Listen to the Song
Song DNA
Genre
Hard Rock
Era
80s
Mood
Triumphant
Tempo
Upbeat
Key
Minor
Texture
Layered
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Straight
Bon Jovi
Slippery When Wet (1986)
Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child
As Bon Jovi's signature song, this track chronicles the lives of Tommy and Gina, blending hard rock energy with pop accessibility. It is globally recognized for its soaring key change and Richie Sambora's pioneering use of the talk box guitar effect.
The harmonic structure is a masterclass in 80s arena rock tension and release. It utilizes the natural minor (Aeolian) scale to maintain a 'serious' tone in the verses while pivoting to the relative major in the chorus for a melodic lift. Its most distinctive…
The song was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and professional songwriter Desmond Child. Jon Bon Jovi initially felt the original demo was not good enough for the 'Slippery When Wet' album and considered discarding it. Richie Sambora, however, saw i…
“Richie Sambora used a Heil Talk Box to create the song's signature 'wah-wah' vocal-like guitar sound.”
The harmonic structure is a masterclass in 80s arena rock tension and release. It utilizes the natural minor (Aeolian) scale to maintain a 'serious' tone in the verses while pivoting to the relative major in the chorus for a melodic lift. Its most distinctive feature is the abrupt, non-diatonic modulation from E minor to G minor, which is one of the most celebrated examples of a direct key change in pop history, serving to heighten the emotional stakes for the song's climax.
The song was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and professional songwriter Desmond Child. Jon Bon Jovi initially felt the original demo was not good enough for the 'Slippery When Wet' album and considered discarding it. Richie Sambora, however, saw its potential and convinced Jon to rework the arrangement. They added the iconic talk box guitar effect and a driving bassline to give it the anthemic quality that made it a hit.
As Bon Jovi's signature song, this track chronicles the lives of Tommy and Gina, blending hard rock energy with pop accessibility. It is globally recognized for its soaring key change and Richie Sambora's pioneering use of the talk box guitar effect.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
Hard Rock
Era
80s
Mood
Triumphant
Tempo
Upbeat
Key
Minor
Texture
Layered
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Straight
16.6M
Plays
2.0M
Listeners
800K
Genius Views
7
Annotations
100%
Popularity
4:10
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection (Deluxe Edition)
Harmony The harmonic structure is a masterclass in 80s arena rock tension and release. It utilizes the natural minor (Aeolian) scale to maintain a 'serious' tone in the verses while pivoting to the relative major in the chorus for a melodic lift. Its most distinctive feature is the abrupt, non-diatonic modulation from E minor to G minor, which is one of the most celebrated examples of a direct key change in pop history, serving to heighten the emotional stakes for the song's climax. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Request Full Analysis
No musician information available for this song yet.
Composition The song was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and professional songwriter Desmond Child. Jon Bon Jovi initially felt the original demo was not good enough for the 'Slippery When Wet' album and considered discarding it. Richie Sambora, however, saw its potential and convinced Jon to rework the arrangement. They added the iconic talk box guitar effect and a driving bassline to give it the anthemic quality that made it a hit. Inspiration: The lyrics center on Tommy and Gina, a fictional working-class couple struggling to make ends meet during the Reagan era. Desmond Child brought the names 'Tommy and Gina' to the session, inspired by his own experiences with a former girlfriend (Maria) during his youth. Recording Studio: Little Mountain Sound Studios, Vancouver, British Columbia Producer: Bruce Fairbairn Richie Sambora used a Heil Talk Box to create the song's signature 'wah-wah' vocal-like guitar sound. The song contains a famous key change for the final chorus, moving from E minor to G minor. An acoustic version was later recorded for the album 'This Left Feels Right'. Jon Bon Jovi initially thought the song was just 'okay' and only wanted to include it on a movie soundtrack.
Chord Sheet Chords Used Hide functions Em i T C VI T D VII D G III T Progression by Section FinalChorus Gm i T Eb VI P F VII D Bb III T PreChorus C VI P D VII D Em i T C VI P D VII D Chorus Em i T C VI P D VII D G III T C VI P D VII D Verse Em i T C VI P D VII D Em i T Chord Fingerings Em Standard C Standard D Standard G Standard Harmony Analysis The harmonic structure is a masterclass in 80s arena rock tension and release. It utilizes the natural minor (Aeolian) scale to maintain a 'serious' tone in the verses while pivoting to the relative major in the chorus for a melodic lift. Its most distinctive feature is the abrupt, non-diatonic modulation from E minor to G minor, which is one of the most celebrated examples of a direct key change in pop history, serving to heighten the emotional stakes for the song's climax. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
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