Exploring Songs on Bon Jovi's "This House Is Not For Sale" Tour

With a career spanning nearly four decades, Bon Jovi have become rock royalty. The band consists of frontman Jon Bon Jovi backed by David Bryan (keys), Tico Torres (drums), Hugh McDonald (bass) and Phil X (guitars), with Everett Bradley (percussion) and John Shanks (guitars) joining the touring circuit.

They're currently on tour supporting their thirteenth studio album, 2016's This House Is Not For Sale. The album is a follow up to 2013's What About Now and features 12 songs, including their title track single and three other promotional singles: "Knockout," "Labor of Love" and "Born Again Tomorrow."

The jaunt kicked off February 8, 2017 and is slated to run through October 2, 2019 with 95 total shows: 58 in North America, 20 in Europe, 10 in South America, 4 in Oceania and 3 in Asia.

The band's setlists have been a mixture of classics and new material alike. They've been featuring songs like "Bad Medicine," "Born to Be My Baby," "Amen" and "I'll be There For You" as well as staple hits such as "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Wanted Dead or Alive" and "Livin' on a Prayer."

Want to know which songs have made the cut? Cue up our Setlist Playlist on Spotify and continue reading for an in-depth look at some of the songs Bon Jovi have been playing.

"This House Is Not For Sale"

The band opens up their concert with the title track from the new album, which was actually inspired by a Jerry Uelsmann picture Jon saw in a magazine. It depicts a house anchored by deep roots.

"You've heard the old adage, 'Every picture tells a story.' I was thumbing through a magazine one day, and this picture leapt off the page," Jon explained.

"It really came to life. The writing process had just begun for me, and I was trying to find focus. But when I saw this picture, this proud, old house, with these deep roots that was in disrepair, it hit me all at once. I said, 'I got it.'"
Bon Jovi This House is Not For Sale album cover

"Runaway"

This track was the band’s debut single. It was released in 1984 and became their first Top 40 hit in the US. It’s one of the band’s only early works that consistently makes the setlist year after year.

Bon Jovi "Runaway"

"It's My Life"

This song off of 2000's Crush is probably one of Bon Jovi's most well-known post-1980s hit single, catering to a younger audience.

"I thought I was writing very self-indulgently about my own life and where I was in it," Jon said.

"I didn't realize that the phrase 'It's My Life' would be taken as being about everyone – by teenagers, by older guys, mechanics, whatever . 'It's my life, and I'm taking control.' Everyone kind of feels that way from time to time."
Bon Jovi "It's My Life"

"Wanted Dead or Alive"

"Wanted Dead or Alive" pays homage to Jon's admiration for the Old West. He said he found inspiration for the lyrics while riding on a bus with the band, explaining that ever band's dynamic is similar to that of an outlaw's.

"[There's] a young band of thieves riding into town, stealing the money, the girls and the booze before the sun came up," he said.

During a 2008 concert in Detroit, he also said the song was "absolutely positively influenced by Bob Seger’s 'Turn the Page.'"

Watch a clip from that concert below!

Jon Bon Jovi talking about Bob Seger

Head over to the band's website for a full list of European dates, and make sure to follow Setlist.fm on Instagram and Twitter for updates throughout the tour!

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Last updated: 28 Mar 2024, 13:08 Etc/UTC