“Slippery When Wet” is a great album to listen to around Valentine’s Day, it features great hits that will make you feel, such as “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Never Say Goodbye.”
Overview
Bon Jovi’s album is a classic from 1986, featuring hit after hit, most of which can still be heard on the radio to this day. This album is so special because Bon Jovi delivers a memorable, rebel-like tone to it. You are put into the shoes of someone in a struggling financial situation and love life. Throughout the album Jon Bon Jovi goes from loving her, to standing up against her and getting over her.
Interview
Jovi, when asked about the album, remarked: “All of us were going through tough times on a personal level. And the strain told on the music we produced. My heroes are people like Southside Johnny and Bruce Springsteen. Their songs tell valuable stories. These guys are for real. I can relate to them, and the way they work. I come from the same blue-collar background. I’ve grafted for everything. People seem to think that I’m a pretty boy who just got lucky. I’ve swept studio floors, done all that kinda thing.”
Top songs
One of the most recognizable songs from Jovi as a whole comes from this album, in “Livin’ on a Prayer.” This song is about living paycheck to paycheck attempting to live through a difficult financial situation while maintaining a love life. Similarly, “You Give Love a Bad Name” follows up with a man standing up and confronting his feelings about his lover. He feels used and believes she messed him up beyond repair, this is a defining song on the album and shows how horrible he feels. Lastly “Never Say Goodbye” is about how depressed the narrator is during or shortly after the breakup. He is drinking his depression away, reminiscing about the good times of his relationship with his lover, while hoping he can have another chance.
Opinion
This album is great if you are going through a breakup or just need songs to listen to so you feel like you’re understood. Regardless of if you are going through a breakup, it is still a good album in general as it has a soft yet defying sound to it that makes you want to get up and do something with yourself. This album is a good example of classic hard rock, it features fantastic guitar riffs with an outstanding vocal performance by Jovi. The drums are prominent but slow, leading to a type of clash between the drums and guitar, as the guitar is faster at times. This dynamic sound also leads to the defiant tone the album has as a whole.
