Bon Jovi, It’s My Life - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

[@TimAllen42]

I've always liked this song, but your infectious enjoyment of its positivity has really made me appreciate it even more.

[@3DJapan]

Jon's real last name is Bongiovi. I guess Bon Jovi is easier to read. He is a great humanitarian. He owns 2 restaurants in New Jersey where you can pay what you can afford. If you can't afford anything you can work off your meal in the restaurant. Here in Philadelphia he owns a very low rent apartment building that also has offices to help people find work, drug counseling, things like that. When the pandemic started he wrote a song about essential workers using lyrics submitted by fans.

[@fflewharper]

Her analysis is fantastic. She is quite obviously a classical musician, and yet, there is no judgment. She has a curiosity of other kinds of music. Kudos, Virgin Rock!

[@seraphicdesigninc]

I always figured that Richie Sambora was just having fun with the talkbox. I had never considered it to have a meaningful purpose. I love how Amy speaks, reacts, understands, and analyzes music with such sensitivity and passion. I learn new truths and perspectives on musical pieces that I've heard thousands of times. Excellent job. Wonderful channel. Thank you so much! Please consider analyzing the recordings and compositions of Radiohead (Paranoid Android), The Police (Every Little Thing She Does is Magic), Jim Croce (Time in a Bottle), The Cure (Just Like Heaven), Faith No More (Epic), Bee Gees (How Deep is Your Love), Alice in Chains (Would?), and Marvin Gaye (What's Going On).

[@wonderputz]

I assumed the "growl" was the return of the mouth harp.

[@jamesdodger5588]

The growling sound you refer to is actually a voice box. I don't care what other people think this is a very positive song with great vocals and just joyful to listen to.

[@tonyponchopeters]

You're 99% right but it's called a talk box a voice box is what humans use to speak in our throats

[@jamesdodger5588]

@@tonyponchopeters Oops, you are quite right😄

[@SplendidMisanthropy]

And a reference to Living on a prayer.

[@unfilthy]

I'm very glad Amy enjoyed this, and I enjoyed the analysis. I think it's a mistake to look down on popular music as if it's inherently inferior (and sometimes, by extension, at those who listen to it as shallow or having inferior tastes). There's an artistry and skill involved in creating a good pop song, and I believe it's worthwhile exploring those aspects as well. I guess it's just part of human nature, though, for some people to feel disproportionately negative or resentful toward things they feel aren't as sophisticated as less popular art that they find more worthwhile. I think, at its core, it's the same attitude that brings some people to disparage Mozart for being too accessible or pop-y (no, I am not comparing Bon Jovi's quality to Mozart's, just human attitudes). I am not immune to these feelings, but I try not let them stop me from learning more and trying to understand the appeal to the many people who find different things than I do enjoyable.

[@79BlackRose]

Yeah, Beatles were a pop band.

[@soundofnellody262]

love your comment. So true. I try to be open to every genre and style. Some I like, others not. But I don't like when people are snooty about something.

[@Nogill0]

The impression I get is that of an anthem expressing fierce determination to overcome adverse odds. The minor feel could be likened to a sea of challenges and difficult trials, but one will not succumb, but fight, and fight, and affirm one's will. Very uplifting.

[@3DJapan]

Probably their biggest hit was in the 80s, Living on a Prayer.

[@philproffitt8363]

Great memories drunk and singing Livin On A Prayer and Bad Medicine in busy bars. Bon Jovi excelled as a feelgood party band of the time.

[@thundernels]

Although the messages were often quite broad, many Bon Jovi songs had messages whereas many other bands at the time were mainly concerned with statements of chest-beating bravado and/or chasing girls. I’m not suggesting that Bon Jovi was Springsteen or Dylan; rather their songs had more substance than many of their contemporaries.

[@philproffitt8363]

@@thundernels Yes. Saturday Night is the one I remember most for the Lyrics...and Hey God.

[@Lonewolfmike]

What she is hearing with the growl is a voice box. If you want to hear it used uniquely I suggest checking out Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh.

[@DC_Prox]

This wasn't a super strong comeback for the band, but it was remarkable that they had a little more in the tank at all. If all that they had done was "Livin' on a Prayer," "You Give Love a Bad Name," and "Bad Medicine", that would be more than enough of a legacy, but they showed that they had a little more.

