January 17, 2022

1986 - September: Bon Jovi “Slippery When Wet”

45 minutes

This is the album that turned heavy metal into pop, or started the hair metal genre of the 80's. Slippery When Wet was the third studio album by Bon Jovi, and would be their best selling album to date.

The band was David Bryan on keyboards, Tico Torres on percussion, Alec John Such on bass, Richie Sambora on guitar, and Jon Bon Jovi on lead vocals and rhythm guitar.

Bon Jovi deliberately targeted a mainstream audience with this album. They wrote 30 songs and auditioned them to teenagers in New York and New Jersey. The album's songs were then ordered based on the opinions of this teenaged focus group.

The band collaborated with Desmond Child, a hall of fame songwriter who wrote songs like "I Was Made for Loving You" by Kiss and Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You." Slippery When Wet would be the top selling album of 1987, and would go 12x platinum. It would also make Bon Jovi the first glam rock band to have two number 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 with "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer."

Bon Jovi - the band, and Jon Bon Jovi as a soloist - would never leave the rock pantheon A-list after this album.

Raise Your Hands

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wrote this one. It was the B-side to "You Give Love a Bad Name," and was not released as a single. If it sounds familiar you might be remembering it from a scene in the Mel Brooks film "Spaceballs."

You Give Love a Bad Name

This is the first single from the album and would hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1986. Child, Bon Jovi, and Sambora re-wrote the song which started as a song for Bonnie Tyler called "If You Were a Woman (And I was a Man)" The video was directed by Wayne Isham, who was also directing videos for Motley Crue at the same time. Motley Crue felt betrayed that Wayne would direct a Bon Jovi video, since they were competing with each other at the time.

I'd Die for You

This song is a deeper cut with keyboard work reminiscent of the song "Runaway" from their first album.

Wanted Dead of Alive

This track hit number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and uses old west imagery to describe the lonely life of a rock star. Bon Jovi and Sambora would perform an acoustic version of this tune on the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, and would inspire the network to create their "MTV Unplugged" series.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Glory of Love by Peter Cetera (from the motion picture The Karate Kid part II)

This solo song from Chicago front man Peter Cetera was on the charts after being featured in the 1986 summer sequel starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.

STAFF PICKS:

Wild, Wild Life by Talking Heads

Wayne leads off the staff picks with a critically acclaimed song from the Talking Heads album, "True Stories." The song was featured in the film "True Stories," a satirical comedy directed by David Byrne, front man for the Talking Heads. This was the third and last top 40 hit the band would create.

Higher Love by Steve Winwood

Brian's staff pick is Winwood's first number 1 hit in the United States. Will Jennings wrote the lyrics, inspired by his experience with church in the deep South. Chaka Khan provides the backing vocals, enhancing the gospel feel of the song - a modern day hymn.

Sweet Freedom by Michael McDonald

Rob's staff pick was featured in the buddy cop movie "Running Scared," starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. This was the last top 10 hit to date for McDonald. In addition to his solo work, McDonald has worked with many musicians including Steely Dan, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, and most famously as lead vocalist for the Doobie Brothers, with which he is touring today.

Venus by Bananarama

Bruce finishes the staff picks with a number 7 hit from an English pop group formed by the trio of Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward. The original was released in 1969 by Netherlands group Shocking Blue. Bananarama began covering this song when they first formed in 1980, but didn't release the single until they had recorded original songs so they would be taken seriously as musicians.

COMEDY TRACK:

Big Fat Blonde by The Rainmakers

The Rainmakers released their debut album in 1986. One of their fans was horror novelist Stephen King, who quoted the band's lyrics in some of his novels.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

4747 ratings