Quote:
Originally Posted by DevilsSon
Jon wrote a couple of nice lyrics in his life, no question. They are not spraying with originality though and if you actually listened to the people you compare him to, those lyrics aren't even that good.
To even bring up Jon Bon in the same list as Dylan, Cohen, Waits or Springsteen is just painting your own little dreamworld. And don't get me wrong - he's got his moments of magic, I absolutely agree. But as soon as he gets introspective from a more philosophical point of view, there's almost always something that is forced, unnatural, non-sensical. You know, like that sink full of dishes cringeworthy stuff.
Listen to "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis" by Tom Waits. That song alone will bring your whole 'Ohh JBJ is sooo amazing' little groupie fits back with the feet on the ground.
Having said that - some of the best Bon Jovi songs were when Jon tried to be a bit more like these guys. As Kathleen said, Whole Lot Of Leaving is imo one of the best tracks Bon Jovi pulled out in recent years. And since I doubt that Jon is able to write proper big-chorus rockers anymore, you know, the type of rockers he was the best at writing, I'd rather he chased Springsteen and Cohen than the Killers and Matchbox 20.
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I agree with you that Jon is nowhere near as good a lyricist as a Dylan or Cohen but Jon has an ability to write songs that most people can relate to in a way that those artists don't.
A lot of the songs on Destination Anywhere feel like honest songs that came from inside Jon rather than a bunch of cliches shoehorned into a wannabe anthemic tune. At various points in my life, it's felt like Jon has written about me in them. I've never felt that listening to say Blood on The Tracks which I appreciate, and love, for a whole load of different reasons.