Customer Reviews

Cross Road

5 star:		(87)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Bon Jovi's collection of 14 classic grooves is pretty much what it says it is. Its a greatest hits album that has most of the good stuff. The album starts with the classic "Livin' On a Prayer". If this song doesn't make you want to sing there is something wrong with you. The album also includes "Runaway" "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "You Give Love a Bad Name", three more songs that are definatly sing-along favorites. There are two songs on the album that are not very good: "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "In and Out of Love". They should not be included, but what can you do? Other songs on the album wich are above standard are "Blaze of Glory"(From the Young Guns II album) and "I'll Be There For You". Crossroads also includes three tracks that are on no other Bon Jovi albums. "Always", "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", and "Prayer '94". "Always" was a big hit and is a decent song, but not one of my favorites. "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" isn't classic Bon Jovi, its not bad, but doesn't really fit. "Prayer '94" is a slowed down version of "Livin' on a Prayer" I like it, it shows another side of this classic song. Actually, it kind of brings back memories from Jon and Richie's acoustic version of "Wanted Dead or Alive" from the VMA's. All in all this a great album. For any Bon Jovi fan it is a must.EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT A BON JOVI FANATIC AND THINK HE IS O.K.BUY THE ALBUM. It has classic tunes and is ideal for cruising in your car.

I admit it. I grew up listening to Bon Jovi. The power ballad, the sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs, they were hard to resist at times!

I really love "Livin' On a Prayer". You get a sense that this couple is really struggling - but that they're going to make it because they keep trying. Given the number of disasters that hit our world, it's an encouraging thought.

I've always enjoyed "Wanted Dead or Alive" - that guitar riff is just so haunting, and the sense that the band is adrift and carried along is a lot like "Faithfully" by Journey. They give you a glimpse into the down-side of being a big band.

"Blaze of Glory" is another great one for me, another one to sing along at the top of my lungs. Maybe I watched westerns a little too much growing up, but the power behind the song really gets to me. "I don't know where I'm going - only God knows where I've been". I feel like that sometimes.

Really, there's something to be said for pretty much any song here. "Runaway" calls to mind the times it really did seem like a valid solution, taking off into the night. "Lay your hands on me" has an attraction of a different type.

Yes, these are hot-rock-blasts for playing loud as you drive your car down the freeway at top speed. If that's the music you enjoy, you'll be thrilled with this!

This album is the perfect start for any new BJ fan. Hard-rocking hits like "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Lay Your Hands On Me", "Bad Medicine" and the ever-powerful "Living On a Prayer" introduce the new fan to BZ's successful classic days; the glorious 80's. Ah, those were the days - when BIG hair was practically a norm, pop metal ruled the music scene and the controversial idea of "love, sex and the American dream" plagued society and gave the bands new ideas for new material.

"Keep the Faith" is definitely not a song you'll forget in a hurry..and not just because it's STILL on American airwaves - it really is a smashing tune with a MESSAGE. Jon's strong vocals and Richie's legendary guitar riffs deliver it well. "Blaze of Glory", a product of Jon's shot at solo material, is emotionally victorious and wistful at the same time - a powerful, soaring track that should be played at a HIGH volume!

Ahh, and who can forget the ballads? "Always" is STILL one of my all-time favorite songs. "Bed of Roses" has got to be one of the most romantic songs of the 90's: 'I've got nothing to prove, for it's you that I'd die to defend!' Who could ask for more? "I'll Be There For You" is a favorite among a lot of dedicated BJ fans, and for good reason, too.

As for the rest I can take it or leave it. "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" is catchy but rather simplistic for my taste. "Runaway" is cute though. But that's about all I can say about it. "In and Out of Love" had absolutely no business being on this album (they chould've replaced it with a much better choice, such as "Wild Is the Wind" or "Raise Your Hands" - both late 80's tracks that would give the new fan a MUCH better impression of what Bon Jovi are all about). "Cross Road" was the first BJ album I ever bought, and it opened a whole new world for me: The world of REAL music. Like many new fans at the time, "Always" hit a major nerve and since you couldn't get singles in Israel at the time (still can't actually), I rushed out and bought this album. I'm so glad I did! In an era of boy bands, egotistical and foul-mouthed rap artists, not to mention BRITNEY, do yourself a favor: Buy this album and savor the little amount of REAL music we have left.

