Bon Jovi Discussions
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
A lot of times, I think we've bonded a lot closer in the last couple of months. We've talked to each other on Twitter off and on for like a couple of years. Like this last month, like we've gotten like closer and we've given each other song of the days and stuff outside of Bon Jovi, of course. Oh, yeah. So anyway, I'm glad that you're on the podcast. I know we've talked about it for a while, so I'm glad that you're on. And how are you? Good. Good. Thank you for having me. Yeah, I'm excited. I'm excited about this. I love talking music. Any chance I get. So that's why I'm on Twitter so much. Me too. But before we get into our fun topic, I always like to ask my guests, how did you become a Bon Jovi fan? Yeah, so my dad was super into how he, you know, 80s kid, so born in '73. So he was all into all the 80s rock and metal and, you know, introduced that to my siblings and I. So I've always had Bon Jovi like from an early age, primarily their 80s stuff. But for some reason, and it's my life too, but the only other song that's snuck in there was we were born to follow. Have no idea how he found that one because that was the only other 2000s Bon Jovi song he knew. But that was the one that like really latched, like really latched onto that one and I played it a whole lot growing up. And then when I, yeah, okay. And then when I got more into music, I was like, hmm, I should maybe start like listening to full albums. Like Bon Jovi, someone I just, you know, listened to all of their albums, I think over the span of like two days or something, like I was just, you know, one after the next, no particular order either, just the ones that the album cover intrigued me, you know, the most. And yeah, so that's how I became a much bigger Bon Jovi fan and yeah, better Bon Jovi fan for as long as I can remember. So I know we're going to get into the song here so I'm not going to ask you that question, but what's your favorite album? Uh, it switches between these days and keeps the faith. It's could be the one. The peak of Bon Jovi, I always say, we've talked about this before, 90s was peak Bon Jovi. And then these days was peak of that peak. And just an incredible era really, it keeps the faith in, you know, these days that whole two albums were phenomenal. They're so good and I really value like lyrics and songwriting and stuff and they were just doing that so good. Um, you know, the next, the next two in my top four were the ones that came, the two that came directly after that. So I just some like that 90s early 2000s was just the best. Absolutely. Well, let's get into our topic of the day. We are going to talk about your favorite song. Yeah, someday I'll be Saturday night. There you go. So this song was written by John Richie and Desmond Child. Uh, it was released as a single in February of 1995, a little back story before we dive deep into this. So this song was written in the early stages of these days. These days was originally written, started to be written in 94 and it was supposed to be, I think later released in late 94 and then it got delayed. And so the band decided to put out a greatest hits cross, cross road. Um, so actually, so Saturday night actually got put on the cross road instead of these days, which if you listen, which we'll get into, the lyrics are very fitting for these days album. So, um, I guess before I start talking to your ear off about this song, why is it your favorite? Um, I just think it's the best combination of catchy, uh, you know, it's a really good one to sing along to, but it also has, uh, a really deep lyrical meaning. And I like they have, you know, references to other, to other songs in there, like, you know, Billy Jean. And I just think, I don't know, it's just Bon Jovi at its best to me. Yeah. Well, you know, and you mentioned the characters that introduced us, you know, we've been so used to Tommy and Gina. Um, I mean, really, I guess at that, at that period, you only had, you know, prayer and, and, um, and then in the shade, but this song introduced new characters, Jim and Billy Jean, you know, and so the storyline is, you know, Jim, who was going through a really hard time, he's struggling, he's, he can't find a job. Um, and then you got Billy Jean, who was a, I think she's 16 and she's been abused by her, her foster father. And so she leaves and becomes a, you know, a prostitute on the streets just to survive and, and make it, um, so, so that's cool that we have like two new, uh, characters in this story. Um, obviously, I think the meaning of the whole song is just it's, it's optimism through a really tough time. And it's, you know, it's pretty much along the line, like the lyrics, you know, I may not be all right today, but I'll get there. You know, we'll, we'll get better. Um, you know, so the whole song just talks about, you know, struggles in life, you know, down on your luck and, and just struggling and, uh, holding on to your dreams despite struggles. That's how I interpret it at least. Yeah. Yeah. You know, that it's like, it's maybe a bad day today and maybe a bad day tomorrow, but someday it won't be Saturday. Not Saturday. It'll be a good day Saturday. Yeah. It'll be a good day. You know, someday I'll be, you know, the, the party night of the week, the fun night of the week, the, the day you don't have work tomorrow. Mm hmm. Absolutely. Yeah. So it's, it's definitely a, you know, like I said earlier, it would have really fit for these days, right? Real with, with the lyric and, you know, like the whole, these, for me, the whole these days album is we're all going through a really hard time together, but let's find