Real Life?
 

I was just wondering. How many versions of this track there're out there?

Until 2004 we had this ones:

1. Real Life (Album Version)
2. Real Life (Radio Mix) - My favourite.
3. Real Life (Instrumental)

Then in 2004 the boxset was released and we got Real Life on it, but I've read that the version on this one was a new remix but I really don't find any differences (the boxset is a bit longer, though). Which are the differences? I'm asking because the differences between the Radio and the Album one are really big. There is other version out there?

The version on the box set is very different. They took out some backing vocals, added different guitar takes, removed the strings in some parts, used different vocal takes. They really took the shmaltz out of it and made it far rootsier. I'll always prefer the original version.

I can't hear any differences between the radio and album mixes, what do you hear different?

Well, as I can't upload files here I can't show you. But in the files I have the Radio Mix sounds nothing alike the Album Version, and this one (Album) sounds really like the one on the Boxset.
Edit: The choruses (reeeal, reeal) sound better on the Radio Mix, also the Radio Mix ends with the typical turning down of volume while the two others ends with those keyboards, also the Radio Mix sounds "cleaner" in my opinion.

Is it possible you have some mislabeled files? I just listened to the version from the soundtrack and the radio mix back to back. The radio mix has a bit more piano. The boxset is miles different than the both of them but the soundtrack and radio mix are almost identical.

The instrumental and the box set version ends with the strings. The radio mix and the soundtrack mix do not.

Thanks. It's a posibility. I have this ones:

1. Real Life (Radio Mix) - I know this is OK. It ends without strings, has choruses, etc.
2. Real Life - This one is ripped of a single and it sounds like the one in the boxset. Strings at the end, the single came with Keep The Faith (Live) and the instrumental version of Real Life.
3. Real Life - This one is from the boxset.

That's why I asked :confused:

If I recall correctly, the box set version is in a different key from the radio mix, but maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

It's tuned half a step down, which I always found bizarre.

I also once listened to the radio and album mix back to back and found almost no difference. Same length, same ending, and probably a bit more piano in one (it's been a while). But they are really almost identical.

The first difference came with the instrumental, which is not faded out, and then the boxset version, which is of course completely different, more like a (underproduced) demo version.

Agreed. I LOVED the extended string outro.

I don't know but they are all rubbish!

Real Life was the beginning of the end. From Hey God to that..

I really like the chorus, expecially the vocal harmonies. It's a nice pop song that would have fit in well on the Crush record.

I like a lot Real Life, it's one of their best pop songs. and I'd love to hear it live someday. The lyrical content reminds me to Say It Isn't So a little bit.

Two things about Real Life; cardboard Dave..immense.

Secondly, it signalled the start of the return of Bon Jovi. If that was a good thing or not is up to you to decide hehe

I am unashamed of my love for this pop song. NO SHAME.

As carried by Tico, who was totally chill about it, of course!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf7Ef...utu.be&t=2m39s

I love this song sooooo much. And like Captain_jovi, no shame.

And I guess I'm the only one who much prefers the boxset version to the original.

There are 3 version (that I know of).

Real Life (from the EdTV soundtrack)
Real Life (Radio Mix from the single)
Real Life (Instrumental)
Real Life (from the boxset '100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong.

The EdTV soundtrack album version ad the radio mix sound exactly the same to me (I have both). The instrumental was a b-side on that single and features the bands fading out with the string section finishing it.

The version from the 2004 boxset is a differently recording. The vocals are rawer, the guitar is strummed rather than in a power chord, and it lacks the backing vocals. I sounds more like a demo than the version on the soundtrack. I prefer the single version. By the way, Robbie Buchannon handled the keyboards on it as David Bryan was recovering from an accident which nearly ended his career as a pianist. He nearly cut hi finger off whilst carving some meat for his family. I think Michael Kamen handled the string arrangement.

I have a feeling that the reason it a different version is because the EdTV version was on a different record companies album. Bon Jovi are signed to Mercury/Def Jam/PolyGram and Real Life was copywrited as a Warner Bros Music sound recording and on a Warner Bros album.

Another song that sounds different on 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong is 'Starting All Over Again'. It's a different vocal and a different mix to the Keep The Faith bonus track version (which is far better and worth finding).

Real Life is the only Bon Jovi single were Hugh McDonald appears on a Bon Jovi single cover. The cover features Tico, Jon, Richie and Hugh. A lot of people thought the signaled that Hugh was going to be a full member of the band. The single was released in March 1999 in the UK and peaked at Number 21. The tracklisting is as follows

REAL LIFE (Radio Mix)/Keep The Faith (Live, 1993)/ Real Life (Instrumental)

It was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Desmond Child and was the last ever recording with Bon Jovi recorded with Bruce Fairbairn producing who died soon after the song was released. It was recorded at Avatar Studios, New York City, which used to be The Power Station, where Jon recorded his infamous demos and the bands first album. If you watch the music video watch out for red posters with black text saying 'Sex Sells Coming Soon'. 'Sex Sells' was the title of the album that was never released. When Fairbairn died, the band took time out to wait for Dave's wounds to heal. They hired a new producer, Luke Ebbin, and dropped a lot of the songs. Instead they wrote a lot of new ones and the album that wa released instead was 'Crush' 14 months later.

