On this day in 1988: Bon Jovi started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with lead single from the band’s album New Jersey, ‘Bad Medicine’, which became the group’s third U.S. #1.
The song is highlighted by a near constant keyboard playing by David Bryan that is well defined in the beginning of the song and at several interludes, as well as loud guitar playing by Richie Sambora, background singing in the bridge and chorus, and a loud fast-paced delivery of lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi. It is one of the more upbeat and hard rocking songs on the ‘New Jersey’ album. The song repeats the phrase “Bad Medicine” a total of 19 times.
Towards the end of the song, Jon says he is running out of breath and has to go, but then relents, saying “I’m not done…one more time, with feelin'” and the band finishes the song with another repeat of the chorus.
There are two videos for the song, one with the band live in concert, and a more well-known live video in which a crowd of young people waiting in line to get into the video shoot is asked by Sam Kinison if they (the public) “can make a better Bon Jovi video than these guys can.” The crowd gives a very enthusiastic response, and members of the crowd are given hand-held cameras and invited onstage to help shoot the video.
Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1988:
1 4 BAD MEDICINE –•– Bon Jovi – 9 (1)
2 1 WILD, WILD WEST –•– The Escape Club – 14 (1)
3 3 THE LOCO-MOTION –•– Kylie Minoque – 13 (3)
4 6 DESIRE –•– U2 – 8 (4)
5 2 KOKOMO –•– The Beach Boys – 12 (1)
6 8 BABY, I LOVE YOUR WAY/FREEBIRD –•– Will To Power – 11 (6)
7 9 KISSING A FOOL –•– George Michael – 7 (7)
8 11 HOW CAN I FALL? –•– Breathe – 11 (8)
9 12 LOOK AWAY –•– Chicago – 9 (9)
10 5 ONE MOMENT IN TIME –•– Whitney Houston – 11 (5)
11 15 I DON’T WANT YOUR LOVE –•– Duran Duran – 6 (11)
12 14 DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT (TILL IT’S GONE) Cinderella – 12 (12)
13 16 GIVING YOU THE BEST THAT I GOT –•– Anita Baker – 9 (13)
14 13 ANOTHER LOVER –•– Giant Steps – 14 (13)
15 17 WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL –•– Boy Meets Girl – 11 (15)
16 7 GROOVY KIND OF LOVE –•– Phil Collins – 12 (1)
17 21 WALK ON WATER –•– Eddie Money – 8 (17)
18 24 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE –•– Guns N’ Roses – 5 (18)
19 22 THE PROMISE –•– When In Rome – 12 (19)
20 19 A WORD IN SPANISH –•– Elton John – 10 (19)