[@faust82]

I guess the biggest difference was that while the aforementioned decent songs were written by the band, this was yet another cookiecutter Max Martin cashgrab so typical of the late 90's and early 2000's. Some lyrical nods to previous material for the nostalgia, some sprinkles and branding touches by the band, but in its basic construction indistinguishable from the stuff he churned out for Britney Spears or The Backstreet Boys.

[@lynnbowers4722]

Don't forget "Wanted: Dead or Alive".

[@darkiee69]

@@faust82 Desmond Childs wrote "Living on a prayer" with Jon and Ritchie being credited too. Just like Max Martin wrote this one and gave Jon and Ritchie credit too.

[@beautifulhand1011]

Great reaction, I remember watching Bon Jovi live in Liverpool back in the late 80's loved them ever since!

[@WoodyGamesUK]

Songs like this are not responsible for killing rock music in the 2000's, but they were a symptom of rock music approaching the end of its life.

[@vruz]

Bon Jovi were Coldplay before Coldplay took the mantle from them.

[@WoodyGamesUK]

@@vruz Yeah, and I don't even think this song is bad. But it's not really rock music, it has guitars but it's really more like Britney Spears at the time. Nothing really wrong, but it's overproduced and doesn't sound like music meant to be played by people. It became pointless to try to make rock music after that, if musicians are irrelevant.

[@Eduardo-Ferreira1982]

​@@WoodyGamesUKahah! Such good words! Thank you!

[@DC_Prox]

In the comedy series Epic Rap Battles of History, there's a battle between Frank Sinatra and Freddie Mercury, and one of the best lines was when Freddie said to Frank "you had a hit song called My Way but... someone else wrote it 🤷‍♂️". It was written by Paul Anka, a legendary Canadian singer and songwriter (his biggest hit was "Diana" in 1958).

[@tasos0140]

Got to admit, I miss the early Amy who was more demanding. I know that she has grown a great deal understanding rock, and obviously she really likes this. I'm not the one to say. This is an easy listen, a song I myself enjoy for what it is: a catchy, poppy but very well executed song, but I have the feeling that she was more strict towards such songs in the past. Again, maybe she is more open now and that's great for her, but I really miss some of the hard time she has given in the past, even to songs I like. 😊

[@kenwaln4508]

I love learning about rock on a harp!

[@anthonyrobertson2011]

I learned long ago that many of my favorite pop songs are up beat but in minor. Love those combinations. Never thought about this being minor, but when that was pointed out I thought "Doesn't surprise me". Really like this song.

[@Djsouthpaw1987]

This was written by a pop-writer for Bon Jovi, who is litterally singlehandedly responsible for what we thought of as pop music in the 2010's. Max Martin. You can notice a lot more with this song that there is a pop-song writer behind the piece if you do structure analysis of it. VERSE - PRE-CHORUS - CHORUS - VERSE - PRE-CHORUS - CHORUS - BRIDGE, and so on. And it moves through those sections quickly. Tailor made to be 3-4 minutes long to fit on the radio playlists and not fail to keep our attention spanns

[@faust82]

At least Max Martin is easy to analyze. Do it once, apply to the rest. For better or worse, he created the radio sound of the late 90's and early 2000's.

[@peterliljeholmen5703]

Indeed and thus even while BonJovi is an American band the song was written by the European song writer Max Martin who is from Sweden. And sure, he wrote tons of songs in the 90’s and 2000’s for other artists such as Back street boys, Britney Spears, Bryan Adams, Céline Dion and many more. Although I’m from Sweden myself I never liked the songs he wrote. They are all tailored to be hits or mega-hits following a simple architectural structure (as mentioned) and therefore so predictable and gets boring after just as long as it take for a bubblegum to loose its flavour. As a hit maker he was of course fantastically successful, but is the music good? No, not really.

[@NicholasCorvin]

*This was written by LeadVocalist Jon Bon Jovi, LeadGuitarist Richie Sambora and Martin Sandberg [a.k.a. Max Martin]. You can't put this song in the same pot, with all the N'SYNC, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Britney Spears - songs.* 🎵🎸🎹🥁🎸🎵💿🔊🔥🔥😈🔥🔥

[@peterliljeholmen5703]

@@NicholasCorvin Well, Max Martin (Martin Sandberg) was clearly involved in forming this piece as the mega-hit it became and it is easy to recognise the typical architecture he mainly used. Agree that this one sticks out more, and has heavier instrumentation, than most of the other hits he was making. But still, think they all are in the same ball park…

[@NicholasCorvin]

@@peterliljeholmen5703 *But still, you can't mix those songs...Bon Jovi worked on some more songs with Andreas Carlsson for their 2002 album "BOUNCE" [ check out the songs "Everyday", "Misunderstood", "Hook Me Up" plus 2 ballads....some of these songs were also co-written by Desmond Child]. Check out my KZbin-playlist "The Best Of Max Martin". Those songs aren't like the songs for the boybands...* 🎵🎸

[@jessica-dw5oy]

for more talkbox, (the growling noise) you should listen to "do you feel like we do" by peter frampton

[@davidwilliamson4530]

And watched this twice!!!