the light of the end of the tunnel together. And I think that's what this song is about. Um, yeah. It fits in well with the title track of these days, you know, for one, for sure. Like that, it's kind of similar and I love that song. And hey, God is like my second favorite Bon Jovi song. It just fits all in with that kind of general sentiment. Yeah. Absolutely. Let's talk about the box set demo first. So the, you've heard, obviously you've heard the demo of, yeah. So there's a, on the 2004 box at a hundred million Bon Jovi fans can't be wrong. There's a box set demo of this. And I love what I love about hearing demos and stuff is I love hearing the rough cut and seeing how it progresses to the final cut. And the demo, this is actually really good. I like that intro. Um, I know there was some random at first and then, then John comes in and goes, I'm going drinking with, you know, it leads into different intro. You know, it's not that, Hey, man, I'm allowed to have taken each day. It's just, it starts out musically different, which I thought was pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. I do. I do really like that. I love demos for the same reason I love seeing, okay, the fine, you know, the final version that I know and love, you know, how did it start? What was a version of it and how, you know, what were the things they decided to change or they thought didn't work? And there's a little bit, there's some differences in the demo, you know, for sure. And I think that's always pretty cool to listen to. Well, especially the, the lyrics. And so the one lyric that I wish had stayed and I absolutely just love this lyric. This running so cut and dry. I can't get why the wrong and right. I am here to justify what I've got to do to survive and then it picks up into the chorus. I just love those lines. I love the way that John delivers it. I love the way that it kind of flows into the chorus. I'm surprised to get naked. I know it's, I mean, there's some other different lyrics to on that demo that we're like really good. But I'm still, like I said, it's still cool to compare from the box that to what we know it as, as now music video, I love the video. I love the tone of the video, the, you know, storyline fact, if I remember correctly, they're based in Vegas, the story in Vegas and John's at this coffee bar or something. He's reading the Saturday paper. Yep. And I think the band comes in at the end because I remember there's a part where John leaves the, the bar and then goes to another hangout spot, whatever. And he goes behind Richie and, you know, does something like, like this covers his eyes. Yeah. And, but I think John looks so cool. I always, my favorite photography and style era, that makes sense, was the crossroad era. I just love the way they took the photos back then, you know, the way that John looked and he just looks awesome in there. No, he looks so cool. Like the whole haircut thing and all that, you know, at the time, like that just really suits him and that's, it's such a mature shoot and it just really feels like, yeah, this is who Bon Jovi is, you know, this is, this is them, you know? Yeah. Absolutely. And then, you know, part of the other video was, you know, so it's not really focused on the band, it's more focused on the story, which is good because it kind of tells you the story of the, the video, you know, you see, so I think the guy in the wheelchair, I think that is supposed to be Jim, I'm assuming. And then obviously the prostitute is Billy Jean and yeah, so I, I kind of wish they would have went further into a story like you, you get what the story is about, but I wish there was more of a story in there. Oh, yeah. The video could have been a little longer, I think. I feel like they could have gone a little further and done a little more with the video. Yeah. I did like the ending though when I'm just going to call him Jim, when Jim in his wheelchair, he tries to save the girl in her room and the guy you're leaving, he grabs onto the guy and yanks him down and falls off from his wheelchair and, you know, and I think right there shows optimism in the song and the video, like, you know, this guy, he's down on his luck and he's just, he's lost everything and, you know, he's confined to a wheelchair. But yet he was willing to save somebody else and, and do whatever he could to save her. So that's, you know, that kind of shows a little bit of the optimism, I think. Yeah. Yeah, let's talk about the music. I got a lot to say and I'd better let you have a turn and talk in here. Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. I have a lot to say. All right, we'll start off with the intro, obviously, you know, starting the original version that we know on Crossroad is, you know, hey, man, I'm alive, I'm taking each day, at a time, and I love the way that John did that live, which we'll have. Yeah, especially the Melbourne 1995 version that's on the one one night CD when he does that very slow acoustic vocal very slowly and then then the band comes in. I love that. I love the way this is probably one of my favorite songs that John plays on guitar as far as rhythm and playing chords. Yeah. I know you're not into playing a ton or so, but I think it's like the E, A, Bsus4, A, and then the C minor, I think. I'll take your word for it. What's that? I said, I'll take your word for it. Yeah, I ain't bluffing. I love the drum build up. That's in the verses that goes into the pre-chorus and then the chorus. I think it has a very fun blow to it. For example, in the chorus, you know, you got part of the chorus and then all of a sudden you get the, "Hey, hey, hey," and it picks right back up to the rest of the