“You Give Love a Bad Name” – Single by Bon Jovi from the album Slippery When Wet
B-side: “Raise Your Hands”
Released: July 23, 1986
Songwriters: Desmond Child, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora
Producer: Bruce Fairbairn
Charted No.1 in US and No.14 in UK
The music video for the song used all-color concert footage (the only all-color video song from Slippery When Wet) and photogenic shots primarily of Jon Bon Jovi, as well as other band members in concert. This video was filmed at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Bon Jovi was now being managed by Doc McGhee, who realized that Bon Jovi needed a video for MTV. Doc hired video director Wayne Isham, who had directed videos for Doc’s other band, Mötley Crüe. The two bands were competitive with each other and Mötley Crüe felt betrayed that Wayne would direct one of Bon Jovi’s videos. Wayne had the band’s name painted on the stage and made sure that the band did not see it until they began shooting. Bon Jovi had been opening for 38 Special but became a headlining act after the video debuted.
Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Richie Sambora wrote this in the basement of Sambora’s mother’s house in New Jersey. Child came up with the title, and Jon immediately thought up the first line (“Shot through the heart…”). From there, they put the rest of the song together, with “Shot Through The Heart” as the working title. The song ended up being about a guy whose girlfriend is really bad for him – common material, but a very interesting way to say it. Jon Bon Jovi dated actress Diane Lane in the mid-’80s, and there were rumors that she was the inspiration for this song, but the lyrical inspiration was more of a universal feeling.
At one point, this was intended for the group Loverboy. Bon Jovi and Sambora started out writing it for them, but liked it so much they kept it for themselves.
Music video by Bon Jovi performing You Give Love A Bad Name. (C) 1986 The Island Def Jam Music Group