[@fercus_inc]

Amy as always sharing her knowledge with us. It's incredible how you hear music from another side. Richie's guitar sounding like 'für elise' it almost blows my mind. Cheers Amy from the south side of the world.

[@beokayian5378]

The growl snarl is a "Talk Box" played by Richie Sambora. "Tommy" and "Gina" were characters in the Bon Jovi song "Living On A Prayer".

[@davidwilliamson4530]

Lady, totally enjoy your enthusiasm for the music, your a real gem in this world

[@thundernels]

I love your interpretation about the growl. That growl may be from the talk box used for vocalizations as funneled through the guitar, often associated with performers such as Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh. In the case of Bon Jovi, the talk box is a kind of musical callback to one of their biggest hits of the 1980s, Livin’ on a Prayer. Incidentally, the characters Tommy and Gina also come from the same song. Perhaps, they were consciously trying to have a new hit song by calling back a beloved song from the past.

[@FinbarSheehy]

This strikes me as slightly less joyous than it seemed to you: this is someone realizing that time is passing, that he hasn't been living his life, that he needs to take action and stop letting his life get away from him because "I ain't gonna live forever" - "it's now or never". Yes, it's energetic (as he works to build internal momentum) but don't overlook that minor key (and that descending "it's my life" before the break) and the "I just wanna live while I'm alive". When he says "It's... My... Life" it's not clear whether the emphasis is aimed at another, or at himself. The song is energetic and determined, yes, but also keenly aware of the risk of missing opportunity - arguably of the reality of opportunities already missed. For another take on a related theme you might check out the (rap, not rock) "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, whose lyrics communicate the importance of jumping on every opportunity as if it's the last (even as it acknowledges that there may in fact be more than one).

[@shadowbearct]

I was lucky enough to actually see him live in 2011. I was never a fan until then. My best friend's wife was in hospital. And I scored a ticket. What a nice guy and charismatic performer. Yet very down to earth. And Justin Bieber was billed the next day. Yet the auditorium was packed... I also saw Rammstein the same year.

[@timrussell9869]

Bieber isn't fit to lace their shoes...

[@ferencercseyravasz7301]

Amy dear, this song, like most of the greatest hits by Bon Jovi (Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, even some by Ricky Martin etc.) was written by Desmond Child, a walking-talking hit generator. The talk box effect that you hear growling is part of the Vocoder type effects, which mix two signals into one. One signal is the carrier, it gives the pitch and part of the timbre of the sound, the other one called a modulator modifies the timbre. Basically Richie Sambora plays the appropriate cords (more correctly just open 5ths) on his guitar while singing wowow in a microphone. Both signals go into the effect creating this growling guitar sound.

[@realguitarthur]

I think that another way to consider the Solo section is that it starts off in the Lydian Mode (Ab5 Bb5 Ab5 with the 2-note slow trill on D and Eb) and then lands on the iv chord (well, power chord F5) before resolving back to the i chord (or again, power chord C5). Pretty good analysis, Amy! :)

[@jaumepiquebernaus1853]

I follow your channel and I love your honest and professional surgical analyses. Thaks for teach us every day much more than i espect and excuse my english. Keep on rocking ❤ Greetings from Barcelona I am 62 and a lover of good music and I am dying to see you react to some of my favorite artists who were the greatest and strongly influenced them in the seventies and eighties. Some still are. My wishes are surely shared. David Bowie, Lou Reed, Eric Clapton are an example

[@stevem2700]

I really appreciate your expertise. You have pointed out things in songs that I did not know where there, even though I’ve heard them 1 million times That being said, I’m really surprised that you’ve jumped so far ahead and still not have touched the Moody Blues.

[@GodlessScummer]

Look I'm a die hard metal fan but I have to confess that this song is a guilty pleasure of mine. I know saying that is going to lose me a lot credibility points with metal fans but I don't care. I like this song.

