything.

Because it is f*ckin nice to just go out there, take a walk, see the birds fly, watch the sea or the river and the trees hanging next to it, and the mountains looming from above. Watch the people going around doing their regular things.
Play. Play cards or play football. Explore ! Read a book or even a comic book, learn some sh7t you never thought you'd learn. About our universe or about the tolkien universe or whatever. Imagine !


Ok, I said almost everything. Cause you need love, I suppose. Firstly, for you. To understand and accept your self as a human being with all the strange incompleteness this brings. And for everybody else as well. They are in a similar boat as you. With their differences of course, yes.

But you need love yes. Just simple love for the people. When you talk to a random person, to be able to enjoy their joy when it's there, and to be able to see past their anger or disappointment when that is there.

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I have left one case open. "If there is sun" I said.

Well guys, for all you people that live in dark gloomy rainy areas, or chilling cold places, well, I really don't know how you manage but bravo !
I can have no advice for that cause I know I am not made for that and I can't handle it for a prolonged period.

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Back to BJ.

Well, Bon Jovi is the symbol of my rather nice childhood. Naivete, safety, games !

The 80s stuff actually bring this up a lot and many times in my later life, when I was sad, I would listen to a lot of BJ exactly to let loose and feel this kind of positivity that a kid has when it has had a good sleep, wakes up on a Saturday morning and looks at its toys and thinks " YEAH today I am gonna play!! "

The 90s stuff can be a lot more deep and fulfilling, and true hence personal in a way, though I am not making particular connections.

I cannot talk about very particular stories because these songs have been playin on my speakers on a number of different occasions.. Well If I was your mother and King of the mountain are exceptions: those songs I advertised to all my classmates, and even if they weren't hits a lot of people on my school got to know them

I suppose there are a lot of stories involving songs but songs don't get connected to one single story in my head. They can be part of many stories. Otherwise I would only listen to them to make this particular connection. And since I wrote a lot, I can leave song stories out for now.

Thanx for reading !

O_O OMG Are you my father? >_< jajaja
My father told me exactly this my first day at school, I was 6, I went to the school... 3 months later I told my father he was lucky ‘cause I got to study for free!!! (I was 1st in my class) and he said: That’s what I was talking about!. Thanks for your post, that made me smile.

I’ve read all the posts of this thread, I thought some of the stories are sooo romantic! -_- >_< jajaj
I think all of you BJ diehards are brilliant.

This thread demonstrates what so many people don't seem to get - yes it's cliche'd pop rock but Jovi have an incredible knack for songs that cling to you, resonate with your own experience and become the soundtrack to your life. Some wonderful stories here!

I'm a bit younger than the most of you it seems so my memories start with Crush really. I remember writing down 'Bon Jodie' in pencil on my bedside table after hearing It's My Life on the radio for the first time and, listening on headphones past my bedtime not having anything else to write on. But while a lot of songs have helped me and take me back to places there are very few specifics I can think of.

To keep the depressing theme going I do remember about 6 months after 100 million came out my mum was in and out of hospital - it wasn't fully explained to me at the time that she'd attempted suicide but I started only seeing her once every couple of weeks, if that and when it was in a hospital ward so Kidnap an Angel was one that really spoke to me at the time. A few years later her mum, my nanna died and Lost Highway came out around the same time - it was a long car drive to the funeral so I had that on repeat on my cd walkman (cos mp3 players were still expensive then...) so listening to LH in order takes me back to that. Much in the same way I suspect THINFS will forever take me back to a time when I had my visa rejected and had to leave the country I'd made my home for 2 years and been desperate to stay in - Living With The Ghost became a bit personal through that.

I could probably pick out a million more band/JBJ/RS songs - for the last five years I've been planning to base parts of my right arm sleeve around Undiscovered Soul (one day I'll have enough money...) I wear a silver pick necklace with lyrics from Just Older... music is the language of the soul, and this band makes good music.

Wow great question.

In These Arms: I'll always credit this with making me a proper Bon Jovi fan (I only knew LOAP and BOG* really prior to that) and making me want to learn to play guitar (albeit a failed attempt to impress a girl). I remember the summer of 93 desperately waiting for Radio One to play it over and over. And always getting annoyed as there was a Billy Joel single with a similar intro released at the same time that kept tricking me.

These Days (the song, and the album) changed my life. It made me look at music differently, I wanted to analyse every note, every lyric, every drum beat, absolutely everything about it was actual magic and it still inspires me to this day to want to be that good. I've never experienced another album quite like it, although a few have come close.

Live Before You Die: My dad died the same day The Circle was released in the UK. So the whole album makes me think of him, but this song especially hits home. The line "A game of catch with my old man" conjures up brilliant memories of my childhood.

Those are the big three for me, but I could list so many stories about Jovi songs and their impact on my life.




* I know, it's JBJ but at the time I didn't appreciate the difference