We Weren't Born to Follow
2009 single by Bon Jovi
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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. The single was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[2]
- Sanctuary Studios, New Jersey
- Henson Recording Studios, California
4:09 (Single edit)
| "We Weren't Born to Follow" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Bon Jovi | ||||
| from the album The Circle | ||||
| Released | August 17, 2009 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Rock[1] | |||
| Length | 4:03 (Album version) 4:09 (Single edit) | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Songwriters | Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora | |||
| Producer | John Shanks | |||
| Bon Jovi singles chronology | ||||
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Since then, the song has reached the peak position on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 68.[3]
Music video
The music video, directed by Craig Barry and edited by Brett Langefels 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. Designed and composited by Matthew Lucas-Valci, these scenes echo the themes of the song. The video includes images of:[4]
- 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 has Down's Syndrome, playing on the Greely High School boys' basketball team.
- Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his August 1963 "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 F. 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.
In popular culture
In 2009, TBS used the song in its commercials for that year's Major League Baseball playoffs.[5] Jon Bon Jovi gave a copy of the song to his friend Bill Belichick, head coach of the New England Patriots, before its public release. The Patriots had initially planned to play it after touchdowns at Gillette Stadium, but ultimately chose to use "This Is Our House" instead.[6]
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[11]
- Richie Sambora - guitars, backing vocals[11]
- Hugh McDonald - bass guitar, backing vocals[11]
- Tico Torres - drums, percussion[11]
- David Bryan - keyboards, backing vocals[11]
- Additional musicians
- Technical personnel
- John Shanks – producer[7]
- Jon Bon Jovi - co-producer[7]
- Richie Sambora - co-producer[7]
- Jeff Rothschild - engineer[7]
- Mike Rew - additional engineer[7]
- Obie O'Brien - additional engineer[7]
- Alex Gibson - additional engineer[7]
- Lars Fox - Pro Tools editor[7]
- Bob Clearmountain - mixing engineer[7]
- Brandon Duncan - mixing assistant[7]
- George Marino - mastering[7]
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[38] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||