Blaze of Glory (Jon Bon Jovi album)

Blaze of Glory is Jon Bon Jovi's debut solo studio album, released August 7, 1990. It includes songs from and inspired by the movie Young Guns II. Emilio Estevez asked for Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" as the theme song for his upcoming Billy the Kid sequel, but Jon Bon Jovi ended up composing an all-new theme song for the film's soundtrack instead. The album featured guests such as Elton John, Little Richard, and Jeff Beck. "Blaze of Glory" was awarded a Golden Globe. It also received Academy Award and Grammy nominations.

Blaze of Glory
Studio album by
Jon Bon Jovi
ReleasedAugust 7, 1990
RecordedApril–June 1990
GenreHard rock
Length48:43
LabelMercury
ProducerJon Bon Jovi, Danny Kortchmar
Jon Bon Jovi chronology
Blaze of Glory
(1990)		 Destination Anywhere
(1997)
Japanese limited edition cover
UICY-6469
Singles from Blaze of Glory
  1. "Blaze of Glory"
    Released: June 25, 1990
  2. "Miracle"
    Released: 1990
  3. "Never Say Die"
    Released: January 1991
  4. "Dyin' Ain't Much of Livin' with Elton John"
    Released: 1991
  5. "Santa Fe (Promo)"
    Released: 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyC−[2]
Rolling Stone[3]

Album information

The album mainly focuses on the theme of redemption and whether an individual's past wrongs will catch up with them. Another theme on the album is about making a stand and making yourself heard in the world. Jon Bon Jovi said on the 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong DVD that he originally thought the album's aggression and themes dealt with Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett from Young Guns II but has come to realize that they reflect the bad place he was in at the time. The album more or less transitioned Jon's songwriting from mostly girls and having a good time to other subject matters, which would lead into him and his band's further maturing in songwriting with 1992's Keep the Faith.

Emilio Estevez originally approached Bon Jovi to ask him for permission to include the song "Wanted Dead or Alive" on the soundtrack.[4] Bon Jovi did not feel the song's lyrics were appropriate; however, he was inspired by the project and resolved to write a new song for the film that would be more in keeping with the period and setting. He quickly wrote the song "Blaze of Glory", and performed it on acoustic guitar in the New Mexico desert for Estevez and John Fusco. This was the first time that "Blaze of Glory" was heard. Fusco called his co-producers into the trailer to listen, and it was named the theme song for Young Guns II on the spot. In an interview for UNCUT magazine, Kiefer Sutherland said, "When Jon (Bon Jovi) joined the team for Young Guns 2, we were all eating hamburgers in a diner and Jon was scribbling on this napkin for, say, six minutes. He declared he'd written 'Blaze of Glory', which of course then went through the roof in the States. He later gave Emilio Estevez the napkin. We were munching burgers while he wrote a No. 1 song... Made us feel stupid."

Music videos were made for the singles "Blaze of Glory", "Miracle", and "Dyin' Ain't Much of a Livin'" featuring Elton John.

Bon Jovi's lyrics from the song "Santa Fe" are quoted in the 1998 book, About a Boy, although the author, Nick Hornby, would have been light-heartedly referring to John Donne's "No Man Is an Island". The song is also quoted in the film High Fidelity.

Chart performance

The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200[5] and No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart.[6]

The title track "Blaze of Glory" was released as the first single and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Mainstream rock charts. "Miracle" was released as the second single and charted at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #20 on the Mainstream rock charts[7] and the third single "Never Say Die" charted in Australia, Canada and Poland but not the US. "Dyin Ain't Much of a Livin'" featuring Elton John and "Santa Fe" were released as promo singles.

In 1998, a country duet version of "Bang a Drum" was released with country singer Chris LeDoux, the track was released as a single with a music video and reached number 68 on the US Hot Country Songs chart.

Film

Young Guns II is a 1990 western film, and the sequel to Young Guns (1988). It stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christian Slater, and features William Petersen as Pat Garrett. It was written and produced by John Fusco and directed by Geoff Murphy.

Jon Bon Jovi also made a cameo appearance in the film as one of the prisoners in the pit with Doc and Chavez.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Jon Bon Jovi, except where noted.

  1. "Billy Get Your Guns" – 4:49
  2. "Miracle" – 5:20
  3. "Blaze of Glory" – 5:35
  4. "Blood Money" – 2:34
  5. "Santa Fe" – 5:42
  6. "Justice in the Barrel" – 6:48
  7. "Never Say Die" – 4:54
  8. "You Really Got Me Now" – 2:24
  9. "Bang a Drum" – 4:44
  10. "Dyin' Ain't Much of a Livin'" – 4:46
  11. "Guano City" (Alan Silvestri) – 1:16

Note: The only tracks heard in the movie are "Billy Get Your Guns", "Blaze of Glory" (both of which are played over the end credits), and the Silvestri score cue.

Personnel

Musicians (adapted from CD liner notes)

Production

  • Brian Scheuble, Rob Jacobs – engineering
  • JD Dworkow – production coordinator

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[22] Platinum 50,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[23] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[24] Gold 100,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[25] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[26] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[28] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

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

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Entertainment Weekly review
  3. Rolling Stone review
  4. Dougherty, Steve (July 16, 1990). "Jon Bon Jovi's Solo Debut Leads Him to the Brink of an Abyss". People. 34 (2). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  5. "Allmusic (Jon Bon Jovi charts & awards) Billboard albums".
  6. "The Official Charts Company - Jon Bon Jovi".
  7. "Allmusic (Jon Bon Jovi charts & awards) Billboard singles".
  8. "Australiancharts.com – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  11. "Offiziellecharts.de – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  12. "Charts.nz – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  13. "Norwegiancharts.com – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  14. "Swedishcharts.com – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  15. "Swisscharts.com – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze Of Glory - Young Guns II". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  16. "Jon Bon Jovi | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  17. "Jon Bon Jovi Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  18. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  19. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  20. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  21. "Aria Charts - Albums 1990". Aria Charts. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  22. "Austrian album certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  23. "Canadian album certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory". Music Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  24. "Japanese album certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved August 16, 2019. Select 1990年8月 on the drop-down menu
  25. "Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990" (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. ISBN 8480486392.
  26. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Jon Bon Jovi; 'Blaze of Glory')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  27. "British album certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 16, 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Blaze of Glory in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  28. "American album certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Blaze of Glory". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 16, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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