Customer Reviews

Bon Jovi

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bon Jovi (self-titled debut 1984). Although this is Bon Jovi's first studio album, it is really a collection of songs that he and his band wrote from 1980-1983, and then released in 1984.

For the most part when you hear about Bon Jovi, fans will swoon over his Slippery When Wet(1986) album, Crush(2000), or pretty much anything else that BJ has written post 1986. Few fans will ever bring up his phenomenal debut album due to his first hit "Runaway", and even fewer fans will mention, let alone commend the masterpiece 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit(1985) album.

Like I stated above, the debut is not a single year studio album, but rather a studio album of various songs written from 1980-1983. Why does this collection prove to be a strong one? Here's the scoop:

1) Runaway- A fast and catchy rocker which saw some attention back when it came out. You can tell that Bon Jovi was definitely in "hungry-mode" here. 10/10

2) Roulette- Probably the heaviest track on here. Not very catchy, but good emphasis on the guitar playing makes this one a very respectable number. This track gets better with each listen. 9/10

3) She Don't Know Me- A mid-paced anthem with its main emphasis on the piano playing in the verses and a catchy chorus. Excellent. 9/10

4) Shot Through The Heart- THIS ALBUM'S MASTERPIECE TRACK. Starts out slow in the beginning and then turns into an all out rocker while remaining consistently melodic throughout the song. A personal favorite of mine. Very underrated in the context of BJ's work. 10/10

5) Love Lies- A slow, driving, and melodic rocker all in one. Some say that this song is a semi-ballad because of the fact that this is the softest track on here. I would have to agree agree, and it's an outstanding one at that. 10/10

6) Break Out- Heavy and anthemic with a nice backing keyboard line. Sort of hints at BJ's future albums. Great arena rocker. 10/10

7) Burning For Love- One of the faster tracks on here, Burning is another personal favorite of mine. Very catchy and it contains a very pleasing guitar solo. 9/10

8) Come Back- Another great fast rocker with a good solo. Not as noteworthy as some of the others, but it definitely has its strong moments. 8/10

9) Get Ready- The third fast rocker in a row, and the one to perfectly close the debut album. Piano takes the place of the keyboards for this one. The backing vocals during the chorus really makes this song work. 9/10

All that's said and done, the debut album was and still is today a solid start for BJ. It may not have had the sales and successes of Slippery When Wet, New Jersey(1988), and Crush, but it's just as equally strong, if not better in terms of quality. I would even have to say that the debut is just as strong as 7800, though the latter is still my personal favorite. As another reviewer mentioned, if you want to hear some good BJ but are not concerned with only hearing the big hits, then the debut album is a perfect choice to go with. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This debut album by the legendary Bon Jovi showed right away that this band was destined for greatness. While later albums sold better, this effort is every bit as good.

"Runaway" is the one song here that many people know, as it made a dent in the pop charts and got a lot of rock radio play. This song still sounds fresh and exciting after all these years--a hard rock anthem classic. "She Don't Know Me" is another single from the album--a catchy first ballad by this band and really the only one on this album. Songs like "Roulette" and "Breakout" rock hard, while "Love Lies" and "Burning For Love" are over the top melodic anthems. "Shot Through The Heart" is another rocking gem on this fantastic debut effort.

Bottom line: if you liked the sound of "Slippery When Wet" and aren't caught up in only listening to big hits, then you will like this CD. An absolutely classic album by one of the true leaders of '80s melodic hard rock. Don't overlook this one.

While many people often say an album like 'New Jersey' or 'Slippery When Wet' are Bon Jovi's finest album(s), I am pretty different. In my opinion, their 1984 self-titled debut album is their best and my personal favorite.

I had the cassette of this, and I have just about worn it out. This album is superb. Jon Bon Jovi and company are at their best here. This album, of course, contains one of their most well-known songs to date, 'Runaway.'

Other great songs here are 'She Don't Know Me,' 'Shot Through The Heart,' 'Get Ready,' and another one of my all-time favorite Bon Jovi songs, 'Roulette.'

I would say that if you don't own 'Bon Jovi,' than you are really missing out. If you enjoyed 'Slippery When Wet,' than I can almost guarantee you will love this album.

Overall, I strongly recommend this album for any Bon Jovi fan. This is the band at their best. It sounds just as good in 2008 as it did in 1984.

This is highly recommended for any Bon Jovi fan, whether it be casual, new or die-hard. This is a must own album. An '80s classic.

ENJOY!!!

