Bed of Roses (song)
Encyclopedia
"Bed of Roses" is a rock song released by Bon Jovi
in November 1992, from the album Keep the Faith
. Jon Bon Jovi
wrote the song in a hotel room while suffering from a hangover and the lyrics reflects his feelings at the time. The song contains drawn out guitar
riffs and soft piano
playing, along with emotive and high vocals by Jon Bon Jovi.
The song's power ballad style made it a worldwide hit, and it demonstrated the band's new, more mature sound after their success as a glam metal
band in the '80s. Released as a successful single in 1993, it reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
, #5 on the top 40 mainstream, #13 in the UK Top 40
, and #10 in the German Top 100
.
playing guitar high in the mountain tops, and then cuts to scenes of Jon alone in his hotel room, the band recording the song in the studio, and finally performing live on stage. Initially the video directors wanted Jon Bon Jovi to be on the mountain tops, but Jon said: "I was on top of a mountain in 'Blaze of Glory', send them" (Richie Sambora and David Bryan, who is seen playing the piano at the mountain top).
The live portions were filmed at Stabler Arena
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
, on December 31, 1992 as part of a special New Year's Eve
concert. In order to get the liveliest and largest crowd there for the video, the band made arrangements to have no floor seating, and to have one price, general admission tickets.
Tose Proeski
covered this song during his concerts and on his 2011 album So Ljubav Ot Tose.
greatest hits album, and in acoustic style on This Left Feels Right
. A live performance can be viewed on the Crush Tour DVD. A version with lyrics in Spanish was also recorded, entitled "Cama De Rosas". The song was also recorded by the Hard Rock
band Hinder
as a bonus track of the Wal-Mart re-release of their debut album, Extreme Behavior
.
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
in November 1992, from the album Keep the Faith
Keep the Faith
Keep the Faith is the fifth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on November 3, 1992 by Mercury Records. Keep the Faith represents the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Bon Jovi, which turned away from glam metal in favor of a more mature hard rock...
. Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder, occasional rhythm guitarist, and lead singer of rock band Bon Jovi, which was named after him...
wrote the song in a hotel room while suffering from a hangover and the lyrics reflects his feelings at the time. The song contains drawn out guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
riffs and soft piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
playing, along with emotive and high vocals by Jon Bon Jovi.
The song's power ballad style made it a worldwide hit, and it demonstrated the band's new, more mature sound after their success as a glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
band in the '80s. Released as a successful single in 1993, it reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, #5 on the top 40 mainstream, #13 in the UK Top 40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and #10 in the German Top 100
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
.
Music video
The video for "Bed of Roses" begins with shots of Richie SamboraRichie Sambora
Richard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band...
playing guitar high in the mountain tops, and then cuts to scenes of Jon alone in his hotel room, the band recording the song in the studio, and finally performing live on stage. Initially the video directors wanted Jon Bon Jovi to be on the mountain tops, but Jon said: "I was on top of a mountain in 'Blaze of Glory', send them" (Richie Sambora and David Bryan, who is seen playing the piano at the mountain top).
The live portions were filmed at Stabler Arena
Stabler Arena
Stabler Arena is Lehigh University's 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, located on its Goodman Campus in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States...
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
, on December 31, 1992 as part of a special New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
concert. In order to get the liveliest and largest crowd there for the video, the band made arrangements to have no floor seating, and to have one price, general admission tickets.
Tose Proeski
Toše Proeski
Todor Toše Proeski was a Macedonian multi-genre singer, songwriter and actor. He was popular across the entire Balkan area and all around Eastern Europe, and locally he was considered a top act of the Macedonian music scene...
covered this song during his concerts and on his 2011 album So Ljubav Ot Tose.
International release
- "Bed of Roses"
- "Lay Your Hands on MeLay Your Hands on Me"Lay Your Hands on Me" is a song written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora and recorded by the American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released in 1989 as the fourth single from the band's 1988 album New Jersey...
(Live)" - "Tokyo Road (Live)"
- "I'll Be There for YouI'll Be There for You (Bon Jovi song)"I'll Be There for You" is a song by American hard rock band Bon Jovi from their 1988 album New Jersey, was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora...
(Live)"
Charts
| End of year chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 10 |
Legacy
"Bed of Roses" became a staple on Bon Jovi setlists for years to come, and was featured on the band's Cross RoadCross Road
Cross Road is a greatest hits compilation released by the American band Bon Jovi in 1994. The album contains hits from between Bon Jovi and Keep The Faith and two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer"...
greatest hits album, and in acoustic style on This Left Feels Right
This Left Feels Right
UK Bonus TracksJapan Bonus TracksBrazil Bonus Tracks-New songs:Two new songs, "Last Man Standing" and "Thief of Hearts", were written and recorded for inclusion of the album. "Last Man Standing" was a song revealing lead singer Jon Bon Jovi's anger toward the state of the music industry...
. A live performance can be viewed on the Crush Tour DVD. A version with lyrics in Spanish was also recorded, entitled "Cama De Rosas". The song was also recorded by the Hard Rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Hinder
Hinder
Hinder is an American rock band from Oklahoma that was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, guitarist Joe Garvey, and singer Austin Winkler. The band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2007.-Formation and early history:...
as a bonus track of the Wal-Mart re-release of their debut album, Extreme Behavior
Extreme Behavior
Extreme Behavior is the debut album of rock band Hinder. It was released in 2005 by Universal Records to almost universally negative reviews, before going platinum in September 2006. All songs were co-written by Brian Howes, except for "Shoulda," which was co-written with Brian Howes and Social Code...
.