Burning Bridges

Album: Burning Bridges (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Burning Bridges is the last Bon Jovi album released through Mercury Records, signaling the end of a 32-year relationship. Frontman Jon Bon Jovi tells the whole story of their split in the record's title track:

    After 30 years of loyalty, they let you dig the grave
    Now maybe you can learn to sing or strum along
    Well I'll give you half the publishing
    You're why I wrote this song


    Bon Jovi told Billboard magazine: "It fulfills a commitment to Mercury Records. We've parted ways. If you listen to 'Burning Bridges,' the song, it's clearly spelled out."

    "This hits it right in the head and tells you what happened," he added. "Listen to the lyrics. That's that."
  • This wasn't the first time a rocker has recorded a bitter parting gift aimed at Mercury. In 1979 British rocker Graham Parker expressed his frustration with his label's inept marketing in "Mercury Poisoning."
  • The term 'To burn one's bridges' was originally used in a military sense of intentionally cutting off one's own retreat in order to commit oneself to a course of action. The phrase is now used primarily to reference the intentional alienating of relationships. Other artists that have recorded songs with the title "Burning Bridges" include Mike Curb Congregation, Information Society and Ludacris.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.