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These Days

 
Album Review: These Days

  • Artist: Bon Jovi
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1995
  • Total Time: 63:53
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
  • Genre: Rock

Review

With These Days, Bon Jovi firmly established themselves as an adult contemporary act. They still have their fair share of rockers, but they seem half-hearted and incomplete. Instead, the band sounds the most comfortable with love ballads and working class anthems, from hits "This Ain't a Love Song" and "Lie to Me," to the acoustic "Diamond Ring." In fact, as the years go by, Bon Jovi gets musically stronger. Not only are their best songs stronger now, their playing is more accomplished. Keeping these improvements in mind, it's no surprise that the group was one of the few pop-metal bands to sustain a career in the mid-'90s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Hey God (Lyrics) Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora Bon Jovi (6:20)
Something for the Pain (Lyrics) Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (4:46)
This Ain't a Love Song (Lyrics) Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (5:06)
These Days (Lyrics) Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora Bon Jovi (6:26)
Lie to Me (Lyrics) Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora Bon Jovi (5:33)
Damned (Lyrics) Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (4:27)
My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms (Lyrics) Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (5:42)
(It's Hard) Letting You Go Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (5:50)
Hearts Breaking Even (Lyrics) Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (5:05)
Something to Believe In (Lyrics) Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (5:25)
If That's What It Takes (Lyrics) Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (5:27)
Diamond Ring (Lyrics) Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi (3:46)

Credits

Tico Torres (Drums), George Marino (Remastering), Ryan Freeland (Assistant Engineer), Robbie Buchanan (Keyboards), Tal Miller (Assistant Engineer), Manny Lecouna (Assistant Engineer), Jon Bon Jovi (Percussion), Jon Bon Jovi (Vocals (Background)), David Thoener (Engineer), Mike Scotella (Assistant Engineer), Rory Dodd (Vocals (Background)), Cynthia Levine (Photography), Miami Horns (Ensemble), Bob Clearmountain (Mixing), Jay Schwartz (Engineer), Richie Sambora (Guitar (Electric)), Richie Sambora (Guitar (Acoustic)), Richie Sambora (Sitar), Jon Bon Jovi (Harmonica), David Bryan (Vocals (Background)), Suzie Katayama (Accordion), Mark Seliger (Photography), Jerry Cohen (Keyboards), Mark Pender (Trumpet), Obie O'Brien (Engineer), Nathaniel Kunkel (Engineer), Pete Martinez (Assistant Engineer), Mark Springer (Assistant Engineer), David Campbell (String Arrangements), Richie Sambora (Producer), Jim Labinski (Assistant Engineer), Hugh McDonald (Bass), Randy Jackson (Bass), David Bryan (Keyboards), Jerry Vivino (Sax (Tenor)), Margery Greenspan (Art Direction), George Marino (Mastering), Richie Sambora (Sitar (Electric)), Jon Bon Jovi (Producer), Edward Manion (Sax (Baritone)), Margery Greenspan (Artwork), Tico Torres (Percussion), Suzie Katayama (String Contractor), Chris Laidlaw (Assistant Engineer), Peter Collins (Producer), Robbie Buchanan (Programming), David Campbell (Conductor), Richie La Bamba (Trombone), Richie Sambora (Vocals (Background)), Frank Harkins (Design), Jon Bon Jovi (Vocals), Tommy Funderburk (Vocals (Background)), Gabe Veltry (Engineer), Mark Apringer (Assistant Engineer), Mark Mason (Assistant Engineer)
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Wikipedia: These Days (Bon Jovi album)
Top
These Days
Studio album by Bon Jovi
Released June 27, 1995
Genre Hard rock
Length 63:53
Label Mercury
Producer Peter Collins, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora
Professional reviews
Bon Jovi chronology
Cross Road
(1994)
These Days
(1995)
Crush
(2000)
Alternate cover
Special Edition Cover
Singles from These Days
  1. "This Ain't a Love Song"
    Released: 1995
  2. "Something for the Pain"
    Released: 1995
  3. "Lie to Me"
    Released: 1995
  4. "These Days"
    Released: 1996
  5. "Hey God"
    Released: 1996

These Days is Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, and was released on June 27, 1995. This was the first album Bon Jovi released after the firing of bassist Alec John Such. Hugh McDonald unofficially replaced Such as bassist. At the time of release, the album was a huge commercial hit, particularly in Europe and Japan but failed to impress the audience in the United States. In the UK, the album was particularly notable for producing four Top 10 hit singles. The high sales of the album in Europe auspicied a re-issue of the album under the name of These Days Special Edition a year after its original release. The album was remastered and re-released in 1998, adding the music video for "These Days" as a bonus track.

Contents

Album information

These Days was the first album Bon Jovi released after the firing of bassist Alec John Such. Hugh McDonald replaced Such as bassist unofficially. The album produced by Peter Collins, was regarded as a much maligned album full of subtle lyrics and deeper references with respect to life today. It was an overall darker album in contrast to the band's usual brand of feel good, inspiring rock songs and love ballads. Along with heightened lyrical development, the group's sound continues to evolve away from the usual pop-metal fare. Jon Bon Jovi occasionally drifts into a raspy voice, while David Bryan's keyboard playing veers from the lush orchestration of "Lie To Me" to a simpler harpsichord tone in "If That's What It Takes." Still, Bon Jovi remain a guitar-driven band, and Richie Sambora's muscular style has expanded to include some tasty electric-sitar playing.

