Bon Jovi – When We Were Us

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a band known for their big hits decades ago will never reach those heights again.”

Tom: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a band known for their big hits decades ago will never reach those heights again. They can’t: the songs we remember, the songs that have survived until this decade in the public consciousness: they were the very, very best of their time, drummed into everyone’s heads through familiarity and repetition. We grew up listening to Bon Jovi’s old tracks, Tim. They can never beat them.

Tom: But, as it turns out, they can get pretty close.

Tim: Yes – though apparently not without recycling some of those old songs.

Tom: This actually came out on an album a couple of years ago, but they’re going on tour, and this is the new single. Now, admittedly, there are several echoes of their old stuff in here. I’m fairly certain that you could sing at least part of the chorus of “It’s My Life” to this chorus.

Tim: And no small amount of Busted, actually.

Tom: But you know what? This is a good track. It sounds like Bon Jovi, and it sounds modern. That’s quite an achievement.

Tim: Yep – can’t deny them any of that. Just a tad too familiar for me to get behind it, sadly.