Jon Bon Jovi finds his voice on this album (after mixed results with his Springsteen-ish wail on his first two efforts) and while Richie Sambora hadn't shed his Eddie Van Halen tributes yet, he sounded more alive on this album than on most any other tracks he ever laid down. The rhythm section is really one of the more underlooked in rock but the production is top-notch, letting every musician have their moments. Every song has the typical 80's gloss and shine, yet the band pushes themselves to demonstrate that they have real, live talent.

Every song on this album is a winner, as well, from the Pyromania-ish kickoff of 'Let It Rock' to the mega-hits Livin on a Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive, You give love a Bad name, and Never Say Goodbye', right on down to the killer album tracks like Raise your Hands and especially 'I'd Die for You'.

Slippery When Wet is Bon Jovi's most consistent, focused affair, and if you want a good case to make about how good the 80's could be, then look no further than this album.


Slippery Songs   September 28, 2000
Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA)
11 out of 15 found this review helpful

Slippery When Wet is the album that propelled Jon Bon Jovi and his bandmates from open act to major league headliners. Often they are dismissed as a 80's hair metal band, admittingly there is nothing on this album that will make you forget Springsteen or the Beatles, but it is unfair to lump them in with that genre. Although they had the look down (big hair, torn jeans etc.), unlike the other bands, they actually have a good ear for a melody and wrote good songs. Songs like the number one hits "You Give Love A Bad Name" & "Livin' On A Prayer" show their diversity. The former is a straight ahead rocker and the latter a moody number. "Wanted Dead Or Alive" is a classic rock epic that aspires for greatness. Lesser known songs like "I'd Die For You", "Social Disease" & "Raise Your Hands" are solid songs. The lyrics sometimes fall into tired cliche terrority and the music is a little too slick in places, you have give the band an A for effort and genuiness. The album is just good fun.


Changed my life...seriously   May 10, 2007
Justin Gaines (Atlanta, GA)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Everyone has that one album that they can credit with changing the way they listened to music. Some are fortunate enough to have experienced this great awakening to Are You Experienced or The Doors. For others it was London Calling, Ramones, or even Black Sabbath. For me it was Slippery When Wet. That's right, Bon Jovi changed my life. I realize on some level that I should probably be embarrassed about that little fact, but the truth is I love this album every bit as much now as I did two decades ago.

I still remember like it was yesterday. I was 11 at the time, and didn't really care about music one way or another. I did however think that Transformers were quite awesome, but I digress. I was flipping channels and came across the video for Livin' on a Prayer. I wish I could accurately describe the impact that silly, you and me against the world love song had on me. It was like all of the tumblers of a combination lock sliding into place inside my head. I knew I had to hear more, but that wasn't going to be easy. My mama didn't dance and my daddy didn't rock & roll, so to speak, so I had to track down the cassette through a friend. If Livin' on a Prayer grabbed my interest, You Give Love a Bad Name and Wanted Dead or Alive sealed the deal. After that I moved on to Poison, Europe, Stryper, and dozens of other hairspray laden bands that I naively thought of as "metal", but Bon Jovi was the first.

I sometimes wonder if I would have reacted the same way to any other album. Somehow I doubt it. Bon Jovi was at the top of their game with this album. You could argue that their follow-up album New Jersey is the band's best, but I'll put the songs on Slippery When Wet up against that Bad Medicine stuff any day! With Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi built on the sound they developed with their two previous efforts and added hitmakers like Desmond Child to take the songwriting to a whole new level. I can hear you snickering at the thought of You Give Love a Bad Name and Never Say Goodbye as examples of quality songwriting, but it's hard to argue with the results. I believe that the lessons Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora learned while recording this album are a big reason why they are still big stars to this day, when so many of their peers have been relegated to the bar & grill circuit.

Slippery When Wet was the perfect fusion of Bruce Springsteen's American rock & roll, Van Halen's party rock image, and an impeccable pop sensibility. It didn't hurt that Jon and the boys were easy on the eyes and could represent the new face of "metal" in a totally unthreatening way. I can't help but wonder how many other kids made their way to Iron Maiden and Metallica by first discovering a band like Bon Jovi.

Say what you will about this era or this style of music. I firmly believe that Slippery When Wet is a great example of rock & roll in the 80's, and it will always have a special place in my heart.

NOTE: Slippery When Wet was reissued in 1998 with digitally remastered sound. Serious collectors may also want to check out the import version with the original cover art that the band nixed, not because of the racy image, but because of the pink border. Go figure.



Candy Coated Pussified 100 % Certified Garbage   November 25, 2004
Nothintosay (usa)
9 out of 32 found this review helpful

Here it is - Slippery When Wet . I believe Bon Jovis 3rd album .
This album is a turning point if you follow heavy metal . Its the watershed album that turned heavy metal from an up and comming genre into a laughing stock . This band doesnt get the flack it deserves . This is the 1910 Fruitgum Company with flangers and fuzzboxes. Its candy a$$ crap aimed at 13 year old girls. Its part of the reason music is in the sad state it finds itself today. This is what Nirvana( the most over rated band
in history )and a host of grunge bands revolted against ... and successfully so. Why ? Because this music is so bad that anything would make it look good. You can directly thank Bon Jovi and crue for the pussification of heavy metal.