Since I've recently run into several songs that have clearly "influenced" Bon Jovi's writing, I thought I'd start a post about finding out just how much the guys steal.

Now by stealing (instead of, say, borrowing) I mean when a piece of lyric, melody, chord progression etc. is lifted directly from another song, not something that just sounds similar. Things that come to mind right now are:

Billy Joel - that's not her style = Billy get your guns (chorus melody)
Bartholomew/King - I hear you knockin' = You really got me (chorus melody)
Tom Petty - I won't back down = Thief of hearts (chorus melody & lyric)
Bruce - Dancing in the dark = Social Disease ("You can't start a fire without a spark")
Bruce - Racing in the streets = You can sleep while I dream (verse melody)
Neil Young - Rocking in the free world = August 7th 4:15 (Chord and song structure)
Don Henley - Long way home = This is love, this is life ("there’s three sides to every story/ There’s yours, mine, (lately) there’s the cold hard truth")

There's a lot more that have been discussed a lot of times on this board, one that I don't know the name of (all you Neil Young-fans listen up)is a Young song that had at least a similar melody to a Jovi song from the first album. Not Runaway or Get ready, that much I remember. Heard it like 8 years ago, so no idea what it could be.

So, other songs Jovi have stolen from?