I’ve got a lot to thank Bon Jovi for. Back in the day (that’s 1988, kiddies), they were my earliest introduction to the wonderful world of Hair Metal. It’s been quite a ride, and the ‘Jovi sound has mellowed in the intervening years.

So, if you’re a fan of classic Bon Jovi, let’s take a look down memory lane at 10 of their best-known songs:

10: Runaway

Those purists who bought their eponymous debut album will know that Runaway isn’t strictly a Bon Jovi song – it was recorded by Jon Bon as a solo single and became a local hit. Apparently the album version was re-recorded by the official Bon Jovi lineup when the album was recorded, but the single featured session musicians including Dave “Snake” Sabo (later of Skid Row) and Hugh McDonald (who later replaced Alec John Such on bass).

9: It’s My Life

Another return to form for Bon Jovi after what appeared to be a few years lost in the musical wilderness. It’s My Life was a return to a more classic arena rock sound for the band and even drafted in an appearance from Livin’ On A Prayer’s Tommy and Gina in the lyrics.

Those echoes of classic Bon Jovi struck a chord with fans of the bands earlier work who felt abandoned by their sound in those later years.

8: Dry County

An epic tune from the Keep The Faith album, Dry County clocked in at almost 10 minutes long. It was an ambitious song for the band to attempt, having been known for punchy shorter hit records.

Written by Jon, it paints a picture of a journey through desolate countryside and talks about economic and religious issues along the way. It features several extended instrumental sections which all add to the magnitude of the song. Included here for showing a completely different side to Jon Bon Jovi’s writing talent while still managing to rock!

7: Wild Is The Wind

It might seem like an obscure selection, but it is a tribute to the ‘B’ side of Bon Jovi’s New Jersey album, which showcased some excellent material and proved that the band didn’t deal in filler material.

While the song has a relatively simple structure (it is a Bon Jovi song, after all), there’s power and passion in the instrumentation and vocals, and some pounding drums laid down by Tico. In fairness, any of the last 6 tracks from New Jersey could have made this list.

6: Let It Rock

Built for the stadiums, this album opener featured a drawn out, gothic sounding organ intro which segued into Ritchie Sambora’s distorted guitar and a classic ‘Jovi chorus. I was completely surprised to learn that this song wasn’t released as a single. It’s up there with Livin’ On A Prayer and Wanted Dead Or Alive on the Slippery When Wet album.

5: Blood On Blood

Although Blood On Blood was never released as a single, a performance video for the song was on the New Jersey: The Videos compilation. I feel the song has much in common with Bryan Adams’ Summer Of ‘69.

It’s a fond look back at Jon’s youthful hijinx with his friends and about the bonds that they forged in those early days. The live video is especially powerful – it was shot in black and white and parts of the band and audience are highlighted in a blood red colour. There’s a point in the song where Jon and Ritchie sing together “We’re brothers”. I know it’s cheesy, but it always runs a tingle down my spine…

4: Keep The Faith

There was a point in the early 90’s when it looked like Bon Jovi was finished. The band had gone into extended hiatus after the New Jersey tour and rumors abounded that the members were barely on speaking terms. Grunge hit the scene and vaporized the thriving hard rock/hair metal market. We held our collective breath and wondered if there would be a market left for Bon Jovi when they finally returned.

We needn’t have worried, because Keep The Faith managed to show a progression in the band’s style without totally alienating their audience (hello, Def Leppard?) and without selling out to grunge. That instantly recognizable bassline and Jon’s impassioned vocals showed the world there was still life in Bon Jovi.

3: Livin’ On A Prayer

While some would argue that this is the quintessential Bon Jovi song, it gets marked down here for overexposure. Still, Livin’ On A Prayer carries the blue-collar ethic that pervaded Slippery When Wet and originally carried the group to superstardom.

The bass intro, Sambora’s talk box effect on the guitar riff and the soaring synth that raises the verses into a magnificent modern day hymn to struggle and ambition and love. The guitar solo is one of the most memorable of the era, as is the video with Jon in a harness flying over the audience, playing out his Superman fantasy.

2: Wanted Dead Or Alive

This classic acoustic rocker by Jon and Ritchie Sambora marked the genesis of Jon’s ‘cowboy period’ which would later peak when he wrote the Young Guns II soundtrack.

Wanted Dead Or Alive was the third single to be released from the Slippery… album and reached #7 on the Billboard chart.

In the main, the song features a strummed verse and chorus overlaid with a descending twelve-string motif. Throughout the second verse, Ritchie builds up to a blazing solo filled with squealing harmonics. Toward the end, Jon’s lyric equates their hectic touring schedule with a nomadic existence with the line “I’ve been everywhere, still I’m standing tall, I’ve seen a million faces, and I’ve rocked them all”.

1: Lay Your Hands On Me

Lay Your Hands was to New Jersey what Let It Rock was to Slippery When Wet. An excellent atmospheric introduction bursts into what was one of Bon Jovi’s heaviest songs of the time.