[@jovana_r]

I still don't get why people are so passionate about writing negative, even insulting comments when they don't like Amy's choice of the song. Why can't everyone be just a bit more relaxed, open minded and tolerant? I mean, even if it's the worst song in the world, no one can deny that "It's my life" was very popular. And also no one can deny that Bon Jovi belongs to rock music. So what's the problem? Amy should hear and experience everything, that's the point of this channel. How many times she has reacted to songs and bands I really don't like, but I didn't write a single negative comment. Why would I? If I don't like the choice of the song and I don't feel like watching it, I simply don't watch it. I really don't understand some people...

[@thomassharmer7127]

I suppose it's because some people think the Internet should be a place of critical debate and exchange of views, rather than just a series of echo chambers for like minds to reaffirm each other's points of view. As long as negative comments give reasons why they don't like something, I think they add to the communal discussion and can generate insight and broader understanding, even when I may not agree with what is said.

[@jovana_r]

@@thomassharmer7127 And I completely agree. I probably didn't express myself in a right way. I don't have anything against negative comments and debate. I encourage everyone to say what they think and have their own opinion. What I meant by "negative comments" were hateful and insulting ones.

[@andymccabe6712]

​@@jovana_rsurely, the point is that it's IRRELEVANT whether anyone likes or dislikes a song Amy analyses.... .. It's about AMY'S experience of contemporary music, AS A ROCK VIRGIN...!!!

[@WayneKitching]

This song is in a way a sequel of "Living on a Prayer" by the same band. BTW, this kind of music was most teenagers' introduction to rock before moving on to harder stuff like Metallica.

[@marysweeney7370]

this is what I would describe as a rock anthem type of song. which explains alot of the features you were describing.

[@3DJapan]

That "wild animal" "wow wow" is a talk box. It has a plastic tube that goes in your mouth and the other end gets connected to an instrument like electric guitar, the instrument then changes the sound of your voice. They've used it in other songs too.

[@NicholasCorvin]

*A talk box isn't a vocoder...a vocoder changes the sound of your voice....here it's more that the guitarist "manipulates" the sound of the guitar with his voice via talkbox and the manipulated sound goes to the amplifier.....*

[@therealpbristow]

@NicholasCorvin ​ Heh. =:o} Actually both the talkbox and the vocoder shape the sound of the incoming instrument, giving it human articulation. The vocoder does it by measuring the broad outline of the spectrum of your actual voice as you speak or sing, and electronically filtering the instrument to impose the same shape on it. The talk box is more direct: It plays the sound of the instrument inside your mouth, effectively replacing your vocal chords. The actual resonances of your mouth, skull, sinuses etc. modify the sound exactly the same way they usually modify the sound from your throat. =:o} So with a vocoder you have to make some sound of your own, to give it something to analyse, but none of that sound reaches the output it's totally replaced by sound from the instrument, "re-shaped" to make it speak; with a talkbox it's best if you don't make your own noise, unless particularly want to combine it with instrument sound and you don't mind ruining your vocal chords fighting with the vibrations being forced into your mouth via tube! =:o}

[@NicholasCorvin]

@@therealpbristow *Or so... I only repeated, what I've read about the way the talkbox system functions...*

[@viclemmy3119]

Again, you are the best.

[@LeeKennison]

I enjoyed your reaction and comments on the lyrics and music. I am glad you liked it. While I never personally connected with them or listened to their music (other than hearing "Livin' on a Prayer" being played a lot on some radio stations), I know they were very popular. Particularly with girls/women who were put off by most metal. MTV helped in making them popular. The growl you are hearing is a talk box. There are videos on KZbin that demonstrate its use, including using it on a harp (pretty funny). You should really listen to the two guitarist/singers that made the talk box famous: Joe Walsh ("Rocky Mountain Way") and Peter Frampton ("Do You Feel Like I Do"), which are both rock classics.

[@michelewonder5808]

For me heavy metal does not describe the genre that Bon Jovi lives in, I feel like Arena Rock is more appropriate. This song in particular you can see and feel an audience throwing up their hands and screaming “It’s My Life!” Love Amy’s growl interpretation of the talk box “growl”!

[@vdoggydogg3922]

This song is the definition of pop rock. Bon Jovi are not meant to be diagnosed is such a way, it's a simple song.