chorus. I think that's brilliant. Obviously, the chorus is so catchy and I get anyone that's listening to this podcast to go listen to somebody I'll be saring in right and not sing along. It's impossible. No, you can't. You feel like you have to. You feel like it's so joyful that, you know, out of the darkness and then you just feel like you have to. Even when you're pissed off at the world, you put it on in it, it's a misery loves company kind of song. You just sing along to it and get out your frustration, your anger and then the second verse. The second verse is my favorite part of the song and I love the way that John delivers these lines. I want to blow myself away. Don't know if I can. Absolutely. Well, that could be in some other time and place with someone else's soul and someone else's face. I think that's such a good line. And it's the darkest part of the song too, you know, and you know, like people said about these days, you know, people said, well, these days is John's darkest album and the band's darkest album and I think when you first listened to that album or just those lines right there, it does sound like it's really dark, but listen to the rest of it and you find that it's more of a misery loves company, but let's find hope together and so I really love how dark those lines are, but then as the song goes on, you know, you're optimistic. But yeah, those are really dark lines. And then Richie's solo, very bluesy, which gives you these days vibes. Absolutely. So that was pretty cool. And then after the guitar solo, I love John's first, it may not be tomorrow, but that's okay. I ain't going down. I'm going to find a way. I love the way he delivers those lines. The whole end of the song, like, love the way it starts, love that, love the way it ends. I just, I think those, he just says it so well. Yeah, because after the solo, it's very calm, you know, because the song has that really good flow, it's up and down, up and down. And then after that solo, things kind of calm down. And then he starts, you know, saying the verse there. And then all of a sudden, like I said, it may not be tomorrow, but that's okay. And then, you know, it starts that drum build up and back right into the chorus. And then another, I keep saying that my favorite part, I have so many, but my last favorite part of the song is John Scream at the end when he's singing, whoa, oh, Saturday night and he's born in the note at night, and he's like, I just love the way that outro kind of goes out. And then, and then he just says, all right, all right, you know, Saturday night, and then it kind of fades out. It's perfect. And I dare people not to not sing along to that part of it. It's just impossible. It just feels like you have to, or at least try. Oh, I can do it. It's just not in key and not any. Yeah, that's why that's a fun one to, you know, sing when no one else is around maybe to judge. Well, I don't care if I don't care if people around me, I'll still do it. Good. Good. No, it should be. My mom likes that one. She likes to try and sing along with me, and she doesn't even sing along to songs much. So I always find that cool. I think it's because she relates to some of the lyrics with her childhood, but it's always so cool. Yeah. That's awesome. That's the favorite part of the song. I just named you five of them. I know. I know. And you named nine the very end, the Saturday night where he's holding on to that. And then that whole part where, you know, with someone else's soul, someone else's face, that whole verse to want to blow myself away. Don't know if I can. I really love the way it delivers that, but the pre-course I love where it's like, yeah, Tuesday might go my way. These things might, like I've got some hope for the week. I've got some hope for, you know, the days, but, you know, these Thursdays and Fridays ain't mankind, which I kind of think of as like people, you know, like these people, these places, they haven't been kind, but someday I'll be Saturday night, like I have enough confidence and faith in myself to make it. And I just really like the metaphor almost that he uses, or maybe that's just me seeing it there. No, I like that. I like that point of view. Yeah. I like that. I just want to say one more thing too, you know, just with the whole line, I want to blow myself away. I don't know if I can. That's probably the darkest lyric that he may have ever written. Yeah. And like that's like really, I just want to make a point of it that that's really like bottom of the barrel. I hate myself and is questioning there's a way out of this feeling, you know, that's like the bottom of the barrel of dark. And like both of this, the song picks up to a more optimistic sound, but like that, that whole verse right there just always gives me chills and goosebumps. You know, it's. Yeah. And for me, the whole, I don't know if I can part because people consider it, but then when it comes down to it, I, you know, I know so many people who have considered suicide, I know people who have been in that exact situation where they were in foster care. And then, you know, it comes time to age out and you're 18. And then the, well, I don't think there's anything out there for me. I can't live on the streets. You know, I would like to kill myself, but some of them, you know, just, I don't know if I can do that. Like when it comes down to it, that's not something I can think I can do. And I feel like that's just so relevant to experiences and that. And that's, you know, not something that John or probably the writers have experienced, but it's something very real to, to people. And I really like how Bon Jovi does that. You know, they pull, put a lot of lines