For me, Lay Your Hands was one of the defining moments of late 80’s arena rock. The promo video featured a live show and an even longer intro than the album version. At the end of the intro, Jon erupts into the middle of the stage. Sambora’s there in cowboy hat and twin neck guitar, Jon’s strutting down an overhead walkway and pyrotechnics are firing off everywhere. The whole thing rocks from start to finish.

It’s a less well-known tune called Traveling Riverside Blues. In keeping with the Delta Blues obsession that spawned the blues rock of the late 60’s/early 70’s, the song is based on Robert Johnson’s original of the same name.

The version of the song that Zep recorded back in 1969 resurfaced in 1990 on the Remasters box set, and then again in a compilation of early Led Zeppelin live songs called BBC Sessions.

For me, Traveling Riverside Blues is the perfect rock song – it’s got a searing slide guitar intro by Jimmy, and Robert is in classic form borrowing some choice lyrics from Johnson’s catalogue of songs. He’s even singing about squeezing lemons years before The Lemon Song was ever recorded.

It’s a great example of a band paying homage to the genre that influenced them most, and encapsulates Led Zeppelin at their absolute best. Check out the track and tell me it isn’t one of the best Zep tracks ever…

Alice Cooper. What a legend. With his trademark theatrical make-up and a gallows or guillotine always on hand to dispatch his fiendish stage persona straight to hell, Alice has left an indelible impression on the history of rock.

To celebrate the release of Alice’s 25th studio album, we thought it was a good time to look back over some of the best songs of his career. This is our Top Ten – feel free to add your own favourite Alice Cooper songs in the comments section.

10) I’m Eighteen

I’m Eighteen is the coming of age song that launched the Alice Cooper band into the limelight. Featured on their major label debut, “Love It To Death”, it’s become a heavy metal classic through the years – and the teenage angst theme would feature in future Cooper tracks like School’s Out and Teenage Lament ‘74.

9) School’s Out

Back in ‘72, the king of shock rock released his most identifiable song, School’s Out. It became an instant classic, and an anthem which would be rolled out at the end of every school term for the last 36 years. Its tendency to be mercilessly overplayed is perhaps the reason why it charts at number 9 on our list!

8) How You Gonna See Me Now?

What? The king of shock rock in ‘vulnerable moment’ scandal! How You Gonna See Me Now was released after Cooper had spent an extensive period in hospital while being treated for alcoholism. The song’s as far from ‘classic’ Alice as he could possibly get, but fans of the man will dig this track for its autobiographical nature showing Cooper’s insecurities after dealing with his addiction.

7) Freedom

How could we resist this slab of pre-Trash album cheese? Freedom was released in 1987, and is notable for Schwarzneggerian guitarist Kane Roberts’ appearance in the video – guitarists aren’t ever meant to have that build, are they? Just watch some of those Status Quo-esque guitar moves…awesome!

6) The Ballad of Dwight Fry

If you’ve seen Alice live, you’ll recognize this brilliant early track which he sings while trussed up in a straightjacket. The lyrics are brilliantly psychotic and delivered with Alice alternating between docile and out-and-out crazy, often in the same verse.

5) Billion Dollar Babies

The title track from the Alice Cooper band’s best albums, Alice was riding high at the time (1973) and hanging out with Salvador Dali.

Cooper veritably sneers and spits out the lyrics of the tune, which comes fully loaded with misogynistic and highly sexual themes.

4) Only Women Bleed

It might be hard to imagine a rocker whose pastimes included cavorting with snakes and getting killed on stage receiving praise from women’s groups, but in 1975, Cooper released Only Women Bleed (which bizarrely had nothing to do with menstruation). The song sensitively tackled the issue of domestic violence. Of course, Alice also performed it on stage after fake murdering one of his fellow performers from time to time, also.

3) Desperado

Back in ‘71, Alice recorded one of our favourite songs – Desperado – an almost Western-themed track about a loner who kills for money. Brilliantly bleak lyrics – “You’re a notch and I’m a legend/You’re at peace and I must hide” – make this an all-time great.

Cooper is seemingly forgetful as to who the song was written about, having cited both Doors frontman Jim Morrison and a character from The Magnificent Seven as the inspiration. However, as far as we’re aware, Jim Morrison was not a hitman at any stage in his career.

2) Poison

Cooper’s 1989 comeback track would have taken the top spot, and it’s the song that introduced a new generation to Alice’s greatness, even if it was co-written by Desmond “All rock bands should sound the same” Child.

From that searing intro to the blistering riff, those big-ass Hair Metal drums and Cooper striding above it all, whip in hand, sneering his lyrics and loving every minute. Oh, and don’t forget the MTV-friendly video babes, a reminder that women once wore their eyebrows au naturalle. But we digress…

1) Halo Of Flies

We know what you’re thinking, “But it wasn’t even a single!” Quit crying, baby. Halo Of Flies is quite simply an epic, 8 and-a-half minutes of amazing rock music. It arguably has no parallel in Cooper’s entire back catalogue.

From 1972’s Killer album, Halo Of Flies is unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Listen to the track below for an example of its sheer brilliance (and also look for Dead Babies from the same album which should have been on this list).

We’ve tried to include some obscure Alice tracks in this round-up. Undoubtedly, long time fans will have their own favourites, so give us your own top 10 down in the comments!