The Verdict: Something For The Pain

Aloha !

I think many of you will vote Yay simply because of it being from These Days, but I'm going to give this a try anyway. Because although These Days is rated as a masterpiece over here (and in my opinion a bit overrated as well) this song is often mentioned as one of the weaker songs on the album. Why?

In my opinion it's one of the better songs. It's got a good build up, it's got very strong vocals, it's got good guitar work and some gimmicks like a slide guitar solo and dual vocals after that slide guitar solo. Richie even takes the lead on it for a little while. So what's wrong with it? It's catchy and in my opinion is one of the highlights from These Days. This is a perfect song to be played real loud in your car on a sunny day on the highway.

The only thing that I can think of that's not good about it is that the band was never able to make it sound good when played live on the 1996 tour.

Just compare this: (1995, Johannesberg)

to

This: (1996, Yokohama)

Jon's vocals failled a bit on the 1996 tour and the overall band playing became a bit sloppy. When it was introduced in 1995 it was killer though, and the "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" part of the song is very cool in a stadium. I don't think Jon would be able to nail it live nowadays but I'd like to hear what it'd sound like nowadays. Not because it's a song from These Days, but simply because I like the song a lot.

So what do you think? Is it really that bad?

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

I agree with every point you made about it. Its a great song. Something you can really tap your heel too! I think its a really well arranged song, and the drum/guitar work is really solid. Oh, and, coupled with Hey God, makes a nice change from the overall slow/down beat atmosphere of the album.

It's probably one of my favorites from that album. It sucked me in before any of the slower, more thoughtful (or depressing) songs did. It rocks.

On the down side it has one of the more cringe worthy lyrics in the Bon Jovi canon. "Give me something for the pain when I feel I'm danglin from a hang-mans noose" (that's close enough anyway)

That takes the cowboy thing way over the line in my opinion. However, once I got past those lyrics I found I could enjoy the song. These days I don't even cringe when I hear them - I just enjoy the music.

I've always liked it.

It would be good to hear live now just to see what it's like.

Not sure why it's not mentioned more on this forum actually because it is a good song.

As you suggested I'm biased as fuck towards the These Days album, but this is a good tune. I like the slightly eastern sounding riff at the beginning.

It's such a great song. Wonderfully melancholy but so damn catchy and that part after the solo when Jon and Richie both sing is great. Even if I get completely bored with Bon Jovi and sell all of their CDs I'll still love this song. And what's interesting is that Beavis & Butthead liked this tune (or at least one of the two). You'd think that they'd hate everything Bon Jovi related because it's "wussy" but Something For The Pain is such a cool song that even Beavis & Butthead liked it.

No thanks. Worst song on 'These Days' in my opinion, never connected with the song. I skip it on live DVD's and 'These Days' itself. I find it boring to be honest, nothing amazing about it.

It's definately one of the best songs on These Days. I think it's a great song. I know the into may sound wierd with the sitar but the song structure and lyrics are excellent.

I discovered Bon Jovi some years after These Days was released so I can't exactly be biased toward S4TP because it was a hit, but I love it, always have done.

One of the few (if not only) feel-good songs on the album and very different in some respects to your average Bon Jovi single. Like you mentioned, the slide guitar followed by the shared lead vocals with Jon and Richie. It's got a real country twang to it which no ones seemed to have picked up or mentioned here. (I'm mainly referring to back when Lost Highway was released and we were discussing previous country-ish Jovi songs.)

True, it's not exactly been nailed live but I do like the version on One Wild Night. Still think the could get away with playing it now though.

The video is cool aswell.

Exactly! A great song overall, loved it since These Days came out (which is, on a sidenote, NOT overrated ). But it's a bit of a secret favourite of mine, it doesn't always appear on the mixes that I make, I like it more in the context of the album - I'm glad it's on "Tokyo Road" though, and if a new Greatest Hits should be released without I'll be very very mad. Sometimes I listen to it and I think it's the best song ever written. It speaks to me.

I like the live versions, I like even the one from 1996, though it may have less fire than 95. They played it once again in 2001 in Tokyo, and then never again. I've always been searching for a recording of that show. Nothing on youtube. I'm so curious how it sounds... It would be cool to hear it again live, but I remember Jon saying that he once loved the song very much, but not anymore, and that he will never perform it again...