"(A) song...so good, even Bon Jovi can’t ruin it!"
 

In searching for the version of the Simon and Garfunkel song Bridge Over Troubled Water that Jon and Richie did, I came across this at Buzzfeed.com:

Actually, it's NINE versions, with the original in the leadoff position: Jon and Richie are joined by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Elton John, Bobby Darin, and Quincy Jones.

That is a very lofty collection of talent indeed, and I'm sure Jon and Richie wouldn't hesitate to say that they are as honored as they are humbled to be part of it. Nonetheless, the author apparently concluded that they looked SO out of place, a "logical explanation" was needed: while each of the others mastered the song in their own way, Jon and Richie were successful for the opposite reason -- the song had mastered them!

It's the same decades-old crap from the critics with a new shovel: If it's from Bon Jovi, it can't POSSIBLY be as good as it sounds. Here's the version that Jon and Richie did:


And Buzzfeed can rest assured that to it is entirely possible to ruin Bridge Over Troubled Water!

Epic song and Bon Jovi's cover is indeed my favorite version. If you like the song, check out Derek Webb's cover. Also very good.

When you state "Even Bon Jovi can't ruin it", I don't get the connection especially during that time frame when they performed it. Jon and and Richie have been know to bring justice to many covers.

There were other times as well:
Rockline (posting entire show because it's all so brilliant)

Man, they were so good. Richie sounding so sharp, makes me sad.

The Buzzfeed article made that statement. And its author apparently doesn't believe that Bon Jovi should be "connected" to elite talent like Aretha Franklin, Elton John, and Qunicy Jones in any way. So rather than admit that their version is just as good, a theory is concocted that the song is "impossible" to "ruin."

It's like when a keyboard magazine was attacked for putting Dave on its cover -- people wrote in that a member of Bon Jovi didn't belong in the company of "serious musician"-type "real" keyboardists. But do you think for one second they would have reacted that way if Dave were a member of Rush or Queensryche or Nine Inch Nails or Guns N Roses?

I am almost use to , that people said bad things about BJ. It is really sad also. I like cover songs a lot and think they are very good. Hallelujah is wonderful, so are Turn The Page, Imagine and so on.