in there that are really real to people. And you know, just understanding of everything we go through as human beings. Yeah. Absolutely. And that's kind of my point with the whole this song and these days album, it's more of a misery loves company. Let's get through it together. Kind of like you're not alone kind of kind of thing. And that's great. And that's what I think, I know for me, for my dark days, that's what's helped me get through them is, you know, having songs that say, okay, I'm not alone and this is how this person feels and so on. What's your favorite? Absolutely. You have a fair or was that your favorite lyric? That was probably my favorite. I just, I think that's, I just love that whole verse two and how he does it or the, you know, they, the days who haven't been kind that whole one, I think, it just causes me to think. And I like that in music. Yeah. Absolutely. Mine is got to live my life like ain't got nothing but this roll of the dice. I'm feeling like a Monday, Sunday always Saturday night. Yeah. That's my favorite. It reminds me of it's my life to kind of that general sentiment. I can see that. Yeah. Yeah. It's, I mean, I said, that's my favorite lyric, but I just named it like three other favorite lyrics. I pretty much named it the whole song. It's impossible to pick a, you know, sometimes to pick a favorite album, you know, favorite song, favorite lyric, there's just, there's so much to choose from. Usually I can find a favorite lyric and that's it, but this, this is one of the very rare songs where I have like, this is my favorite and this is my favorite and it's all about delivery to, you know, the way, you know, just like I said about, you know, like the box set lyric or this one ain't so cut and dry, you know, that whole verse or it may not be tomorrow, but that's okay or I want to blow myself away, you know, it has to be believable. Yeah. All those lyrics is, is delivery and that's why it's hard for me to get into a song or the artist didn't write the song. Sure. You know, like singers, they can, you know, have a song that they didn't write and have a relation to it and saying, okay, there's, might be some purity there, but when an artist, like Bon Jovi writes their own songs, they have that kind of delivery and that devotion to put into the lyrics and make you, like you said, believe it. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. What makes music magical and that's what connects people. I think when it's, like I said earlier, when you're feeling down and, and just harden yourself and you find a song that you can relate to and think, okay, I'm not alone. These persons feel in the same way that I do, that's what makes music so magical, I think. I agree. And you know, I think that's a big thing we're missing in music now, less and less artists are writing their own songs, you know, or at least co-writing because co-writing, you know, that's different. Obviously you have a hand in it, but there's so much less of a connection and it's just something they feel can make the money and that's not what music should be about. Exactly. There's no substance in a lot of these music, like the songs like, you know, like, I live in our prayer was just back on the billboard charts. I don't pay attention to charts, but- No, but it's cool to see. I didn't see that. You know, a song that's 38 years old and it still comes on the charts. I mean, that's so the whole point is, you know, music can be timeless when it has substance to it. But like, the songs are out today, they won't have any relevance in the future. You know? No, no, when they're not in the spotlight, I majority, there's like three or four I can think of that may have relevance, you know, 35, 40 years from now. But most of them won't, most of them I just hear and I'm like, brainless, soulless, wow, those lyrics are awful, like, you know, it's so many of them are just gross too, or I'm just like, hmm. No way. Yeah, there's no, I guess I'm straight away here, but there's no substance in the, you know, like, it's meant to be catchy and on radio. And that's what people want. I mean, like, you and I are very rare in like our age group where people like substance and their music. A lot of people, you know, my age, your age just want something that's catching to something that's just background music. When I have, like, for example, my wife, she loves to have music on in the background, but not loud, just very low, like, especially when we're on trips and this is where we butt heads. When, when I listen to music, I love it loud. I love listening to it on repeat and I drive her nuts. When she listens to music, especially on a road trip, she has to have it like volume five, very low, just in the background, not me, I have to have it loud. Oh, I've got it. Yeah, I've got it blasting. My mom's the same way, you know, it'll be low, except if it's like, there's a couple of songs like Love Shack by D52 is one of them where she'll have it, you know, so loud. But, you know, we can have a silent car ride, which is rare with her, but I turn on music and I turn it loud and that's when she wants to start talking and I'm like, um, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you know, whatever, it's been a while since I've been in the car with her. But, you know, when I am, it's like, no, I want to listen to the song. I want to sing on a crank the windows down. Zip it. Yeah, exactly. I want to start the song over again. I'm like, nope, I didn't get to hear that one starting over. Oh, that's funny. Let's, um, to kind of conclude this, let's talk about it live because it's a fan favorite and it's, it isn't, it isn't a staple in the set list, you know, it gets