[@santiqwerty]

It would be great if you check out some Argentinian rock music. Some people consider Argentinian rock as one of the best in the world after the US and the UK. Maybe the band Sumo would be a good start as they have songs in English (some with Spanish titles like "estallando desde el océano", meaning "bursting out of the ocean") Also, from the UK I would love for you to react to Jacob Collier (not exactly always rock but an undisputed genius nonetheless)

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

I know several bands and artists from Argentina, all Spanish speaking America and Spain infinitely better than the american AOR you all are making her listening to lately... It's appalling what's next, stupid Disco?

[@leomomento1901]

You should have start with “Runaway” in their first record. Bon Jovi was interesting until 96’. After that they keep repeating the formula, like U2

[@mikes9305]

Thanks for telling us information about the key signatures. ☺

[@michaelz9892]

Slumming with this one.

[@Marnee4191]

Amy's delightful reaction aside, this is the type of basic rock music that makes me hate basic rock music. Why? The INCREDIBLY uncreative drums. It was the most basic drum beat throughout the song. It's just a metronome to keep the tempo except when he/she hit the big drums (at exactly the same point in the song and exactly the same way each time). I do like crazy complicated drums like Danny Carey, but I also love other drummers who keep it very sparse. One of my favorite drummers is with a hip-hop/rap band called Heiruspecs. The drummer's part is often not super complicated and often sparse. But it is ALWAYS thoughtful. It's not just a basic beat to keep the tempo, like in this song. It serves the song well, even if simple. In one song, he just DID do the most basic beat, but it fit the song very well, because the song was a play on Mary had a little lamb and was extremely simple as an effect, meant to be very metronome-like. Again, his keeping the beat extremely simple there was thoughtful. Because the drums were so, so basic and unthoughtful, this song felt very, very 80s, which were the best era for uncreative drums (late 70s, too). I've been playing drums for a year. I could have played these drums after 6 weeks of lessons. In addition, I could have COMPOSED this after 6 weeks of lessons, because I wouldn't have been able to come up with anything more interesting. This song is trash. Apparently people love it, and they are welcome to it. I think Amy was being very generous in her reaction, because this song is almost entirely empty of any substance.

[@wilhelmbeermann2424]

A perfect song for dancing 😊❤

[@stevesilsby5288]

Calling it a RockNMob, young Russian musicians gathered in Moscow's Gorky Park to do this song. No maserful performance or such, this was purely expressing their joy, optimism, life affirmatioin, and self determination through playing and singing these lyrics as a large group performing together. It's worthy of everyone's time to hear the result. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2ScmYKsjbGsorM

[@rocktop2]

Is Vlad romanian? He does not have a Russian accent. Just wondering. Anyway, love what you do, keep up the good work! I would love to see more interaction between you, especially when it comes to references, easter eggs, or the song's backstory.

[@luckyfaunts]

The observations about the minor key is so interesting!

[@Greg-om2hb]

Bon Jovi were originally a Hair Metal band (find an old picture of them and you will understand). Hair Metal was popularized on the LA Sunset Strip scene and was a style of music designed to be popular with young girls. As such it is essentially Pop music with crunchy guitars, performed by guys who looked like girls (lots of scarves, hair spray, and makeup). The music of METALLICA and MEGADETH was created in large part as a reaction against the corporate Pop of image-driven Hair Metal and the associated Posuers. Over time Bon Jovi transformed image into that of an all-American band. In any case, there is a smorgasbord of much better music waiting for you to explore (see my many previous suggestions). Remember, there is often an inverse relationship between musical quality and innovation, and fame and commercial success.

[@KM769]

If you want pop music go to 1980s: Cindy Lauper - Girls just wanna have fun, Time after time, Prince - When doves cry, Purple rain, Madonna - Material girl, Like a virgin, True blue, La isla bonita, Like a prayer, M - Pop music (1979). Only popular artist from 2000s you need is Amy Winehouse - Stronger than me, In my bed, Back to black, Rehab, You know I'm no good. Except Winehouse popular music since 2000 is dead music. Bon Jovi had one hit in late 1980s (Livin on a prayer) and later all his songs are the same but worst.

[@wonderputz]

I get that it resolves to C, and uses the B (or A##), but calling it minor is kind of a technicality. I've written a song like that myself; it resolves to A, the G# is used for flavor, but it really resides in C.

[@michaelmcaleese5039]

I think this song is best understood as being yelled by an angry teen at their parents.

[@typxxilps]

might be time to go back to the 1990 first big hit at least in Europe called Another day in paradise by Phil Collins which has been released when the Berlin wall fell and Roumanians started an uprise against tyranny of Ceaucescu family. It was a song that caught us instantly with its first chords. Quite the opposite of Its my life, but part of the life back then and now, living in poverty - with dignity.

