What can you say about Bon Jovi? Probably one of the most successful bands of their time, a band that exploited their full potential to be shamelessly cheesy. But if you look deeper into the lyrics, will you delve into the twisted psyche of the man they call "Jon Bon Jovi"?
Well, you can give it a shot. But me, I'm just going to take it for what it is: enjoyable cheeseball entertainment. And this song in particular, "Bad Medicine". It's stupid, it's goofy, and it might just be my favourite Bon Jovi song.
Why this song over the others? Well, here's my explanation. Generally, if a Bon Jovi song is going to give you something, it's going to be giving you the same thing every Bon Jovi song does: goofy hair metal. (Recent turn to country music excluded.) And "Bad Medicine" does just that, let's not beat around the bush. It's a notoriously goofy song, probably one of their goofiest, that builds off of the foundations Robert Palmer set about a decade back, and rolling with it to the extreme!
Iiiii've got a fever, got a permanent disease
And it'll take more than a doctor to prescribe a remedy
Hey, ladies! Nothing like the idea of a "permanent disease" to get the love groove turned up! I wonder why Marvin Gaye never went for that metaphor? Oh, right. His music was actually sexy.
That said, though, there's a surprising tightness and focus to "Bad Medicine". Jon Bon's vocals coincide with the instruments in such an ear-catching way, making the separate entities combine into one. Compare that with "Livin' on a Prayer". And yes, that song does have a special place in my heart as well, but really hear the difference. "Livin' on a Prayer" isn't a bad song... okay, it is pretty laughable. But "Bad Medicine" just trumps it with how in-sync the artists sound with each other. It's probably the best-composed song the boys have ever had, and that's why it's my favourite.
...or maybe the song just sounds the most AWESOME! It could go either way, really.
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