Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name / Rock Heroes

You Give Love A Bad Name - Meaning of the song

Before they were rocking stadiums, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were writing future rock classics in Sambora's parents' basement.

That's the scene songwriter Desmond Child walked into when he met up with Bon Jovi and Sambora to try to write a hit. He had a killer title in his back pocket: "You Give Love a Bad Name."

Bon Jovi's famous hit song "You Give Love a Bad Name" is based on a topic that has been around for a long time. It revolves with the singer's relationship with a toxic lover, or one who mistreats him on a regular basis. But it is Bon Jovi's unique and aggressive style of expressing this message that has made this song a hit.

You Give Love A Bad Name - Lyrics

Shot through the heart And you're to blame Darling, you give love a bad name An angel's smile is what you sell You promise me heaven, then put me through hell Chains of love got a hold on me When passion's a prison, you can't break free Oh, oh, you're a loaded gun Oh, oh, there's nowhere to run No one can save me The damage is done Shot through the heart And you're to blame You give love a bad name (bad name) I play my part And you play your game You give love a bad name (bad name) You give love A bad name Paint your smile on your lips Blood red nails on your fingertips A school boy's dream, you act so shy Your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye Oh, oh, you're a loaded gun Oh, oh, there's nowhere to run No one can save me The damage is done Shot through the heart And you're to blame You give love a bad name (bad name) I play my part And you play your game You give love a bad name (bad name) You give love Shot through the heart And you're to blame You give love a bad name I play my part And you play your game You give love a bad name (bad name) Shot through the heart And you're to blame You give love a bad name (bad name) I play my part And you play your game You give love a bad name (bad name) You give love You give love (bad name) You give love You give love (bad name) You give love You give love (bad name) You give love You give love (bad name)