Always (Bon Jovi song)

"Always" is a power ballad[1] by American rock band Bon Jovi. It 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 3 million worldwide.[2] 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 and the United Kingdom, and number four in Germany. In the United Kingdom, it was the first number-one single on the UK Rock and Metal Singles Chart.

"Always"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Cross Road
B-side"Edge of a Broken Heart"
ReleasedSeptember 20, 1994 (1994-09-20)
Format
Recorded1994
GenreRock
Length5:52 (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" 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[3] – 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.[4]

Music video

The music video featured 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.

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 listing

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 CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[52] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[53] Gold 25,000*
Italy (FIMI)[54] Gold 25,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[55] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[56] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[57] Gold 25,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[58] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[59] Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[60]
Physical single		 Platinum 1,000,000^
United States (RIAA)[61]
Digital single		 Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. "The 21 best power ballads".
  2. "Bon Jovi". Fantasy Music League. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  3. Miller, Randy (June 21, 2016). "Romeo Is Bleeding". DVD Talk. Retrieved January 22, 2019. ...critical and commercial misfire.
  4. 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong (DVD). 2004. 7 minutes in. Island Records.
  5. "Australian-charts.com – Bon Jovi – Always". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  6. "Austriancharts.at – Bon Jovi – Always" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Bon Jovi – Always" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Bon Jovi – Always" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7983." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  10. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2677." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  11. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 46. November 12, 1994. p. 26. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 46. November 12, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  13. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  14. "Lescharts.com – Bon Jovi – Always" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bon Jovi – Always". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
  16. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (10.–16.11 '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). November 10, 1994. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Always". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  18. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. 10. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 46, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Bon Jovi – Always" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  21. "Charts.nz – Bon Jovi – Always". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  22. "Norwegiancharts.com – Bon Jovi – Always". VG-lista. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  23. "Notowanie nr675-673" (in Polish). LP3. January 6, 1995. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  25. "Swedishcharts.com – Bon Jovi – Always". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Bon Jovi – Always". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  28. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  29. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  30. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  31. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
  32. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1994". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  34. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  35. "RPM Top 100 AC Tracks of 1994". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  36. "1994 in Review – Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. December 24, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  37. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  38. "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 25. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  39. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1994". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1994" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  41. "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  42. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1994". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  43. "Top 100 Singles 1994". Music Week. January 14, 1995. p. 9.
  44. "Top 100 Hits for 1994". longboardsurfer.com. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  45. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year ARIA Charts – 1990s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  46. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1995" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  47. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  48. "1995 in Review – Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. December 23, 1994. p. 14. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  49. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1995" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  50. "Top 100 Hits for 1995". longboardsurfer.com. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  51. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  52. "Accreditation Awards". Australian Fun Countdowns. 2011-04-07. Archived from the original on 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  53. "Austrian single certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Always" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  54. "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 online" under "Sezione".
  55. "Rabo Top 40 - 28 januari 1995" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 January 2015.
  56. "New Zealand single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". Recorded Music NZ.
  57. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  58. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Bon Jovi; 'Always')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  59. "British single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Always in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  60. "American single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  61. "American single certifications – Bon Jovi – Always". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 26, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.