Were the vocals recorded in the different keys, or was one of them pitch shifted up/down (original vs. box set version)?

Right, I also knew about these 4 versions but I recently came across this other one posted on you-tube that it's also different.
Does anybody know if it's released anywhere? Or was it just a mix for the video-clip?

This is the first time I've heard this version. It's the same song, just the parts are all switched around...? Interesting find.

EDIT: Here's where I'm confused. He sings the last word differently making me think it's an alternate take so it might actually be official. Strange.

the only one official release with hugh on a cd cover.

I think thats just the version they used over the credits from what I vaguely remember from watching EDTv when it was last on the telly. Its just a hacked up version of the song, but with some different touches here and there.

Hah, I've never actually seen the movie. Good call! can anyone confirm?

The movie credits versions are always a bit different. It's the same with Blaze of Glory and Billy Get Your Guns versions on Young Guns II movie credits or more recently Old Habits Die Hard version played over the credits on Stand Up Guys.

In a recent interview Jon mentioned he recorded 4 versions of the song (movie version, soundtrack version, demo and one more with the band).

I really loved the movie version of Old Habits Die Hard. The version from the soundtrack preview available on Youtube is completely different. The live version sounded like an Irish song so I didn't pay much attention to it.

The movie credits version starts with the second verse and reminds me of the These Days era production - an acoustic guitar and almost raw vocals (without effects).

I can't say I've really loved anything Bon Jovi or Jon solo have done in the last years but I can't stop listening to Old Habits Die Hard because it's not overproduced and actually sounds like the band recorded it.

I've even ripped the audio from the movie with Audacity into .flac and it sounds great. Wish the new album was done in the same style but I doubt it.

Ok, thanx everyone for clearing it up!
I haven't seen Ed TV either... But I saw Stand Up Guys last week and noticed the different version of OHDH at the end. It sounds better and the vocals are clearer IMO. I think also Running sounded different on the movie.

Sorry if this had already been answered, but what version of the song is used for the music video? (found on the EDtv Region 1 DVD)

I THINK the pop remix.

Thanks, I just did a quick comparison and it sounds pretty much like the single/radio mix, which would also be the "pop" mix?

The only difference I hear between the two is the slight piano flourishes in the intro.

Thanks again. Just comparing the intro after the opening chords, on the single version, you can hear the odd piano keys quite prominently, but on the music video version you can only just about make them out. Either way, I had to really concentrate to hear them.

There is another version of Real Life (Realy cool one) on the listning party.
Also a cool version of Just Older.

Real Life is around 27 minute in

It's a cool song but its mostly cool in comparison to what came later.

It is cool because it is organic. I prefer the Box Set version eve if I miss the REAL REAL back vos.


It certainly misses a guitar solo. From that perspective it is a bit of a guitar yolo.


I never noticed that the Box Set version was different key. But given that it seems to be the same lead vocal take, we still have this question unanswered : (asked before in this thread again)


Is one of the two versions featuring a downtuned or an uptuned vocal??? That'd be strange !

Last Chance Train has this, but it is very audible and horrible. Real life sounds good, in both versions.

THE pre album version had an solo

I wouldn't even call that a pre-album version. It's a completely different recording.

Man, I NEED this version of Real Life in a high quality. Jon's vocals sound ****ing briliant!!! (Although those bobby's guitars sucks)

Why can't they just release everything from the past for us instead of making more and more fillers albuns? :(

I love Real Life. And I'm shocked with this totaly new version to me. I want this!! :puppydog:

Just older is also better :cool:

Older taking the relationship angle instead of the band angle is just so different.

"She got married and don't live too far from here
Sometimes I wish that I told her..."

That block of lyrics always floored me.

As far as I remember it was Obie while the ASK OBIE section on the bon jovi site that replied about this song...

he said : it was created as a DA song on 1997 but never used, then recorded by Jon Bon Jovi on 1998 for the sex sells (3rd so album)
EDtv version got recorded over 4 times with different keys and lyrics... but at the end it was that version we all know.

However the Box Set version has the same damn problem with the PITCH, it just went to high as in Last Chance Train:

https://youtu.be/7-VtbrWqLZ8

so it sounds exactly as that edTV version.

Now, the song it's one of my favs... but I hope one day Jon decides to make a real Outtakes album...