Most of us know that groups come, and groups go. While this is not Bon Jovi's best record, it to some extent shows why Bon Jovi is still here to tell his tale over 20 years later. Some people who don't like him say that Bon Jovi is commercial oriented. I'll admit that is true to some extent. But the real reason he is still here to tell the tale over 20 years later is because the man CAN write songs; he CAN sing; and he DOES put honest work and effort into his records. While Bon Jovi would get heavier and more intense (at least for awhile), the fact that this record has only a moderate intensity shows that he DOES have musical abilities, and he DOES NOT need to hind under excess noise. The 1st half of the record has a sad (but energetic) tone. 'Runaway' is a catchy opener. 'Roulette' demonstrates some of guitarist Richie Sambora's talent, and almost carries a haunting tone. 'She Don't Know Me' releases the tension for a moment; 'Shot Through the Heart' and 'Love Lies' may sound clicheish, but somehow Bon Jovi is able to break the odds and restore the tone of these songs to 'pre cliche' levels. 'Breakout' changes the tone of the record to a more upbeat level. 'Burning For Love' and 'Come Back' continue this path, and 'Get Ready' ends the record on a happy note. It is interesting that while the record starts on a sad note, Bon Jovi is able to change the tone without seeming abrupt. Again, while this may not be his best record, it demonstrates his abilities quite well and explains why he is still here over 20 years later.

Runaway:It's where the band started, it was their first single, gotta love the roots. It has an awesome keyboard riff, but the video was a little weird.
Roulette:I love the intro, especially the 1,2,3,4 that leads into an urge to do some head-bangin'. The way Jon sings the words is awesome. Richie is awesome on the guitar in this one, not that he doesn't on other ones, but it's really emphasized in this song. It's fun to listen to every time.
She Don't Know Me:The message is good, but there's not enough rock. I don't think that this one should have been made into a single, but I guess enough people liked it. It's the only song that no one from the band has written it.
Shot Through The Heart:I love this heart-ache song. It starts out slow and sad, but then out of nowhere explodes with anger. It's not You Give Love a Bad Name, like a lot of people get mixed up.
Love Lies:Awesome keyboards in the intro. My favorite part is the third verse followed by a great guitar solo then a twist is put on the chorus when sung higher. A fantastic ballad, one of my favorites.
Breakout: Shocks you in the beginning when "breakout" is unexpectedly yelled. The drums are more emphasized on this song than others on this album. It has a great feel to it, it gets you into it.
Burning For Love: I love this song, and especially the lyrics. It's one of the faster ones on this album, and it has an amazing guitar solo. It's catchy and filled with feeling.
Come Back:Another heart ache song. Not the best, but still a good one.
Get Ready: This is a really fun song, but it doesn't show their talent too well. And the piano is cool, super fun song.

Holy Sknikees. This is it. The #1 Bon Jovi album of all time (not to mention, one of the two greatest albums ever, along with "Van Halen"). The first song I ever heard from Bon Jovi is on this album ("Shot Through The Heart", which my gym teacher used to play over and over for a week, and it stuck with me). What kind of fool wouldn't pay good money for this historic album?! Here it is through my eyes:

1. Runaway - ****, I've heard that David didn't create the keyboard lick originally, but I'm sure he plays it better than the guy from Springsteen. and one of the greatest first songs a band ever recorded.

2. Roulette - *****

3. She Don't Know Me - ***** - the most underrated song on the album!

4. Shot Through The Heart - ****, the second most pop-based song on the album, a great example of the "Shout Along" era

5. Love Lies - ***** - another underrated tune.

6. Breakout - *****, the band's first time to show how good they sound in unison, not to mention the raw lyrics, guitar, and percussion collabortion

7. Burning For Love - **** - a Bon Jovi 70's like piece

8. Come Back - ****, hey, isn't that J. Geils?

9. Get Ready - ***, great intro, but when the song picks up with Jon's vocals.....

So, there you have it. BUY THE ALBUM!!!!!!!!!

I had this on tape years ago and I later got it on CD because it is worth having. It's not as good as "Slippery When Wet." But we can probably say that about all the other Bon Jovi recordings.

Of course, most who people buy this do so because they like "Runaway." But there's more to this CD than one song. "She Don't Know Me" & "Shot Through The Heart" (not you give love a bad name) are some lighter songs, but good listens. "Breakout" & "Roulette" are also solid offerings. Again, this is good to have in one's collection, and it should be in the collection of a Bon Jovi fan.

This is a really good album, the 1st release of Bon Jovi. Really emotional and hard hitting.

Anyone who considers Bon Jovi a glorified one-hit wonder need look no further than their debut effort to realize how wrong they are. This album is relentlessly tuneful, from the unforgettable "Runaway" to such lost classics as "Shot Through the Heart" and "Burning For Love" this album showed that Bon Jovi was going to be a band to reckon with. It was here that Jon and the boys first displayed their Jersey rock and roll mixed with a dash of heavy metal formula to the world. This album still sounds fresh and exciting today -- a true test of a band's longevity. Well, the band's still here ... and this album shows why.

SHE DON'T KNOW ME & RUNAWAY-THE SONGS THAT STARTED IT ALL FOR THE GREAT"BON JOVI"THIS CD IS A CLASSIC -HARD ROCKING ALBUM! I LOVE ALL THEIR CDS ,BUT THIS ONE, REALLY IDENTIFIES THE BEGINNING OF ONE OF THE BEST ROCK BANDS EVER!