[@notthistimenet]

ha. Teenie bopper chick rock. I guess you had to do it at some point.

[@DavidLindes]

22:50 - by the way, is that still coming to KZbin, or has it been relegated to patrons-only status? No hurry, just wanting to know if I'll get to hear the rest. (I unfortunately do not have extra room for adding patreons at this time... though I'd like to add you.)

[@seanmcmichael2551]

Amy: I see what you did there with that Fur Elise repetition. JBJ: Say what now ?

[@llaeeZ]

I think its about time that Amy took a plunge into punk rock. 70s: Ramones - Sheena is a punk rocker 80s: Black Flag - Rise Above 90s: Green Day - Basket Case 20s(yeah i skipped): The Hives - Countdown to Shutdown

[@letsgomets002]

Why ????music with 3 chords ???? Forget Punk for her...to simple.

[@SteveBluescemi]

Nah bro. 70s: Clash - London Calling 80s: Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia 90s: Catch 22 - Keasbey Nights 00s: The Drones - Shark Fin Blues 10s: Idles - Colossus 20s: Squid - Pamphlets

[@theghostofsw6276]

"Gods of Wrath" by Metal Church......that one will knock your socks off!

[@256shadesofgrey]

I hope you listened to the song in better quality than you played for us... It sounds like it misses all the frequencies above 10-12kHz.

[@SteveBluescemi]

It's a 00s pop song, it was probably just mastered that way

[@beatlessteve1010]

I do love your analysis of the rock genre, however i would love even more to hear your analysis of contemporary classical pianists, vs. the great pianists of the 20th century . Vladimir Horowitz is a particular fav of mine and possibly Valentina Lisistsa from today ..i know you may not reply to this but its ok.

[@zafupik]

С клипом она ещё круче слушается и смотрится на мой взгляд.

[@kanalnamn]

There's not as much Bon Jovi in this song as there are Max Martin. He's co-written 25 Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit songs in the last 25 years.

[@CharlyDS]

Not gonna lie when I saw the thumbnail of the video, I thought "It's My Life by The Animals!" Or wait, maybe by Talk Talk! But, no. Doh. PS: My favourite Bon Jovi songs are Keep The Faith, Runaway and Living On A Prayer, but not much more :)

[@WindmillChef]

SORRY TO LET YOU DOWN, AMY! Not really. I am subscribed, I clicked "like". I support you on Patrion with 3 bucks per month. But as a simple commenter I don't have to drum up positive things to say when I don't want to. It's about Bon Jovi, not you, not even this choice for your video, in your journey there's a place to cover this band. I also thank you for the teaching moment in what can be done with minor notes. But I am not a fan of Bon Jovi or this song (a few of his songs, like the famous "dead or alive" I do like), I am not a hater either. I credit them for their enduring success of almost 40 years now, not easy to do. I recognize their ability to score hit songs. Next, they are a great live act in large arenas, very energetic, very convincing. And this is a happy party song, I should not take it so seriously. I can envision a group of 6-8, 24 year olds, recent college grads, working for the same company. The company has made their quarterly goals, everyone is getting a small performance bonus and they are out celebrating somewhere during happy hour. This song comes on and they raise a drink toast "yeah this is our lives! whooh!", every one's having a great time. Not to even think about a bunch of 16 year olds at a high school dance with this song playing. BUT, I don't recognize any art. I view this song as a group of 4 highly skilled music executives with a project manager leading the group working on designing this song. They have a filled bin with musical components and tricks and they are designing, assembling a song together with a recipe that includes all things to guarantee a world wide commercial success hit. Next, they execute according to plan. John Bon Jovi's "bad boy rock 'n roller" voice with some forced, unnatural sounding fry sounds contrived, he is executing off a design paper script, no real feelings. The recording is so ridiculously over engineered, it sounds like nothing. I watch your videos (and others) with some upgraded external speakers, they are not sublime $10K audiophile speakers and youtube's audio streaming codec are not serious music quality either but with better speakers I can not distinct what is going on musically (as in arrangements). Oh I did hear the quire voices, clearly one person duplicated, just singing "ahh" throughout the song. I know what the purpose is but I want to ask, what is the purpose? The quire is there (as one of the tools) to fill any and all the holes in (what they call) the "sound scape", it means that in a given frequency range (in which this song lives) all subsections of musical pitch are filled with something, it sounds dynamic but there is no dynamic range, equal volume throughout the song and a counter to any musical twist or motive that could evoke an emotion, they don't want any emotion that could rub the listener the wrong way and be a turn-off, just musical spaces of blah. The kick drum you mentioned is so echoed and repeated and multi mic'd that it doesn't even sound like anything that's on a drum set. Good guitar work (and that's another typical strength of the band) but multiple synthesizers that have no convicted reason in this song, it's just more sound. From the rhythm section, drums and bass, nothing but ultra predictability, no surprises, no artistic expression, just support the song, again they actually avoid any character, don't want to upset anything in the plan. Bon Jovi came about in, like, 1986, and something rubbed me wrong right away. With no band member names that I recognized from previous work, every record store had their shopping windows clobbered full of the Bon Jovi record sleeves, every display in the store and this was before any success was proven. The hit radio stations all played it multiple times each hour. The marketing department spent Millions (on a new band) and just forced it onto the public. To me Bon Jovi was a corporate creation by committee. Later on and through time they did prove to have some chops of their own, I'll say that, but again, this is not an artistic endeavor. I do thank you and Vlad for another great video.

