Wanted Dead Or Alive (Live 2005)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the iconic track "Wanted Dead Or Alive (Live 2005)" by Bon Jovi, pulled from the album Have a Nice Day, not Welcome to Wherever You Are as the Zoo Freaks might have heard, since the latter is a song, not an album. This live rendition, captured during the 2005 Have a Nice Day Tour, showcases the band’s raw energy and enduring appeal. The original song, from the 1986 album Slippery When Wet, was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora in Sambora’s mother’s basement in a single day, inspired by their grueling tour life. Jon Bon Jovi has shared that the song’s cowboy imagery, with lines like “I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride,” reflects the rock star lifestyle—riding into towns like outlaws, “stealing the money, the girls, and the booze before the sun came up,” as he said on Inside the Actors Studio. The “steel horse” refers to their tour bus, not a motorcycle, as Jon clarified in interviews, debunking a common fan misconception.

Another tidbit comes from a 2008 Detroit concert where Jon Bon Jovi revealed the song was heavily influenced by Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page.” He recalled listening to Seger’s track in 1985 on a tour bus in the Midwest, telling Sambora, “We got to write a song like this.” The result was “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” which Jon called the band’s anthem. The song’s acoustic performance at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards by Jon and Sambora was so impactful that it inspired MTV’s Unplugged series, shifting the show’s focus from new artists to major acts. Fans on X have noted its cultural reach, with one user, @Jerrybraden92, highlighting in 2023 that the song was initially considered as the title for Slippery When Wet, complete with a scrapped cowboy-themed album cover. The track also became the theme for Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, cementing its place in pop culture.

Bon Jovi formed in Sayreville, New Jersey, in 1983, led by frontman Jon Bon Jovi, whose charisma and work ethic drove the band’s rise. Born John Francis Bongiovi Jr., Jon started playing music in local bars as a teenager, fronting cover bands like The Atlantic City Expressway. His break came in 1982 when his demo of “Runaway,” recorded at Power Station Studios where his cousin Tony worked, caught the ear of DJ Chip Hobart. The song landed on a local radio compilation, leading to a deal with Mercury Records. Jon assembled the band—keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, bassist Alec John Such, and guitarist Richie Sambora—and their self-titled debut album dropped in 1984, with “Runaway” hitting the Billboard Top 40. Their third album, Slippery When Wet, propelled them to global stardom, selling over 12 million copies with hits like “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead Or Alive.”

The band’s relentless touring and anthemic songwriting bridged heavy metal and pop, earning them a massive following. Despite lineup changes—Such left in 1994, and Sambora in 2013—Bon Jovi has released 16 studio albums and continues to tour. Jon’s workaholic nature, as he admitted in a 1994 interview, sometimes clashed with bandmates, but it fueled their longevity. Fans can connect with the band on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. For deeper dives, fan communities thrive on sites like DryCounty.com and the Bon Jovi Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can share their love for the band’s epic legacy.