played quite a bit, which is great. I love it live. You've seen it live, right? Unfortunately not. Oh my gosh. Next tour, we go and we hold a sign saying play somebody I'll be Saturday night. Absolutely. Absolutely. That would be so cool. Yeah. It's, but, you know, from YouTube videos and, you know, listen to live, I've seen, I've seen YouTube videos and all that, you know, and they've done it in different ways over the years. You know, obviously, like I said, you know, the Melbourne 1995 intro, I love the way that he did that vocals are just out of this world and, you know, it's just him and a guitar and he's just playing notes, chords. And I also love the way they did it acoustic in the late 90s, you know, him and him and you would do some like promos stuff, haven't read to a play Saturday night solo or acoustic together and amazing, you know, and you can really grasp the vocal part of the song, which I really loved. Yeah. They're really doing things acoustic. I mean, there's a reason that, you know, they're credited for kicking off the whole unplugged craze. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I don't, there's, I don't know if there's any band, I know that just does it better. Like you just feel the emotion and they really are good at sticking to the song, you know, but also changing it, keeping it interesting and, you know, keep making it still great to sing along to. Yeah. One, and I think it also makes it the some more intimate to, you know, like I was listening to always acoustic earlier from, you know, 94 and just two guitars and John Rich. I don't think Rich was singing on this one. It was just John vocally, but Richie and John and guitar and just all broken down. That's another thing that goes into like today's music versus, you know, artists like Bon Jovi. Today's artists have so much computer and tech and all this junk in their songs. You take the soul out of it. Yeah. You take the soul out of it. So when you break it down to a basic song, it doesn't sound any good, like Bon Jovi can, you know, write a great song, have, you know, the drums and the keys and the bass and this and that on the song, but they can also strip it down to just them and a guitar and it still sounds just as amazing. Yeah, because it's got enough to stand on, you know, it's not reliant on a bunch of tricks and a lot of, you know, even specific instruments or anything to make it good. It can stand on its own and just about any form you put it into and that's no longer true of a lot of music. Yeah. Exactly. And another thing I loved about this song live too, just recently, this house tour, I think at least in 2019, I loved when they'd play Saturday night and then at the end they would do like this fun outro. So you have Hugh, John, Phil and Shanks all side by side and they're waving their guitars back and forth during the outro. I thought that was pretty cool. Yeah. So if that song continues live, I'd love for them to do that. That's pretty cool. I thought. Yeah. I hope they, I hope they tour at some point. Yeah. That's, I think everyone could, you know, they can use a little more Bonjour, we use some concerts and all that. That'd be pretty great. I know, I could. Yeah. Yeah. I'm never, I'm never turning down a concert. Me either. And I also love watching John play guitar, you know, because I play guitar. So I like to watch how he plays the chords and stuff, but if you watch him play this song versus another song, he plays his Takamine. You know, he seems like he really enjoys playing this one. Any performance you find of that song, you can tell he really enjoys playing it. Yeah. Makes sense? Yeah. Yeah. That's super important, you know, for artists who, you know, and all the members who love playing a song, you can tell it's no matter what song it is, whether it's the most popular one or not. It's, that's always super cool. Yeah. Absolutely. Is there anything else that you want to say about this song now or forever hold your peace? Nothing I could think of just, you know, I loved it the first time, first time I heard it. I instantly latched on to it and I remember playing it over and over and over and I remember showing, you know, my family, I remember showing my friends and I was just like, you know, this is a good song. People would, you know, laugh at me for, you know, I get in the car and they let me play music and, you know, bond you over here, whatever the other bands. They're just, you know, you love this band and I'm like, yes, yes, I do, you know. That's another thing is too, especially people, you know, are in our age groups. People don't have a favorite artist anymore. People was what I'm looking for here. People just like, oh yeah, I just like music and I don't, I like any genre. I like any song, but they're like, like, for me, like I was just saying earlier, when I love a band or I love a song, I love it hard, like I'll find a song that I have found and love and I'll go on YouTube and I'll watch one of different live versions of it and I'll have it on repeat and I'll have my wife annoyed with me for the rest of the day. But people don't do that anymore. Like people will hear a song just wanting to move on to the next one and I don't know. Yeah, I can't do that. I can't do that. I can't do that. Maybe we're the weirdos. Maybe, but if we're weird, I don't want to be normal. I'm good with, I'm good with being weird. I like it. Exactly. But anyway, stay on. I'm going to end the chat before I do thank you again for coming on and talking about this song and it was great to have you on and I definitely want to have you on again. Yeah. Anytime. Thank you so much for having me. This was so much fun. All right. Thanks Mariah.