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#44 Living in Sin
| life lessons in Bon Jovi songs

Welcome back, Jovi friends!
Life lessons in Bon Jovi songs continues with Living in Sin

Living in Sin is the fourth song on Bon Jovi’s fourth album;
New Jersey (1988).
Which was the one released after their biggie, Slippery When Wet.
Bon Jovi were now the biggest rock stars on the planet, and the band had to deliver.
And they did.

Unfamiliar with the song?
🎶🎧watch and listen to Living in Sin here

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context: DOUBLE NEW JERSEY

New Jersey would (and definitely “should”!) have been a double album, if it had been up to the band.
The record company blocked it, on grounds that they didn’t think fans would be able to pay for the higher price.
You can listen to all unreleased Bon Jovi outtakes here:
Rolling List of Hidden Bon Jovi Gems 1985 – current day
The extra songs from New Jersey start at “Love is War” all the way to Bon Jovi’s secret gem “Let’s Make It Baby”.
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video recorded Saturday 21 February 2026

In this video:

1. Welcome to another episode 00:00
Of Life lessons in Bon Jovi songs
We’re at their 4th album New Jersey, which was the successor of their 1986 breakthrough album Slippery When Wet.
Although it never managed to surpass its predecessor;
It is well regarded and considered even better than their previous one.

Living in Sin is one of the many musically more mature songs on this album, which the band would not have been able to make before.

2. The evolution of Living in Sin 01:23
The band started touring late October 1988, shortly after the album had dropped.
So just like every other song on the New Jersey album, Living in Sin had not been taken for a spin yet because these were all brand new songs.

But what happened over the course over this tour, which would last 14 months until early 1990, was that Living in Sin took on a life of its own.
It grew into being an emotionally charged masterpiece.

“There’s always something we have to do for them. But this is one thing, we have to do for us.”

The performance labeled as the best one, is from 1989, from Niagara Falls.
You can watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-pL5m6oyfA
Bon Jovi – Living In Sin (Niagara Falls 1989) Best Performance

Ironically, the photo from 1989 I had selected to be our background decor today, was almost certainly taken at that show.
Because on this undated photo (other than 1989) Jon wears a Marilyn Monroe t-shirt identical to the one he wears at the Niagara Falls show, 6 July 1989.
It is a tribute to Marilyn Monroe and the movie Niagara Falls.

The t-shirt doesn’t show well on the video with just Living in Sin, but is clearly visible on footage from the whole show in Niagara Falls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxoZ87DF3vo&t=3s
Bon Jovi | Live at Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center | Niagara Falls 1989

3. The Final Single of the album 04:53
Living in Sin was released as the fifth and final single of the album New Jersey.
It was not as big a hit as the other songs, but still got into the top 10!

This meant that with New Jersey had delivered five Top 10 songs.
A record for a rock album.
(source: https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bon-jovi-songs-ranked/)

4. Controversy Living in Sin 05:46
The theme of the song is Catholic because it’s about two young people who want to be together but are not allowed to.

mentioned:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me4FkWpfCu0
Bon Jovi – Living In Sin (Unedited Version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI2-ASiNCac
Bon Jovi – Living in Sin (official video + album version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krwVnxt2wVA
Bon Jovi | Living In Sin | Rare Demo Version 1988

The photo from Jon Bon Jovi with the rose crown is from 1992, by Mark Seliger.

5. Life lesson 15:37
Intro video Living in Sin:

“There’s always something we have to do for them.
But this is one thing, we have to do for us.”
~Jon Bon Jovi

Next stop:
Blood on Blood!

~Suzanne Beenackers
🇳🇱 Tikkie
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THIS SERIES
All videos, of Life lessons in Bon Jovi songs (playlist):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiGoDE3C06SeCKg4jvR2EoVHBOfXzHm_R

SOURCES for this series:

1. OUTTAKES
Handmade list with rare Bon Jovi songs
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiGoDE3C06SfkAr0Ll4wz-GlGnZJNZDYh
Rolling List of Hidden Bon Jovi Gems 1985 – current day

2. RANKED
My favorite Bon Jovi article and indispensable for this series:
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bon-jovi-songs-ranked/
By Tony Kuzminski.
List also covers any outtakes from the 2004 box set.

3. QUOTES
https://twostorytown.com/new-jersey-quotes
full page of quotes EVERYTHING anybody ever said about the 4th Bon Jovi album

4. BJ TOURS
https://bjtours.jimdofree.com/the-albums/1988-new-jersey/

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