[@vonVile]

Please, react to some Peter Frampton. I suggest him playing "Do You Feel Like We Do" done live.

[@lovisalindstrom7920]

If you think it sounds like pop? of course Max Martin was one of the writers. One of Swedens biggest names. He wrote a lot of songs for Backstreet boys and this sounds a bit like one of those songs. So american?? Well.... Check out the list of swedish songwriters within pop. US and UK might be big pop countries but hay, we are a very close third. Then you have artists and bands within extreme rock and easier rock music, check out The Hives for instance. Love your point about how it was popular in Europe but sounds so american in lyric. I wonder if it has something to do with how the individual relates to the society in Europe vs USA. I don't take any political stance, just that i am an individual but i also feel part of the state I'm a citizen in. So that pull, force, dichotomy lives within me.

[@OceanChild87]

Love your reactions, Amy! Would you be interested in checking out video game soundtracks sometime? What I'm aiming here specifically is the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack that is one of the best ever created imo! I know it's not rock BUT it actually has an entire orchestra playing the music - which is where you come in 😊 I would absolutely enjoy that. I know you probably have a long list of songs already but perhaps there's a gap somewhere where it would fit 😅 My vote for a specific song of the soundtrack would be Gusty Garden.❤ But there are many more good ones on it, too. Love from Germany 😊

[@jovana_r]

Again you made me happy with your reaction and analysis. 😊 I really adored this song when it was released. And it was everywhere, definitely very popular. I was only 15 and I really enjoyed and needed such uplifting, joyful songs, being dark and depressed myself. However, I've never been a big Bon Jovi fan, I like few songs and that's it. I guess "It's my life" is the one I listened the most. Anyway, I'm really glad you enjoyed it. 😊🖤

[@frankylaseure2641]

Although I like some of their 80's work, I consider Bon Jovi no more then a faint decoction of the greats like Bruce Springsteen

[@solino2002andrea]

This artist period of band tended to be more pop oriented, in my opinion. I think that the album “Slippery when wet” is a little bit more representative of their roots and nature…one (hard rock/metal ballad) track better than the other and the recording quality is incredibile: a real masterpiece.

[@Boodieman72]

Amy, from now on just plan on using the harp, even if you don't end up using it.

[@kristoferbonifay9179]

Hello good evening; Could you analyze Elvis Presley's "American trilogy"?...thanks and greetings from Guanqueros; Chili. And let the music continue; our best friend, until the end.

[@bobdillashaw4360]

Bon Jovi was big in the 80s

[@DavidLindes]

Did anyone else get Supertramp vibes at 26:13? :)

[@christopheessinger6532]

Hello ! LISTEN BON JOVI ’’NOTHING ’’,’’WALK LIKE A MAN ’’, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH ON ’’,THESE OPEN ARMS ’’,HOUSE OF FIRE’’,’’RICH MAN LIVING IN A POOR MAN’S HOUSE’’,’’THIS IS LOVE THIS IS LIFE,’’HEARTS BREAKING EVEN’’,LEVON’’ IT’S A COVER FROM ELTON JOHN’’, BAD SONG NIGNT’’LOVE AIN’T NOTHING BUT A FOUR LETTER’’,’’BROTHER LOUIS LIVE 93’’ IT’S A OTHER SONG

[@yadiracamacho499]

I always liked Bon Jovi. A lot of people dislike it as not being "true" rock, but I don't care.

