amazing debut

it was better than anyone expected it to be because it was bon jovi's first album and they were all very young. the first two albums are different from the others,which doesn't make them worse. i personally love this album. runaway is obviously an awsome song but i also like shot through the heart(which i personally like more than "you give love a bad name" which everyone mistakes).

An awesome New Jersey band!

Sayreville,New Jersey-based Bon Jovi put out their self-titled debut album in the spring of 1984 on the Mercury label. Mercury had a lot of hard rock/heavy metal clients such as Kiss,Def Leppard and the Scorpions. This album spawned only one Top 20 hit,RUNAWAY. It wouldn't be until 1986,upon the release of SLIPPERY WHEN WET, that the band would gain a much greater deal of attention,personally and musically.

AWESOME debut

Before Bon Jovi wimped out, they were one of the finest rock bands of thei eighties. In 1984, the band released its debut album, which was actually a compilation of the material Jon had recorded up until then. Read on to see how the band's self-titled debut measures up.

Runaway - This song is the only true hit to emerge from the album, and it's nothing short of excellent. In a way, this was a premonition to the ballads the band would produce in later years (but unlike them, this is an EXTREMELY good song.)

Roulette - An excellent eighties rocker, the chorus (and the part right before the chorus) is priceless in this one. Arguably the best song on this album.

She Don't Know Me - A typical rock ballad. This is a good song, but it sounds too much like a rip-off of Journey's faithfully (fortunately though, THIS is the better of the two songs.)

Shot Through The Heart - One of Jon's typical heartbreak songs, but still a good track, and highly underrated.

Love Lies - WITHOUT QUESTION THE GREATEST BALLED THAT THIS BAND HAS EVER RECORDED. Anyone who has doubts about the piano's place in rock and roll hasn't heard this song.

Breakout - Eighties pop meets eighties rock, with excellent results. As tkdmateo's review put it, this one is a premonition to the band's later pop-rock success.

Burning For Love - One of the harder and more emotional tracks on the album, this one has an odd but striking resemblance to Southern Man, a Neil Young song. Yet another excellent track.

Come Back - This sounds a good deal like the band's later ballads. That makes it one of the weaker tracks on the album, but it's still nothing short of excellent.

Get Ready - One of the more pop-oriented songs on the album, this track is still an excellent one only a fool would skip.

Overall, this album is tied with Seventy-Eight Hundred Degrees Fahrenheit and Slippery When Wet for the title of "Best Bon Jovi album." Even if you're a casual fan of the band, DO NOT BUY THEIR GREATEST HITS! GET THESE FIRST THREE ALBUMS INSTEAD!

One of the better

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 - ****, my favorite keyboard riff (of which I've heard that David didn't create originally, but I'm sure he plays it better than that 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!!!!!!!!!

The Embryo

"Runaway," of course, started it all. The Bon Jovi legacy that has made it over three decades, despite how all of the 80's haters have tried to scar this band with a scarlet letter of its own. Resilience has kept the band out of the grave, which is much more than the once brutal grunge army can say for their beloved Cobain. Despite the fact that there is a large legion of those who use a wave of their hand to dismiss 80's rock as pretensious, Bon Jovi is indeed one of the rare examples of products as commercially in-your-face as the Big Mac who made it to that point by offering us something as creatively/artistically crafted as a gourmet entree at a prestigious New York City dining establishment.

I was 4 when this album came out, and didn't start rocking with them till "New Jersey" came out. I can't say for sure if I would have thought Bon Jovi the greatest thing ever to exist, if I was a teenager at the time. Fortunately, I'll never have to answer that. Indeed, Jovi's first 2 albums, while LOVED by a stubborn (in a good way) minority, aren't like the rest. They're less diverse, not as unique, offer less musically, and just about every song is about women and/or some sort of heart-break; which, as I noted on my Farenheit review, is just PERFECT musical therapy for certain times in everyone's life. Otherwise, though, this album isn't very multi-purpose for you the listener. Still, this first album, while not as meaningful as "Slippery..." or "Keep the Faith," somehow finds a bit of timelessness simply by being the "classic breakthrough that started it all."

Asides from the songs being generally perfect for rocking out every now and then, the debut's longevity hasn't really been owed to the music itself (I'm not referring to "Runaway", which was recorded with a different set of musicians before the final group was in place). JBJ himself said he didn't know what he should write, for example if the record company wanted 10 more "Runaways"... which is understandable for a band just getting into the biz and wanting to learn the ropes, but also hinting at one of Jon's attitudes that he still unfortunately sort of holds, that being, always think about what commercially will sell... Take those words carefully, I am not suggesting the band has ever "sold out", and indeed, this mentality has helped them get as big as they did, I am just saying that when it comes down to it, their first release doesn't have too much artistic integrity (though it made up for it with ambition), and thus it pales in comparison to most of their other recordings. Even a "bad" Jovi record, which this is NOT, can never be any less than good, however, so I'm throwing three stars its way just because even in their early 20's, there's an embryonic emotional spirit that is possessed in these 5 souls, necessary for eventually helping lots and lots of people through music. A talent given by God, and given to few.

The songs themselves - the music is much better than the lyrics, previously referred to as being largely "heartbreak lyrics." As far as 80's metal (though not heavy like Iron Maiden), it is nothing short of awe inspiring to hear David (who would have gone off to Juliard if not for the band) tinkering with ways to put keyboard effects and enhancements to music the way only prog-rockers had previously done. As a pianist myself, every note David has ever played has heavily influenced my take on how to craft music. As for Richie, this is wayyy before he gets self-conscious and starts underplaying, so you get some kickass soloing going on, again, especially for a person as young as he was at the time. The only general thing for some of you to look out for is this album has the 80's SOUND, if there ever was such a thing... so if you are one of those people who can't tolerate dated sounds, you might have some problems. For the rest of us, you'll notice I haven't really mentioned song titles - that's because this album really is very similar, it's almost not quite worthy enough of featuring certain songs over others. ALMOST. Here's my favorites (asides from "Runaway"): "She Don't Know Me" (though written by someone else), "Shot Through the Heart" (NOT the mass hit "You Give Love A Bad Name" that far too many people make the mistake about), "Get Ready" (The ONLY song in a major key on the whole record!!!!!). Particular songs aren't worth arguing over, I've saved THAT for my "Keep the Faith" review!!!

This album is what it is, and not much needs to be said other than it's nothing special but it rocks, especially when you're pissed off about a relationship situation. I still think everyone should own this, as everyone should own all Bon Jovi albums!!! Just make this and "7800 degrees..." the end of your collection, so you aren't hit with "Roulette" being your first impression. This album plays a very important role in the history of the band, and it just doesn't feel right without it.