Certainly don't disagree that KTF was a more bold move, can't think of a song similar to it from the 80s. But they've not done something like Memory since.

Aloha !

Going by that logic it was a mistake to release Bad Medicine before I'll Be There For You as the latter was a bigger hit than the former. Or Thank You For Loving Me after Say It Isn't So. Or Misunderstood before Everyday. Or Have A Nice Day before Who Says You Can't Go Home...

It's easy to look at chart histories right now, having a look at peak positions and think "well, going by chart positions In These Arms was a bigger hit so it should've been released first". But Keep The Faith was Bon Jovi saying "We're no longer that eighties band, we've moved on". There's a lot more factors into chart positions than just saying "that song did better in the charts so it was a mistake to release it as the third single."

When Keep The Faith was released, dance and house music were the new thing. Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap, Jump Around by House of Pain, Rump Shaker by Wreckx-N-Effects, all with new-jack-swing elements. What you're saying is Bon Jovi however should've played it safe by releasing a ballad as the first single. Much like Def Leppard, Clapton, Bryan Adams, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, Michael Bolton and so on were doing?

Releasing Bed Of Roses or In These Arms as the lead single would probably have done the opposite Keep the Faith did in the U.S.A, which is a very different market from the rest of the world. Bon Jovi were seen as an eighties has-been. At a time when house and dance music was at its peak it only makes sense for them to release a song what incorporates a bit of a dance beat. Spark interest in a new direction, new sound, and then, by releasing Bed Of Roses and In These Arms, assure everyone there's things people were familiar with as well.

Then there's the time singles were released. Bed Of Roses did well because it had a video with iconic shots and when tickets for a large part of the world tour went on sale. In These Arms did well because of it being backed by a gigantic, succesful world tour when Bon Jovi had seriously underestimated demand and the song peaked at the same time the band was touring Europe while already having tickets on sale for the next leg. I Believe wasn't released in the U.S.A. because the band had nothing to promote anymore. And **** knows why Dry County was released in 1994.

Nowadays all promo is carefully planned and it's a lot harder to grab peoples attention with a new song because there's no anticipation anymore. Once it's out there, it's out there. No waiting for the radio to play the song, no calling up MTV to see a video. No waiting at the post office to get tickets. The anticipation for new songs was completely different back then.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

If I had to guess it was probably the list of pre-production demos Bob was given to help determine what should be worked on for the album. Water Into Wine being there and not In These Arms must mean it's earlier on in the process.

Also it's so strange Women in Love and Blame it On the Love...got 7 out of 10 and still made the album over other songs that were 7.5 and above. These must not have been the finalized versions/scores.

I noticed that too... But an album needs balance and flow so that could be a big part of it.

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Yeah, but I think it was also around that time that Jon admitted that he had lost overview of their material because they were literally up in 5 studios at the same time and re-writing and re-recording until the very last second until they decided they had to let it go.

I mean, when did Jon ever say that a song on an album was a mistake? And especially at a time when they were still promoting that record. Yet, in 1993 he said: "I tell you what: Woman In Love, I think, sucks! And I wrote it! I was Little Bit Of Soul wasn't on the record."

True enough yeah. One of the only times he's really talked about making a mistake with what made an album other than Edge of a Broken Heart I think?

1. A 7/10 song that works with the album's flow is better than a 7.5/10 song that sticks out like a sore thumb.

2. The second single originally was the one that was intended to be the big hit - the first was kind of "hey, we got new stuff coming out", then the second single was out when the album was in stores and supposed to be the big hit. This changes when Nirvana's "weaker" single Smells Like Teen Spirit set the world afire.

1. Yes

2. Absolutely

I don't know the exact methodology used but I'm sure there is more to it than picking your best songs in order.

For starters, I'm sure the current music scene is looked as a whole to determine how that first single will fit in and stand out.

Second, back in the day you had a chance to get 4 to 5 singles out to keep the album running on the charts.

The first single should obviously be great but not the biggest. Bad Name into Prayer.

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Yesterday, they released an unpublished concert from the black album tour '91. Great performance of Unforgiven and Holier Than Thou.


If Jon could give us something like that from other tours, KTF Tour, Jersey Syndicate Tour, Bounce and HAND Tour, The Circle Tour, These Days Tour .... would be fantastic.

Does this confirm Outlaws Of Love WASN’T a demo for Keep The Faith??!


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