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Song Lyric Sunday — Wanted Dead or Alive: Rock Stars, Horses and Lukas
25 October 2026
This week, Jim is taking us to the Wild West! Our Song Lyric Sunday challenge is to choose a song about cowboys, outlaws, horses or the American West.
My choice is Bon Jovi — Wanted Dead or Alive.
And yes, I was definitely a Jon Bon Jovi girl!
Rock Stars and Horses
If you had walked into my teenage bedroom in Norway during the eighties, you would have found posters of Prince, Duran Duran, KISS, Nazareth and, of course, Jon Bon Jovi.
But the biggest poster, hanging above my bed, wasn’t a rock star.
It was a beautiful chestnut horse with a white blaze. Looking into that horse’s eyes always made me feel calm.
My love of horses started early. When I was about nine, I desperately wanted my own horse. I even suggested keeping one in our cellar!
Perfectly reasonable, don’t you think?
Instead, I helped care for horses at a local riding club. My reward was free riding lessons and wonderful trips through the Norwegian countryside, down towards the ocean or up into the mountains.
And there was one horse I particularly adored.
His name was Lukas.
The Horse Who Understood Me
Lukas was gentle and patient, but he didn’t like being rushed. I always suspected sudden movements frightened him.
Not all the children liked him, but I never had any problems with him.
We had a special connection.
I was the foreign girl at school and experienced bullying, so I knew what it felt like to be misunderstood.
With Lukas, I could simply be myself.
He was the first horse I felt truly understood me, and I’ve never forgotten him.
Perhaps that’s why the horse poster had the place of honour above my bed, even with all those handsome rock stars competing for wall space!
The Story Behind Wanted Dead or Alive
Wanted Dead or Alive was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.
The song appeared on Bon Jovi’s third studio album, Slippery When Wet, released on 18 August 1986. It was released as the album’s third single in 1987.
Inspired by the image of wandering cowboys and outlaws, the song compares life as a touring rock musician to travelling across the American West.
The cowboy’s horse becomes a modern-day steel horse, while the gunslinger’s weapon becomes a guitar.
It’s a song about freedom, adventure and the loneliness of constantly travelling from town to town.
And that unmistakable guitar introduction by Richie Sambora still gives me goosebumps!
Here’s an interesting fact: Bon Jovi originally considered naming the album Wanted Dead or Alive, complete with Western-themed artwork, before choosing Slippery When Wet.
How Did It Perform on the Charts?
The song became another international hit for Bon Jovi in 1987.
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| United States — Billboard Hot 100 | No. 7 |
| United Kingdom | No. 13 |
| Ireland | No. 6 |
| New Zealand | No. 5 |
| Australia | No. 13 |
It became Bon Jovi’s third American Top 10 single from Slippery When Wet, following the No. 1 hits You Give Love a Bad Name and Livin’ on a Prayer.
The album went on to become one of the defining rock albums of the eighties.
And I was listening to every bit of it!
Why This Song?
For me, Wanted Dead or Alive brings together two lifelong passions: horses and rock music.
As a child, I dreamed of riding across open landscapes. As a teenager, I listened to Jon Bon Jovi singing about being a cowboy on a steel horse.
Although I have loved many horses throughout my life, including my beautiful Ceniza, Lukas will always have a special place in my heart.
He was my first real equine friend.
Today’s Song
Bon Jovi — Wanted Dead or Alive
- Album: Slippery When Wet (1986)
- Songwriters: Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora
- Producer: Bruce Fairbairn
- Single release: 1987
Last Sunday, I shared a gentle Scandinavian folk song from my childhood.
This Sunday, we’re turning up the volume with Bon Jovi!
From sailing boats to steel horses.
And looking back at my teenage bedroom, I still smile.
Jon Bon Jovi might have made my teenage heart flutter…
But Lukas had already stolen it.
Happy Song Lyric Sunday!
The Afterlove Voice
With love, coffee, poetry, and stardust,
— Maggie The Afterlove Voice 💫
DJ Maggie in the house
https://ditto.fm/arena-51-the-calima-conspiracy-original-mix
https://ditto.fm/arena-51-the-calima-conspiracy-alien-invasion-remix
My song “Silenced,But not broken ” is on streaming platforms.
Lyrics video :
https://ditto.fm/silenced-but-not-broken
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