Songs Of Hope?
 

jbjkrg15 posted this in the BBC thread but I thought it was an interesting point.

In general, I'm the same - I mean I listen to the Counting Crows a lot and Adam Duritz writes very introspective, often hurt-filled lyrics. Stabbing Westward play dark songs about relationship breakups. Most of my playlist in fact whilst I wouldn't call it depressing, is certainly filled with moodier or angrier lyrics, and that tends to be the sort of stuff I write too.

Other than Morcheeba which is more chilled-happy-funky vibe, Bon Jovi are a little bit of an anomaly yet take up the majority of the songs on my itunes. Even These Days, which is moodier, I certainly don't find depressing - like all Bon Jovi tracks even in their darkest hour there's always some kind of light shining through.

Thinking this through, this is why I need Bon Jovi's music - even some of the fluff on What About Now has something that no other artist I listen to has, or in fact any other artist I can really think of. These are songs of hope, songs to get you through the tough times, songs that when your banging your ****ing head against a brick wall
say "it's alright" (although granted, maybe a few too many times ;) )

The music might be diluted, it might be overproduced, it might not have the vocal strength or the raw guitar of the early days and the lyrics might be cliched and cheesy and I may have heard it all before from this band, and like a lot of you I may crave something new and fresh from them - but their still different from anyone else I actually listen to.

I agree that the songs of Bon Jovi might be dark but always have that little bit of sunlight that says "everyting's gonna be all-right" but, to me, this only works when the song itself is dark or at least has any feeling. I fail to relate to any song in What About Now, maybe only to Pictures of You, and that's all. The same thing happenned to me with The Circle, couldn't relate to any of those songs (Maybe Superman Tonight), as I heavily did with Lost Highway or These Days.

My issue with What About Now is that they're so "happy" that's a cliché, I don't need someone to tell me to do something "because I can" with a happy melody, I need someone to tell me "look, this all sucks", made me see how bad it sucks with a deep melody (not a goofy solo) and then "but we can make it work, because we can". Is not the message, but how it's delivered. And it doesn't have to be always depressing to make me relate to it. For example, I can relate to It's My Life because it has strength, energy, something that What About Now is seriously lacking.

Sorry if I couldn't explain myself clearly.

Oddly that's how I felt listening to Because We Can at Slane - like it was some weird-religious-conversion-campfire-singalong. It didn't work for me at all.

I think I should clarify - the ones where Jon's forcing the optimism don't work - it needs to come naturally.

I guess that's the problem, he forced those songs, he forced the message, he forced the album and he also forced the tour... we all know how everything ended up.

Bon Jovi songs were great back then because when I used to hear them as a kid I used to think "this guy feels the same way I do", because they felt genuine, it felt like hey were writing from the heart. The last two records, in my opinion, because you all can disagree, feel really generic and forced.

Jon says "I want people to relate to these songs", you don't try to do that! You write and people will relate to the genuine message, that's how it used to work and how it still works for me. The fact that he said "these songs had to be released now or anyone would get the message" proves me right, a good genuine song is timeless, and people will relate to them doesn't matter if they hear it now or in 2060.

Can't really add anything to that.

The Circle I related to a lot - something like When We Were Beautiful wasn't forced at all - but hey maybe I can relate to it cause I ain't that young anymore either ;), and even Happy Now came off genuine to me. The only thing I felt was forced was Born To Follow, and that abomination doesn't even belong on the record.

After hearing Because We Can and What About Now live and not connecting with those two - I don't like them as much as I thought I did. It's usually the opposite for me.

I gotta admit I've been listening more The Circle these last months, Happy Now is a great song to me and I'd love to hear it live and I also like Love's The Only Rule. When We Were Beautiful could be, but the "sha la la" killed the song for me :P

But yeah, The Circle it's just in another level when you compare it with What About Now.

The Circle's an album I've never stopped listening to - it's got almost as many plays as Keep The Faith had when I bought that (not that it's on the same level as Keep The Faith musically, but I do enjoy it all the same.)

The only depressing album I find by Bon Jovi is 'The Circle' and I never listen to it, so I guess I agree. 'Keep The Faith' and 'These Days' are albums which uplift me and make me feel good, and I listen to these two most.

Radio saved my life tonight and These days are prime examples of a great optimistic tune that doesn't go all "YEAH BE HAPPY NOW ITS ALRIGHT YOU RULE"

Just my opinion over the last 2 albums.

Good optimistic songs:
Brokenpromiseland
When We Were Beautiful
Superman Tonight
Thorn In My Side
Fast Cars
Happy Now
I'm With You

Bad:
Born to Follow
Live Before You Die
Learn To Love
Because We Can