Always (Bon Jovi song)

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"Always"
Always BonJovi.jpg
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Cross Road
B-side"Edge of a Broken Heart"
ReleasedSeptember 20, 1994 (1994-09-20)[1]
Recorded1994
GenreRock
Length
  • 5:52 (album version)
  • 4:55 (single edit)
  • 4:37 (radio edit)
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Jon Bon Jovi
Producer(s)Peter Collins
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"Dry County"
(1994) 		"Always"
(1994) 		"Someday I'll Be Saturday Night"
(1995)
Music video
"Always" on YouTube
Music video
"Always" (Alternate Version) on YouTube
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Always" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. The power ballad[2] was released as a single from their 1994 greatest hits album, Cross Road and went on to become one of their best-selling singles, with a million copies sold in the US and more than three million worldwide.[3] The song reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was an international hit, peaking at number one in Belgium, Canada, Ireland and Switzerland, number two in Australia, United Kingdom and The Netherlands and number four in Germany.

"Always" was Alec John Such's final single with the band before he left in late 1994.

Song origin[]

The song was originally written by Jon Bon Jovi for the soundtrack to the 1993 film Romeo Is Bleeding, starring Gary Oldman as a corrupt cop and Mafia aide who is renounced by his wife. After being unimpressed by a preview screening of the movie – which was a critical and box office flop[4] – he decided not to lend "Always" to the producers. Bon Jovi commented, "The script was great: the movie wasn't." He left the track on his shelf and forgot about it until John Kalodner, a friend and A&R executive, found it and convinced him to re-record and release the song.[5]. The band did not expect the song to be very successful.

Critical reception[]

Larry Flick from Billboard described "Always" as "a charming new tune that banks on a crisp guitar breeze generated by Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi's familiar rasp." He added, "With lush orchestration by Michael Kamen and gradual shifts in tempo, grand track is easily one of the band's most interesting efforts to date. Prepare for deservedly active airplay well into the fall season."[6] Music writer James Masterton wrote in his weekly UK chart commentary, that it "is an epic ballad of the type they are so fond of penning and a bit of judicious promotion smashes it straight into the Top 5."[7] Alan Jones from Music Week rated it four out of five, picking it as Pick of the Week. He wrote, "An intense rock ballad, with strings and piano filling out the group's sound, and Jon Bon Jovi delivering a strong, stylish lead. Shame about the weak bridge. Even so, this is sure to soar with a TOTP appearance already in the bag."[8]

Music video[]

The music video for the song was directed by American television director Marty Callner.[9] It features Jack Noseworthy, Carla Gugino, Jason Wiles and Keri Russell. There is also an alternate version of the video that is just the band performing the song. "Always" was published on YouTube in June 2009.[10] It has amassed over 755 million views as of September 2021.

Live performances[]

The song's powerful lyrics and power ballad sound made "Always" an instant hit at live concerts, but the high demand on Jon Bon Jovi's vocals have seen it rarely performed in concert following the band's 1995–1996 These Days Tour. The song is featured on the band's Live From London video. During the 2005-2006 Have a Nice Day Tour it was occasionally performed in the acoustic style heard on the band's 2003 This Left Feels Right album. The band performed the original version on their Lost Highway Tour, particularly in the UK leg. A live version performed on the final night of the Lost Highway Tour was included on the concert DVD Live at Madison Square Garden. Since then, the song in its original version has been occasionally performed during every tour.

Track listings[]

Promo CD single

  1. "Always" (Radio Edit) (Jon Bon Jovi) 4:37
  2. "Always" (Edit) (Jon Bon Jovi) 4:52
  3. "Always" (Jon Bon Jovi) 5:52

UK CD single

  1. "Always" (Edit) (Jon Bon Jovi) 4:52
  2. "Always" (Jon Bon Jovi) 5:52
  3. "Edge of a Broken Heart" (Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child) 4:33

German CD single

  1. "Always" (Edit) (Jon Bon Jovi) 4:52
  2. "Always" (Jon Bon Jovi) 5:52
  3. "Edge of a Broken Heart" (Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child) 4:33
  4. "Prayer 94" (Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child) 5:20

US Cassette single

  1. "Always (Edit)"
  2. "Never Say Goodbye"
  3. "Edge of a Broken Heart"

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[50] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[59] Gold 25,000*
Italy (FIMI)[60] Gold 25,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[61] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[62] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[63] Gold 25,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[64] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[65] Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[66]
Physical single 		Platinum 1,000,000^
United States (RIAA)[67]
Digital single 		Gold 500,000double-dagger

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. September 10, 1994. p. 29. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  2. ^ "The 21 best power ballads".
  3. ^ "Bon Jovi". Fantasy Music League. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  4. ^ Miller, Randy (June 21, 2016). "Romeo Is Bleeding". DVD Talk. Retrieved January 22, 2019. ...critical and commercial misfire.
  5. ^ 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong (DVD). 2004. 7 minutes in. Island Records.
  6. ^ Flick, Larry (October 1, 1994). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 59. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Masterton, James (September 18, 1994). "Week Ending September 24th 1994". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  8. ^ Jones, Alan (September 17, 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream – Singles – Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. p. 18. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  9. ^ "Bon Jovi: Always". IMDb. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  10. ^ "Bon Jovi - Always (Official Music Video)". YouTube. June 17, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  11. ^ "Bon Jovi – Always". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  12. ^ "Bon Jovi – Always" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  13. ^ "Bon Jovi – Always" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  14. ^ "Bon Jovi – Always" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7983." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2677." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  17. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 46. November 12, 1994. p. 26. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  18. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 46. November 12, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  19. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
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  21. ^ "Bon Jovi – Always" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  22. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (10.–16.11 '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 10, 1994. p. 16. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  23. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Always". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  24. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. 10. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
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  32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  33. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
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  40. ^ "RPM Top 100 AC Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  41. ^ "1994 in Review – Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. December 24, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
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  46. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
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  50. ^ a b "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1995". ARIA. Retrieved February 14, 2021 – via Imgur.
  51. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1995" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  52. ^ "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  53. ^ "1995 in Review – Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. December 23, 1994. p. 14. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
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  57. ^ "1995 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107 no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-80. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  58. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  59. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Always" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  60. ^ "Italian single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Always" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  61. ^ "Rabo Top 40 - 28 januari 1995" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 3, 2015.
  62. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". Recorded Music NZ.
  63. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011.
  64. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Bon Jovi; 'Always')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  65. ^ "British single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". British Phonographic Industry.
  66. ^ "American single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". Recording Industry Association of America.
  67. ^ "American single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
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