Bon Jovi's characters on These Days weigh in with more mature and darker conflicts than those explored on previous albums. On "Hey God," a family man on the brink of homelessness cries out for spiritual guidance. The title track goes a step further, describing the sheer hopelessness that goes with not having a place to live. Other characters who've lost their way are either on quests of faith ("Something To Believe In") or have found other altars to worship at ("Something For The Pain").

Commercial reception

These Days was a huge commercial success, specially in the Japan and the European markets. In the UK the album was largely anticipated, and it had replaced Michael Jackson's album HIStory at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent four consecutive weeks at #1[1]. These Days holds the record for the band to spawn the most Top 10 singles, with four singles charting on the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart ("This Ain't a Love Song", "Something for the Pain", "Lie to Me", and "These Days"). The album also topped the European Albums Chart for seven weeks and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry certified "These Days" three times platinum, denoting three million shipments within the continent. In 1995, the album was ranked number 2 on Q magazine's list of the Top 50 albums of 1995.[2] In 2006 the album featured in the Classic Rock & Metal Hammer 's The 200 Greatest Albums Of The 90's.[3].

In the United States, the album was received with lukewarm success. These Days spun only one hit single in United States. This Ain't A Love Song reaching the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the album debuted at #9 on the Billboard 200, it slipped down the charts very quickly, and in all it just sold over one million copies in United States.

Awards

In 1995, Bon Jovi was voted 'Best Rock', at the MTV Europe Music Awards and at the BRIT Awards, the band was awarded for the 'Best International Band'.

Re-release

The album was re-released in Europe on June 1996 in a box package including two discs—the original album and an extra CD which included previously unreleased songs. The set was issued as These Days Special Edition. These Days Special Edition was not listed in the UK charts as a different album than the original These Days, and helped the album to jump from #129 to #11 during the band's European Tour at summer of 1996.

Track listing

# Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Hey God"   Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora 6:10
2. "Something for the Pain"   Bon Jovi, Sambora, Desmond Child 4:47
3. "This Ain't a Love Song"   Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 5:07
4. "These Days"   Bon Jovi, Sambora 6:27
5. "Lie To Me"   Bon Jovi, Sambora 5:34
6. "Damned"   Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:33
7. "My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms"   Bon Jovi, Sambora 5:41
8. "(It's Hard) Letting You Go"   Bon Jovi 5:51
9. "Hearts Breaking Even"   Bon Jovi, Child 5:06
10. "Something to Believe In"   Bon Jovi 5:25
11. "If That's What It Takes"   Bon Jovi, Sambora 5:17
12. "Diamond Ring"   Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 3:47
13. "All I Want Is Everything" (May not be on all releases, especially U.S. release) Bon Jovi, Sambora 5:16
14. "Bitter Wine" (May not be on all releases, especially U.S. release) Bon Jovi, Sambora 4:33
Special edition bonus disc
# Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Fields Of Fire" (Demo) Bon Jovi 4:10
2. "I Thank You"   Isaac Hayes, David Potter 3:14
3. "Mrs. Robinson"   Paul Simon 3:21
4. "Let's Make It Baby" (Demo) Bon Jovi, Sambora, Child 6:19
5. "I Don't Like Mondays" (live at Wembley Stadium, featuring Bob Geldof) Bob Geldof 5:59
6. "Crazy" (live, lead vocals by Tico Torres) Willie Nelson 3:29
7. "Tumblin' Dice" (live, lead vocals by David Bryan) Mick Jagger, Keith Richards 4:17
8. "Heaven Help Us All" (live, lead vocals by Richie Sambora) Ron Miller 4:34

Personnel

Additional musicians:

Charts

Album -

Year Chart Position
1995 UK Top 75 Albums Chart #1 (4 weeks)
1995 European Top 100 Albums #1 (7 weeks)
1995 Germany #1 (3 weeks)
1995 Japan #1
1995 Australian ARIA Albums Chart #1(2 weeks)
1995 Austria #1(5 weeks)
1995 Finland #1
1995 Switzerland #1(2 weeks)
1995 Ireland #1(5 weeks)
1995 Denmark #1
1995 Hungary[4] #2
1995 The Netherlands #2
1995 Sweden #2
1995 Italy #3
1995 Norway #7
1995 US Billboard 200 #9

Certifications

Country Certification
Australia 2x platinum
Austria Platinum
Canada 4x Platinum
IFPI Europe 3x Platinum
Finland 2x Platinum
France 7x Platinum
Germany 3x Platinum
Italy 2x Platinum
Japan 4x Platinum
Sweden Platinum
Switzerland Platinum
The Netherlands Platinum
UK 3x Platinum
US 5x Platinum

References

Preceded by
HIStory by Michael Jackson
UK number one album
July 1 1995 – July 28 1995
Succeeded by
I Should Coco by Supergrass
Preceded by
HIStory by Michael Jackson
Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
July 16 1995 – July 29 1995
Succeeded by
Throwing Copper by Live

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "These Days (Bon Jovi album)" Read more