JON BON JOVI – Blaze of Glory: Inspired by the film Young Guns II (1990 Mercury)
Billy the Kid was a fascinating character. Perhaps he was the embodiment of the Old West itself: a charismatic outlaw, who reportedly had a hair trigger temper but also a heart of gold. Unfortunately, the film Young Guns II seems more about a person called Brushy Bill, rather than William H. McCarty, also known as William H. Bonney, but best known as Billy the Kid. Having killed his first man at 18, the Kid earned his nickname with his boyish looks. He looked nothing at all like his screen counterpart Emilio Estevez, but it’s because of Emilio that Jon Bon Jovi recorded the soundtrack to Young Guns II.
A popular theory from the 1990’s was that Billy the Kid was not killed by Sheriff Patrick Frank Garrett in 1881. In 1948, a character called Brushy Bill Roberts emerged claiming to be the Kid, alive and well. There was enough facial resemblance, and also sworn statements from five people who knew the Kid. Roberts never proved that he was actually William McCarty, and today historians have dismissed his claims due to the number of facts that do not match (such as dates of birth). Young Guns II, the film, operated on the popular theory that Billy survived, and that he faked his death with the help of Pat Garrett.
In fact Garrett did shoot the Kid and lived a life of shame afterwards, as the details of the shooting of the popular Kid didn’t paint him in a positive light. Oddly enough, Garrett himself was shot and killed in 1908 by a rancher named Jesse Wayne Brazel, in New Mexico. The interesting coincidence about this is Brazel was uncle to a Mac Brazel, also a rancher in New Mexico, near the town of Roswell. It was on his ranch that something strange (almost certainly an actual UFO) crashed and was covered up. It is an amusing intersection of two of the great folk tales in American history.
So along came this movie. Emilio Estevez asked Jon Bon Jovi if they could use “Wanted: Dead or Alive” in the film. Jon declined and said, “The lyrics don’t make sense. That song is about touring, let me write you something more appropriate to the old west and Billy the Kid.” This turned into an entire album. Essentially Blaze of Glory is not a soundtrack album (since none of Jon’s songs are in the movie until the end credits) but a concept album based on the film.
The album begins with a snippet of dialogue: “Yoo-hoo!” says Emilio/Billy. “I’ll make ya famous.” A gunshot and the song “Billy Get Your Guns” begins. That’s Kenny Aranoff on drums in case you were wondering. “Billy Get Your Guns” isn’t a hard rock song like Bon Jovi was doing at the time. But it’s still rock and roll, featuring some great slide guitar riffing by Waddy Wachtel. Jon’s voice is young, strong and loud. It’s a sound I miss. I think it’s impossible to dislike the excellent “Billy Get Your Guns”, especially when topped by a Jeff Beck guitar solo, who plays on pretty much the whole album. (The album also features two Journey bassists: Randy Jackson and Bob Glaub.)
Jeff even appeared in the music video for “Miracle”, the hit ballad from the album. The lovely accordion and spare arrangement gives it quite a different feel from old Bon Jovi ballads. Once again I am reminded that Jon once possessed quite a powerful voice. It’s also worth noting that Jon wrote every song himself.
“William H. Bonney, you are not a god.” – Keifer Sutherland as Doc Scurlock
“Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out.” – Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid
I still love “Blaze of Glory”. It’s timeless, more so than a lot of Bon Jovi’s hits from the time — “Bad Medicine” and so forth. I remember seeing Aldo Nova on TV playing the riff on an acoustic guitar, and it is perfect in its classic simplicity. Aldo is one of Jon’s oldest friends and he plays on the whole album as well. This dynamite hit song has become so loved that Bon Jovi play it live and included it on their greatest hits compilations, even though only Jon was part of it. Jeff Beck’s smoking solo is as much part of the song as Jon is. I cannot understate how great this song is. From quiet acoustic strumming to bombastic aplomb, the song is a great achievement.
