Better Than Slippery When Wet? Revisiting Bon Jovi’s New Jersey

NJ was it's more consistent to me… nothing will ever top living on a prayer..but slippery had that, you give love a bad name.. wanted Dead or alive and I really liked Id die for you.. But it didn't do it all for me as a whole album.. New Jersey to me it was more consistent and aside the singles wild is the wind.. blood on blood Are just incredible songs..

Guru been taking too much trauma to the throat lately. Get well soon.

LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME: Great intro piece for the song and for the entire album. Takes ages to build up and when it does, it's a great head banging riff and awesome sing along song.

BAD MEDICINE: Again, having a sing along chorus builds familiarity and familiarity builds an album which is easy to keep revisiting.

BORN TO BE MY BABY: A fun party pop rock song that gets everyone dancing. I had everyone at my wedding dancing to this song.

LIVING IN SIN: Maybe the worst on the album, a terrible song. Doesn't sound good and the lyrics are garbage. Marriage is a Holy Sacrament, not a contract. Always hated this even as a kid before I even knew how beautiful marriage and family was.

BLOOD ON BLOOR: Again, even as a kid I knew how bullshit this was. Your "brothers" won't drop everything to be by your side. They'll drop you the moment things get hard. Just ask a true riff master Jon Schaffer how loyal his "brothers" were. Also, it's cheesy.

HOMEBOUND TRAIN: Filler. That's okay, every album has them, even the great ones.

WILD IS THE WIND: Great dark power ballad. Dark is the right word, it doesn't uplift you like other power ballads.

RIDE COWBOY RIDE: This isn't a "song", it's an intro to the next most powerful part of the album. And what an intro!

STICK TO YOUR GUNS: in an age where the stronger songs make up the front of the album and the back end tapers off, this changes things and brings a big, powerful, uplifting song to keep the album alive to the end.

I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU: And to follow a great ballad, intro to and a powerful song, we have the greatest power ballad in Bon Jovi history! No other song is better than this. And it's at the end of the album! It should have ended with this and maybe a bonus little ditty a minute later. This is the song you tell someone to listen to if they've never heard Bon Jovi before. And I thank all the members of the band, and those who helped in the writing and production of it, from the bottom of my heart for creating a timeless masterpiece.

99 IN THE SHADE: Party filler.

LOVE FOR SALE: Just pretend it's on a bonus disc. "I'll be there for you" is the legitimate end to this record.

Thanks guys.

That flashing light is so annoying

Just revisited this album for the first time in many years. I've long liked it better than "Slippery When Wet" and that opinion hasn't changed. "Ride Cowboy Ride/Stick to Your Guns" is still my favorite track.

Great episode as always,Guru!! I’m 56 and remember the exact day when our local rock DJ in Louisville debuted Runaway…I bought that record-LOVED it!! I saw them that year on the 4th of July open for the scorpions..Someone threw some firecrackers on stage and they blew up in Jon’s face-he stopped the show and said if it happens again both band will pull out and there wouldn’t be a show!! The following year I saw them open for Ratt-was front row and have some AMAZING pics from that show!! I LOVED 7800 Fahrenheit!! It’s better than New Jersey IMO…I met them that night and hung out w them on the bus-it was July ‘85 and I was 15…they were so cool!! Then Slippery was released-OMGGGGGG!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Saw them twice on that tour..it’s in my top ten of the best albums of the 80s…that album was huge for me at 16 yrs old!! Then came New Jersey…It took me a bit to warm up to this one…I like most of it-however-I feel this is when Jon started to become Jon Bon Springsteen…But again-I saw them twice on this tour-both w skid row opening-still loved them but I was into other bands at the time-so this is really when I jumped off the Bon Jovi train..I still bought the albums-and concert tix but there was better out there…the first 3 blow New Jersey away…I know you’re big on Blood on Blood-as am I..I feel like Bad medicine is the weakest in the album..keep up the great work,brother!! Hair metal fan for life!!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

Runaway, She don't know me, Roulette; loved bon Jovi!!
7800. BOOOOOO!. then Slippery they were everywhere, graduated HS saw them in concert 4/5 times. New Jersey highly anticipated, BOO!! again except Blood on Blood, Wild is the wind. I was done with them. Hated them. Off Topic maybe, It took me years to listen to them again after 96 These Days, loved it! then went back to Keep the Faith, also love it. Hate 2000s BJ. I do love a few songs, Last man, Last cigg. & Novacaine.

I loved Bon Jovi as a kid, esp Slippery and NJ. Over the years I’ve been like the hell with them lol here’s why. I married a MAJOR Bon Jovi fan. We lived directly between 2 cities. EVERY fucking show I had to go. Lol

Ryan and Matt have to step up with their background. Killer Jeremy!

Saying “Wanted Dead or Alive” is a bad song disqualifies you from being on show like this.

I had never been more excited for a release than I was for New Jersey (it came with a giant Jon Bon Jovi poster!). They were absolutely my favourite band following the release of Slippery. Loved New Jersey at the time but have cooled on it over time. I'm less of a 'cowboy metal' fan than you Guru so it hasn't aged quite as well as Slippery for me. Love Lay Your Hands On Me-such a great riff to kick the album off. But maybe time to give it another listen.

I ADORE living in sin yall are missing out 😂

I still listen to Blaze Of Glory and Undiscovered Soul records . Hard Times Come Easy by Ritchie , absolutely amazing . It had that Jersey feel , like a Springsteen or Eddie Money record ..

Haven't listened to New Jersey in years as I was never fussed on it bar the first 3 songs. Glad you guys did the episode because I thought lets give it another go and now after listening to it again after so long I have a new found appreciation for it. Still like Keep The Faith as my favourite Bon Jovi album (I know that's not something you hear people say every day). Really looking forward for Aerosmith next week as a huge fan of them. Not looking forward to hearing Patrick shit over it as we all know he dislikes Aerosmith and Steven Tyler.

Yes it is better than SWW. They are both 2 of my favourite albums, but New Jersey is just a little better.

Like Patrick said this is the absolute best Rock channel on youtube I totally agree w. Patrick Reeves a 100% I Love BON JOVI's '' New Jersey '' Album classic BJ at it's best this album has aged well w. me the following BON JOVI albums that my favorite classic albums are : BON JOVI, 7800 degrees Fahrenheit, Slippery When Wet, NJ, Jon Bon Jovi's – Young Guns II Soundtrack killer album, Keep The Faith, & These Days album these are all the Classic BON JOVI to me along w. Richie Sambora's 1st Solo album as well all of these albums are all the go to classic albums wise that's just my opinion to all of you Cool Rock n' Roll bros/family – Anthony – Hair Metal Guru, Patrick Reeves/Matt Stone, Jeremy/RVK – Ryan I LOVE BON JOVI a 100% through & through I LOVE this Kick ass channel too Now/Forever – BON JOVI/Hair Metal Guru…. Forever from your Biggest loyal fan, follower/supporter, brother – Chris '' PartyRocker '' Porter Charlie is a sweet/cute, cool dog too..

New Jersey was hands down Bon Jovi’s greatest work. Stick To Your Guns is one of their best songs ever.

It's really close. Both albums are good. My vote goes to New Jersey.

If i had to pick id take NJ

I'm 41 and every track keeps giving me massive chills.
Edit to say it's actually 99 in the shade, where Jon sings about those son of beaches.

New jersey is probably my favourite album of all time. 🇬🇧 🤘

I love metal and Hair Metal but Bon Jovi never really did much for me. I liked it never loved it. That being said Springsteen is awesome and to me one of the greatest song writers of all time.