Although "Never Say Goodbye" and "In These Arms" were not included on the album, you can't help loving "Crossroads." Classic hits like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name" are included, as well as the very fun "Bad Medicine." "Bed of Roses," without a doubt my favorite of all Bon Jovi songs is a classic love song, and the new "Always" is beautiful. I could have done without "Lay your hands on me" and "In out of love," but the other hits are good enough to overlook those two. "Someday I'll be Saturday Night" is wonderful as well, and while not as toe-tapping as the original, "Prayer '94" doesn't disappoint either. All in all, a must have for true fans of Bon Jovi.

This is the cd for any old time Bon Jovi fan. Go back in time to those wonderful 80's. Put on ths acid wash, spray the hair and get ready to rock.

For people who only know Bon Jovi from their "Have A Nice Day" and beyond years, "Cross Road" is a very good collection of tunes for them to check out. It gives the listener a solid set of their most popular tunes from their hair band heyday before they got all earthy/Mellencampy. This album is by no means a complete gathering of their greatest tunes. It leaves out at least two songs ("Living In Sin" and "Born To Be My Baby") and instead fills those holes with the dismal "Prayer '94," the forgettable "Always" and the harbinger of things to come, "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night." "Someday" is actually a very good modern roots rocker, but people don't buy greatest hits albums for the new songs. People buy this album for songs like the original "Livin' on a Prayer," "Wanted Dead Or Alive," "Bad Medicine," and "I'll Be There For You."

Lesser known tunes from their earliest offerings(particularly "Runaway") signal the beginnings of a great band to come. Later songs such as "Keep The Faith" and "Bed Of Roses" reveal a band in rock decline and quickly headed for the adult contemporary sound. In short, "Crossroad" gives the listener a pretty good take on how a band from Jersey made it big, leveled off, then headed for the sweet and steady success of light rock. Just to shake things up a bit, "Blaze Of Glory" from Jon Bon Jovi's solo "Young Guns II" project is included. Sadly, we do not get a sample from any of Richie Sambora's solo works. He really is a much better guitarist than he's given credit for, and it would have been nice for one of his tunes to be included in this collection.

I grew up during Bon Jovi's prime, and am proud to say that I own original cassette copies of "Slippery When Wet" and "New Jersey." Although they weren't my favorite hair/glam/hard rock band (that was Def Leppard), they were still one of the best around at the time. Bon Jovi is no longer the band they once were, but for people who want to know where they came from, this is the album to pick up.

This is THE essential album for the Bon Jovi fan, and for anyone who loves great 80's rock. This collection is vintage Jon Bon & Co., 11 greatest hits & 3 new cuts for '94. All the hits are here, spanning the first ten years from '84 to '94. The hits include: "Wanted Dead Or Alive" (which is my all time fav Bon Jovi song and it features a killer acousic intro by Richie Sambora and brilliant lyrics by Jon). "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" (which features great keyboard playing by David Bryan), "I'll Be There For You", "Lay Your Hands On Me", "Bed Of Roses"(which features great piano intro by Jon and fantastic guitar solo by Sambora). Also the very early hits "Runaway" and "In And Out Of Love" are here. 3 new cuts are the unforgettable hit "Always"(which is a great romantic song), "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", and a newly recorded and laid-back version of "Livin On A Prayer" entitled "Prayer '94". If you love great music, don't let this one slip by. Brings back some great memories for me, and is a great listen any time. If you don't have it, get it. ROCK ON!

From the signature arena-rock track "Living on a Prayer" to the low-key "Dead or Alive" to the dreamy "Bed of Roses" this CD is perfect all weather listening. There is not a single track on her that I really hate or even partially despise.

Unlike so many greatest hits compilations, every one on this CD is a certifiable (by the true fans anyway!)crowd pleaser.The band does not use the CD as an electronic dumping ground for songs that did not do well the first time, and all of the albums are pretty equally distributed in the compilation.

This lends credibility that it really is an effort to give the fans the best songs. One of my biggest pet peeves is when reasonably good rock bands release a hits cd that is almost an exact replica of one albumn.

Ironically, the only other person that has issued such a well rounded CD, Bruce Springsteen, is also from New Jersey. While I don't think this geography is a prerequiste for very sucessful rockers, it is interesting.

You can tell by the songlist how great this CD is. However, the International version is much better.

It includes the same tracks, except it doesn't have Prayer 94 (not a good song anyway). Instead though it has "Never Say Goodbye" and "In These Arms", two of their BEST tunes which are not on the US version. The addition of those two songs makes for a much stronger collection - and it's worth the extra price.

First off, I would like to say that this CD is really good. Jon Bon Jovi's vocals are amazing and that is really what carries the whole band. Listen to some samples of the band's songs from their first all the way up their newest and you will notice that their sound has not changed hardly at all. How many other bands can you say that about from the 80's? Buy this one, its good.