“Blood Money” is a short ballad, with spare acoustics, tambourine and accordion. Jon sings as Billy the Kid, directly to Pat Garrett. Historically we don’t know if Garrett and McCarty were friends as they are portrayed in the film, but likely they were not. Regardless, even though the lyrics are implausible historically, it is still a powerful little song.
This leads into “Santa Fe”, which is from the perspective of Doc Scurlock. You want epic? Look no further. An album highlight, “Santa Fe” boasts strings, powerful Aranoff beats, and Jon’s most vivid lead vocal. If it had been on a Bon Jovi album, I think it would be regarded as highly as a song like “Dry County” which it resembles slightly.
Side two opened with Lou Diamond Phillips (Chavez y Chavez in the film) singing a native chant. The song “Justice in the Barrel” refers of course to the barrel of a gun, and Jeff Beck’s playing in the opening reminds us why he is one of rock’s most legendary gunslingers. The song however is more laid back, a slow rock groove. “Never Say Die” is the most straightforward rocker on the album, and it features Robbin Crosby of Ratt on electric guitar. This song most closely resembles Bon Jovi, the band, even lyrically. It is followed by a song that sounds nothing at all like them, and also my favourite: “You Really Got Me Now”. From first listen, way back in 1990, to today, this is a song that always puts a smile on my face. Imagine Jon Bon and Little Richard building a time machine, travelling back to 1881, and jamming in a saloon. That’s “You Really Got Me Now”. Richard plays piano and sings the second verse, and I love it. It’s a shame this little tune is only 2 1/2 minutes long, but I guess it was a bit of a novelty.
“Bang a Drum” is a pleasant soft soul rock anthem, but the Hammond organ and Jeff Beck help maintain its integrity. The soul comes from the backing vocals of Julia and Maxine Waters. This is the climax; the denoument is “Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin'”. The delicate piano is provided by one Elton John (before he would become Sir). Elton also joins Jon on backing vocals. “All this fame don’t bring ya freedom,” sings Jon, a line that may apply to a rock star life as well as an outlaw. The powerful song is a natural ending to a story such as this.
There’s a brief coda, an orchestral piece from the movie by composer Alan Silvestri called “Guano City”. I always wondered why this piece (as good as it is, sounding like some of John Williams’ more exciting segments) was on the album. Nevertheless, there it is, and the album is done.
Jon was very emphatic in stating that Blaze of Glory was not his true solo album. It was 10 songs written specifically for a movie, to fit that movie. His solo album would come seven years later with Destination Anywhere, but first it was time to get Bon Jovi, the band, back on track. This began with a 1991 live performance of “Blaze of Glory” at the Academy Awards, by the full Bon Jovi band, augmented by additional guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Danny Kortchmar.
If you consider solo albums and soundtracks as part of the overall catalog, Blaze of Glory still clocks in as one of my absolute favourites.
5/5 stars
Star studded disc at the time that’s for sure. I dunno I liked some of it but quite honest I have not listened to it in years. Might have to dust it off and give it a twirl. Well written review dude!
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Damn I love this album. I’m surprised you don’t!
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I remember this soundtrack (and the film well). My friends and I used “Blaze of glory” as the soundtrack for a cheap B movie we filmed for a high school English class based on a short story called “Gold mounted guns”. We used bicycles as horses and wrote the film’s title on a piece of paper and burned it à la Bonanza. It was awesome.
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Is Gold Mounted Guns available on Netflix or Youtube? ;)
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Maybe. I never thought to look. I’m sure it would garner rave reviews for the acting and effects.
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A big gap in my collection this one. I never could be arsed with it because it was… soundtracky! But you’ve totally sold it to me here. Had no idea it was so starstudded.
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Well I hope I was successful in my argument that this is not a soundtrack but actually a concept album!
And we rockers looove concept albums…
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I had this on cassette back in the day, and have it on CD now. I don’t find it has aged quite as well as you do, but it’s still a cool album full of many great songs and moments.
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I don’t know if I agree that it hasn’t aged well. It’s aged better than anything Bon Jovi’s done in the last 15 years…including their newest.
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Fair enough. I think the main difference for me is I am not as big a JBJ fan as you are. Times when he comes on in the mix I find him really nasal, almost whiny. I don’t knock the music here at all, though. I think I just need JBJ in very small doses now. That might be the difference.
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That I agree with. I’ve always said Jon is the second best singer in his own band.
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Nope. He’s the fifth best singer in his band…. ;-)
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Bahaha ouch.
Yeah I dunno, I’m just not as invested in his stuff. I think I only have the one you gave me (Bounce), and this one.
Small doses. That’s the key.
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Yup, I totally get that.
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Noooooo. It has aged really well, true, but I think that all of Bon Jovi’s albums up to Crush has aged very well musically. Production wise the first two, not so much.
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I only know the title track – but a 5/5 review has convinced me to hear the rest!
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Thanks man, that’s my job. Plus Sir Elton…Little Richard…Jeff Beck…
And I dig the concept too. I’m fascinated by Billy.
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I was hoping for some comments on the History lesson too. Ahh well you guys are rock fans!
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Actually I’m a big fan of Westerns so I did enjoy your little history lesson. I knew the basics already but didn’t know about the hoax stuff or the UFO?!
Have you seen Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, the Peckinpah movie? It’s one of my favourites.
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No I haven’t…it’s on my list. I also want to see the Paul Newman film The Left Handed Gun (even though Billy was a righty).
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Not heard of that one. I recommend the Peckinpah though, it’s got Bob Dylan in it for no reason whatsoever.
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I’ll bet that happened to Boaby a lot.
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Reading about it now. What a cast! James Coburn! Slim Pickens! Kris Kristofferson! Jason Robards, Charles Martin Smith, I’m in. Wishlist!
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Yup we are remiss. You know, it might be because you spoil us so much with all this good content. We start to take things like this for granted? :)
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Awwwww so kind! Here’s your $10 for saying that!
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I thought the history lesson was pretty cool. I’ve come to expect rock history from you, but it’s neat to read stuff about the old west.
Do you really think the government is covering up info about a UFO? I did until I heard Stephen Hawking say “If the governments are involved in covering up the knowledge of aliens, then they are doing of it than they seem to do at everything else.”
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I think some governments are covering up UFOs. But in other countries such as Mexico the reality of UFOs is considered fact.
Yeah I absolutely do think we’re being visited but I think the conspiracies involved are less intricate. I think the governments of the world know about as much as we do. I think they’re in the dark. I don’t think there are secrets deals or treaties.
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Never owned this one (assumes crash position)
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Whyyyyyy?
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(Whimpers)
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Send me your Izzy Stradlin 12″ single and I won’t get upset.
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Aldo Nova was/is a damn good guitarist too.
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Even though I might not give this 10/10, it’s still a damn good record. Kinda showed us how Bon Jovi would have sounded had not Richie Sambora been there to rock things up. But the songs here – most of ’em anyway – are amazing. The title track is a continuation of Wanted Dead Or Alive, kind of and Miracle is one of the cheeseballads ever written. Cheese is not always a bad thing, see. And as you said, Mike, it’s impossible not to love Billy Get Your Guns and I truly love Never Say Die and Bang A Drum as well. And what a shame that Blood Money isn’t longer. Killer melody on that one.
Great review and a nice education on Billy The Kid and his entourage.
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I have a live version of Blood Money, Jon. It’s a lovely song. I have it on a Japanese CD called Tokyo Road which has 4 exclusive live songs.
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Ooooft! Now you’ve gone and done it. I spotted this a week or so ago on vinyl … I’m now actually tempted to pick it up.
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VINYL? I didn’t know they even MADE this on vinyl. I bet not too many were pressed. I’d pick that up!
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Yeah, you bet! I’ll let you know if I see it again … and, importantly, if I pick it up!
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Right on!
FYI: I’m doing the Avril review.
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