We Weren't Born to Follow
"We Weren't Born to Follow" | ||||
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Single by Bon Jovi | ||||
from the album The Circle | ||||
Released | August 17, 2009 | |||
Recorded | Sanctuary Studios, New Jersey
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Genre | Rock[1] | |||
Length | 4:03 (Album version) 4:09 (Single edit) | |||
Label | Island | |||
Songwriter(s) | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | |||
Producer(s) | John Shanks | |||
Bon Jovi singles chronology | ||||
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"We Weren't Born to Follow" is the first single released in August 2009 from Bon Jovi's eleventh studio album, The Circle.[1] The single premiered on radio on August 17, 2009. Jon Bon Jovi explained to the Daily Mail that this song is "about working people picking themselves up by their bootstraps in hard times." [2] The single was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[3]
Since then, the song has reached the peak position on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 68.[4]
Music video
The music video for the song was released on October 14, 2009. It features the band performing on the roof of the Clinton Recording Studios in New York City with skyscrapers visible behind them. Interspersed with these scenes are archive clips and pictures of important events and people in history. These echo the themes of the song. The video includes images of:[5]
- Bringing down the Berlin Wall in 1989
- Lance Armstrong winning the Tour de France
- The Dalai Lama
- A collection of the Wright brothers plane, a space shuttle and Spaceship One of Virgin Galactic
- Virgin Records owner Richard Branson
- The Great Wall of China
- The protests at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989 and the famous Tank Man picture
- Images of US President Barack Obama
- Princess Diana in Africa
- Patrick Thibodeau, a renowned basketball player of Cumberland, Maine, who suffers from Down's Syndrome, playing on the Greely High School boys' basketball team.
- Martin Luther King delivering the "I Have a Dream" speech
- Protests about climate change
- The late guitarist Les Paul
- The successful emergency water landing of US Airways Flight 1549 and pilot Chesley Burnett Sullenberger III
- Scenes of the separation stage of a Saturn V rocket along with various astronauts in EVA
- Gloria Steinem and feminist demonstrations.
- Robert Kennedy
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- 2009–2010 Iranian election protests
For the week ending November 21, the music video for "We Weren't Born to Follow" reached number 1 on the VH1 Top 20 in the USA.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Single Version) | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | 4:09 |
Total length: | 4:09 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Single Version) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:09 |
2. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Instrumental) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:09 |
Total length: | 8:18 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Single Version) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:09 |
2. | "Blaze of Glory" (Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, July 2008.) | Bon Jovi | 5:48 |
Total length: | 9:57 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "We Weren't Born to Follow" (Single Version) | Bon Jovi, Sambora | 4:09 |
2. | "Blaze of Glory" (Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, July 2008.) | Bon Jovi | 5:48 |
3. | "In These Arms" (Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, July 2008.) | Bon Jovi, Sambora, David Bryan | 6:08 |
4. | "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" (Recorded live at Madison Square Garden, New York City, July 2008.) | Bon Jovi, Sambora, Desmond Child | 6:22 |
Total length: | 22:28 |
Personnel
- Bon Jovi
- Jon Bon Jovi - lead vocals[10]
- Richie Sambora - guitars, backing vocals[10]
- Hugh McDonald - bass guitar, backing vocals [10]
- Tico Torres - drums, percussion[10]
- David Bryan - keyboards, backing vocals [10]
- Additional musicians
- Technical personnel
- John Shanks – producer[6]
- Jon Bon Jovi - co-producer [6]
- Richie Sambora - co-producer [6]
- Jeff Rothschild - engineer [6]
- Mike Rew - additional engineer [6]
- Obie O'Brien - additional engineer [6]
- Alex Gibson - additional engineer [6]
- Lars Fox - Pro Tools editor [6]
- Bob Clearmountain - mixing engineer [6]
- Brandon Duncan - mixing assistant [6]
- George Marino - mastering [6]
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
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Release history
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog |
---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | October 21, 2009 | Island | CD | UICL-5026[35] |
Europe | October 23, 2009 | 0602527239415[36] | ||
0602527239408[37] |
References
- ^ a b "Bon Jovi Releases New Single Ahead of Schedule". Rockstar Weekly. Retrieved 2009-08-19.
Pop rockers Bon Jovi have streamed the new single 'We Weren't Born To Follow' on their website. The song is the first taste of the new CD The Circle, scheduled for release on November 10. It shows the band returning to its rock roots.
- ^ We Weren't Born To Follow Songfacts
- ^ Bon Jovi Nominated for Grammy Award! Bon Jovi News
- ^ "We Weren't Born To Follow - Bon Jovi". Billboard.
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l We Weren't Born to Follow (United States CD Single). Bon Jovi. New York City: Island. 2009. B0013426-32.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ We Weren't Born to Follow (Japanese CD Single). Bon Jovi. New York City: Island. 2009. UICL-5026.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ We Weren't Born to Follow (European CD Single). Bon Jovi. New York City: Island. 2009. 0602527239415.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ We Weren't Born to Follow (CD-Maxi Single CD Single). Bon Jovi. New York City: Island. 2009. 0602527239408.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e f The Circle (Album). Bon Jovi. New York City: Island. 2009. p. 10. 602527245607.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "ARIA Charts Report: Week Commencing 21 September 2009 #Issue1021" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – We Weren't Born to Follow" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 45. týden 2009 in the date selector.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – We Weren't Born to Follow" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Bon Jovi: We Weren't Born to Follow" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 45, 2009". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – We Weren't Born to Follow". Top Digital Download.
- ^ "Hits of the World - Japan". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 21, 2009. p. 47. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ "ウィー・ワーント・ボーン・トゥ・フォロー ボン・ジョヴィ - ORICON STYLE". Oricon. 2009-11-02. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200947 into search.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – We Weren't Born to Follow". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Bon Jovi – We Weren't Born to Follow". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Bon Jovi Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2009". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
- ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- ^ "Japan Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- ^ "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
- ^ "We Weren`t Born To Follow: Bon Jovi LAWSON-TICKET HMV - UICL-5026". HMV. 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
- ^ "Bon Jovi - We Weren'T Born to Follow gebraucht (2-Track) kaufen". reBuy.de. 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
- ^ "Bon Jovi - We Weren'T Born to Follow gebraucht kaufen". reBuy.de. 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2017-01-05.