Roulette - the hit the coulda been?

When "Runaway" was released in February 1984 (correct me if I'm wrong though some sourses say it was release in December 83) it peaked at #39 in the USA. Mercury followed this with "She Don't Know Me" (US #4 a song that should be sent to the fire of Hades . "Burning for Love" was the third single in Japan.

My question is this?

What on EARTH were they thinking?

I've looked at polls about the first album and the song that seems to get most attention after Runaway is "Roulette".

It should have been single no2. Personally I think this would have also been a top 40 hit. It's got the same whollop as You Give Love A Bad Name and punch of I Love Rock And Roll, We Will Rock You and Rock Of Ages. It certainly should appear on future compilations because it encapsulated Bon Jovi and arena rock.

Of all the tracks in Bon Jovi's career this was the one that should have been a single. Imagine being at a Bon Jovi single and the band performing this song live regularly.

Roulette needs more love. What do you think?

I've always loved the song and would have liked for it to be a single so I might have a shot in hell of hearing it live. I don't get why the record company was so determined that they record and release She Don't Know Me.

Couple that with the fact that when they played it live during the initial shows of The Circle tour, it actually sounded good!! With a little more effort it could have sounded great!!...

When you take a look at the music sceen during 1984, you'll see that it just wasn't Jon's time yet.

I don't think any of those songs would have catapulted that album.

Kinda agree with you-IMO it's definitely the standout track but I don't really think it would have made much difference to the trajectory of the band, and I still don't think we'd be hearing in concerts nowadays even if it had been a single.

Great track but if released back then as a single it would have made no difference to the bands success. It would still be ignored live like most of the early music. They have always made odd single choices.

Roulette
Edge of a broken heart
The radio saved my life tonight
Hearts breaking even
Just older
Mystery train
Undivided
Bounce
Dirty little secret
Nothing
We got it goin on
Any other day
Love's the only rule
Thorn in my side
Im with you
Thick as thieves
Beautiful world

These all could have been single choices and I am sure most would have come across well...

It's a better song definitely, and may well have made a slightly bigger dent but nothing more. It wouldn't have changed the course of history dramatically.

As with She Don't Know Me, the fact it was written by someone else and Jon isn't a fan of it must mean that it was probably "encouraged" to be released by the record company.

Aloha !

The second single of the debut record was supposed to be Breakout, a song with another keyboard hook. Plans changed once Bee Gee's Staying Alive was released and disco was suddenly very popular, thus She Don't Know Me being released as the second single, attempting to cross over both markets.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

Who cares? The first two albums suck anway (for the most part, Roulette being a better song than She Don't Know Me of course and Runaway the standout track)...

Aloha !

The first two albums are more consistant than anything that's been released the past 15 years. Would the production not be working against it for most people, they'd consider them masterpieces. Unfortunately, most people don't hear good songs, but hear dated production.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan