Track Rankings 2012 - Lost Highway

This is the first track rankings album where it's tough for me to rank these songs I like. However, the album ranking results showed that I'm the biggest LH fan on this board so I'm most likely the only one who has this issue here

15. 'Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
14. The Last Night
13. Walk Like A Man
12. (You Want To) Make A Memory
11. Any Other Day
10. I Love This Town
9. Lost Highway
8. Whole Lot Of Leavin'
7. Seat Next To You
6. Everybody's Broken
5. We Got It Goin' On
4. Summertime
3. Put The Boy Back In Cowboy
2. Lonely
1. One Step Closer

15) Make a Memory
14) Whole Lot of Leaving
13) Seat Next to You
12) The Last Night
11) Any Other Day
10) One Step Closer
09) Lonely
0 Strangers
07) I Love This Town
06) We Got It Going On
05) Everybody's Broken
04) Walk Like A Man
03) Lost Highway
02) Summertime
01) Put the Boy Back in Cowboy

Lost Highway was the first BJ album that I enjoyed for the first 10 listens but then became boring. Every other BJ until then became more interesting with every listen. Make a Memory is the one and only exception. Despite how bad it is live, it is truly a great song. And the only step forward for the band on this album. Other songs, including WLOL have their merits and can be quite good, but none achieve the level of greatness that other albums and MAM have achieved. The Last Night, Seat Next To You and One Step Closer are three tracks that are overlooked or often underrated. Also, I Love This Town is not a bad song and it works live if they play it sparingly.

This album sums up what is wrong with Bon Jovi. They see a fad and completely sell out... and it has never been more apparent than in this case. Put the Boy Back in Cowboy is an abomination. The rest is ripped off from other, better country artists. If I want a Keith Urban album, I will buy a Keith Urban album.

But the worst thing about this album is how safe it is. There is nothing daring or edgy musically or lyrically about this album, and thus not very interesting.

That's the point. They were taking the piss and having FUN with this song. What? Bon Jovi can have FUN with music for the first time in years? It was never meant to be a song to be taken seriously. Which you obviously try to do.

15. Any Other Day
14. We Got It Goin' On
13. Whole Lot Of Leavin'
12. Lost Highway
11. Everybody's Broken
10. (You Wanna) Make A Memory
09. Put The Boy Back In Cowboy
08. Walk Like A Man
07. Seat Next To You
06. Summertime
05. I Love This Town
04. Til We Aint Strangers No More
03. The Last Night
02. One Step Closer
01. Lonely

There is a big difference with having fun with a song and Boy/Cowboy. Bad Medicine, In & Out of Love, Love For Sale... that is them being them. Put the Boy back in Cowboy is Bon Jovi trying to be something they're not. I am speaking lyrically. Musically, it is not a bad song. In fact it is pretty clever.

15. Make A Memory
14. Whole Lot Of Leaving
13. We Got It Going On
12. Lost Highway
11. I Love This Town
10. One Step Closer
09. The Last Night
08. Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore
07. Lonely
06. Walk Like A Man
05. Any Other Day
04. Put The Boy Back In Cowboy
03. Everybody's Broken
02. Summertime
01. Seat Next To You

First of all, I don't like that we include the bonus tracks in these polls. I see albums as units, and no matter how good the bonus tracks are, they are never a part of the initial album in my book. I highly enjoy them, but I always consider them what they are, "bonus tracks", and technically I listen to them less than the actual album tracks. So I put them quite low in my ranking. They actually might chart a bit higher if they were a real part of the album - if that makes sense.

The problem with me is not the country thing, but the song writing. It probably has the poorest songwriting and effort put into an album post 2000, at least that what comes across. Still, the album creates a nice atmosphere, and some tracks I really do like.

"Make A Memory" actually is a top 5 song, a real classic.
"Whole Lot Of Leaving" has grown a lot on me since its release, great track. I was shocked when it opened the encore in Vienna last year (because I was hoping for sth else), but the performance showed a really good song, and I got rewarded with "Thorn In My Side", "Wild Is The Wind", "These Days" & "Always", so it was fair.

I also do enjoy "We Got It Going On", especially the "hmmm hmmm hey yeah" part.

Same goes for "I Love This Town". I will NEVER understand the hate it gets. I had a problem with the production at first, but it is a solid fun song that puts me in a good mood. LOVE Sambora's guitar here, especially the solo.

"Any Other Day" on the other side is a bit overrated I think. Good song, but not great. I enjoy it, though, when I need something melancholy. But they could've done mire with the song, and the fade out sucks, just when Tico kicks in with a fill.

"One Step Closer" is the sound of a rainy day to me, I like it. And surprisingly "The Last Night" has grown on me. I found it so dull and boring when it came out, now it's a secret favourite of mine. Don't know why. Just like the sound and the groove I guess.

I love PTBBIC, even if I ranked it quite low. But as I have explained in my post, I treat bonus tracks differently. This is a very neat fun song with a cool guitar and good lyrics. I dig the Queen part too. Don't see why they're sth here they are not. It sounds a bit like an updated version of "Good Guys Don't Always Wear White" to me, and that might also sound like sth "they are not". But I would disagree in both cases.

Yeah.. not sure if I want them to have fun ever again.

15.) I Love this Town
14.) Lost Highway
13.) Walk Like a Man
12.) Till We aint Strangers Anymore
11.) Everybody's Broken
10.) Make a Memory
9.) Summertime
8.) Any Other Day
7.) Whole Lot of Leavin
6.) We Got it Going On
5.) Seat Next to You
4.) The Last Night
3.) One Step Closer
2.) Lonely
1.) Put the Boy Back in Cowboy

Wut? Something wrong with you, boy.