Always

The harmony of 'Always' is deliberately uncomplicated — a four-chord rock ballad cycle that prioritizes emotional directness over harmonic sophistication. By opening on the relative minor (F#m) rather than the tonic (A major), the song instills an inherent wistfulness before the first lyric is sung. The progression's cyclical, never-fully-resolving nature mirrors the lyrical theme of unending devotion: the harmony keeps circling back, just as the narrator keeps returning to the beloved.

Jon Bon Jovi wrote 'Always' as a solo composition, initially intending it for the 1993 crime film Romeo Is Bleeding. The song was featured in the film's trailer but did not appear on its official soundtrack. Rather than let the track remain unreleased, the band completed and polished it for inclusion on Cross Road, their 1994 greatest hits compilation, releasing it as a new single to accompany the collection.

Released in 1994 on Mercury Records alongside the Cross Road greatest hits compilation, 'Always' showcases Jon Bon Jovi's gift for anthemic, emotionally charged songwriting. Built on a cyclical four-chord progression and Bon Jovi's soaring vocals, the song reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and cemented the band's status as masters of the arena rock ballad. Its dramatic music video became a fixture of 1990s MTV.