"I'll Be There for You" is a song by American rock band

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John such qu ...

, released as the third single from their 1988 album ''

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

''. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. The single ranked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #5 on the

Mainstream rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active ro ...

chart.

Background

Originally released on the 1988 album ''

'', it became the band's third single from the album when it was released as a single in 1989. As the band (and glam metal) was at its peak popularity at this time, the song quickly climbed to the number one position on both the'' Cash Box'' Top 100 and ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming their fourth number one single. '' Cash Box'' ranked it as the #2 pop single of 1989, behind only Madonna's " Like a Prayer."

Music video

The video for the song (directed by Wayne Isham) features the band performing on a dark stage with an almost monochromatic blue color due to the stage lighting, with close-ups of each member, most notably lead singer Jon Bon Jovi and lead guitarist Richie Sambora. However, it is persistent throughout the clip that Richie Sambora's face is constantly in shadow through the entire video. The video footage then switches midway to black-and-white footage from a

concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide var ...

at the old

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, England.

Homebound Train

"Homebound Train," the B-side to "I'll Be There for You", is notable for being one of the band's heaviest songs, and also for the brief back-and-forth keyboard and harmonica solos leading up to the guitar solo. It is a heavy metal song opposed to its A-side that is a glam metal

power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. ...

. When played during The Circle Tour, it was sung by lead guitarist Richie Sambora.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:I'll Be There For You (Bon Jovi Song) 1989 singles Bon Jovi songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles 1980s ballads Music videos directed by Wayne Isham Songs written by Richie Sambora Songs written by Jon Bon Jovi Song recordings produced by Bruce Fairbairn Mercury Records singles 1988 songs Glam metal ballads