It's that lightning in a bottle that strikes once in a lifetime. Sure, some bands (or solo artists) go on to have equally successful albums, but it's always that one. That breakthrough album that stands out as, "That was that moment in history when..." For Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet was that moment.
Despite releasing two albums prior to Slippery, Bon Jovi remained totally off my radar until the latter part of 1986. In my defense, this was the case for most, as the band had yet to really make an impact. However, just a month after its release, the band entered the charts with, You Give Love A Bad Name. The song would fly to the number one spot by November 28th, but be dethroned the following week by Peter Cetera's duet with Amy Grant, The Next Time I Fall In Love.
But, Bon Jovi was far from done. Living On A Prayer entered the charts in the final weeks of December. It would become the band's second number one hit by February 1987, and also their signature track. A fun story behind the tune was that singer Jon Bon Jovi didn't initially think it was a strong song, and didn't want to include it on the album. It was guitarist Richie Sambora who convinced him otherwise. Living On A Prayer spent four weeks at number one before being overtaken by Jacob's Ladder from Huey Lewis And The News.
Wanted Dead Or Alive entered the charts as their third hit in April of 1987, but would peak at number seven, a slot it held for three consecutive weeks. It would be the final track from the album to chart.
Ultimately, Bon Jovi would be one of those bands that my brother was more interested in than I was. He would play both Slippery When Wet and New Jersey frequently, which resulted in the majority of my exposure to them. It wasn't that I hated them. I just didn't feel the need, at the time, to own their albums. Then again, of my siblings, I was for the longest time the one who owned the least albums.
This all changed of course when I started putting together my carefully, soon to be out of control, curated collection in my adult years. There was no doubt that Bon Jovi needed to be among my albums. In fact, they're one of the few artists who I dabble in the 90's and beyond eras.
To this day, Slippery When Wet stands out as a solid album. It features iconic tracks from Bon Jovi, and is easily one of the greatest of all time. Well, for my generation anyway. This is an album that every music collector should own.
The hits are obviously the hits for a reason, but the album as a whole is not to be shunned. It's one of the few I would label as "perfect", and worth owning on vinyl, since there's no reason to skip any tracks.
If you haven't heard this album, you're missing out. If you have, listen to it again.
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