[@Richard--]

I'm patiently waiting for you to listen and react to some Talking Heads. Yes please?

[@robertgrosek1124]

more Grateful Dead!

[@atticussandman1]

I wanted to say I absolutely love your channel ❤ if I may make a request I would love for you to take a listen to Devil takes the hindmost by Allan Holdsworth

[@chuckhollands7528]

I think Mr. Sambora is using a talk box with his guitar.

[@bernz3025]

Your post is definitely next!

[@pablolazaromartinez3541]

Soft song

[@vruz]

Give me gloomy, give me dreary Give me bleak and give me dark. Give me anything but Bon Jovi give me all the things dismal.

[@Gizzlefitz]

The chorus sounds too much like 'Living On A Prayer ',which was probably their biggest and most recognizable song.

[@SteveBluescemi]

We gotta get her better songs than this lol. Musically interesting, I mean. Important to the history of rock music. Like Bowie, Talking Heads, Radiohead.

[@splitimage137.]

I think Bon Jovi's "Wanted: Dead or Alive" is their only good song. However, I was always annoyed how he changed his point of view on only one-half a lyric, where he switches from saying "I" to: Sometimes you tell the day By the bottle that you drink And times when you're alone all you do is think (P.S. It's a point of pride that I can find at least one song to like from a popular artist.)

[@therealpbristow]

I think you've missed the point of that switch. The narrator of the song is still speaking to us; but he's making a wry, reflective comment. It's a bit like the way we use the expression "you win some, you lose some". The "you" refers to whoever the comment applies to, not just to a specific person. Here, the guy is generalising his comment as if to say "well, isn't that just how life goes, when you're in my situation...?". Or maybe he feels uncomfortable admitting that this a specific-to-him situation, so he's trying to make it sound more general. It's good character-writing, rather than a grammatical fluff.

[@splitimage137.]

@@therealpbristow Thanks for the reply. Of course, I'm aware of the rhetorical use of switching pronouns. I might have accepted this idea for "sometimes you tell the day by the bottle that you drink" BUT then he says "and times when you're all alone and you think" AND that just spoils it for me. My comment only reflects my visceral reaction, not a meta-analyses of pronoun usage: It seems like weak writing to me... but then again, I don't really care at all. (Jon has my permission to sing whatever he wants... who am I to criticize ;) Let's give credit most where it's due: Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora had the best look, overall, of all the hairbands. That's gotta count for somethin', no? (Isn't "bon jovi" French for "good hair?" And "sambora" is Spanish for "flashy teeth," right? Man, I should've taken a foreign language in high school, or in college, for that matter...)

[@Jaxy451]

Bubblegum music but undeniably catchy. Yeah, easy listening, easy to like anthemy song.

[@darkiee69]

But it's a band from the 80's that doesn't sound to different today.

[@elpwahpo6649]

"Happy Happy, Joy Joy" would have been a better listen.

[@nickmaddalena985]

Bon Jovi is great. Why the hate. It has its place and context. Popular is important as well even if technically not revolutionary. Yes even crazy frog made a cultural impact...

[@jimwoodman8158]

Bon Jovi is proof that being popular is not the same as being good.

[@clbcreations]

Out of all the Bon Jovi songs..this has got to be my least favorite. Too poppy..you should of listened to their early music. This is not a metal song by any stretch of the means.

[@faust82]

Agreed. However, it's impressive that Amy is able to find so much depth in a song that's generally regarded to have none, to be best described as "lowest common denominator" 😅

[@letsgomets002]

Who says you ???its only your opinion...I think he's good

[@letsgomets002]

​@@clbcreationsthank God its not metal

[@clbcreations]

@@letsgomets002 yup that’s why I posted my opinion

[@rabs97]

Terrible cheesy rock song.. Not their best at all but they were just a soft rock pop band, never expected much from them but cheesy 80s style rock.

[@francismonroe969]

They have a lot better and more popular songs. Why start with their comeback song?

[@ajax428]

heard this song on the radio al least 10 k times , I really don't like it.

[@leftundersun]

Bon Jovi is too cringe to me

[@paulsonornot]

This song is extremely annoying!

[@robertoalcazar7159]

Eres muuuu pesada

[@cecilia_mackie]

Hey! That’s awesome! Shall we be friends?

[@JG-lx5pm]

hmmm Bon Jovi... not a super great band yet it's all right!