new story on YouTube:
click here to see it->
https://youtu.be/jpZ4PyB20DA

#51 99 In the Shade
| life lessons in Bon Jovi songs

Welcome back, Jovi friends!
Life lessons in Bon Jovi songs continues with 99 In the Shade

99 In the Shade is the eleventh 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?
🎶🎧 listen to 99 In the Shade here
—
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”.
—
video recorded Thursday 2 July 2026

Photobook behind me: The Decade That Rocked by Mark Weiss

In this video:

1. Welcome to another episode 00:00
Of Life lessons in Bon Jovi songs
This is the second time I am recording this video!
Three weeks ago, everything that can go wrong whenever I try to rush, did.
And I did not want to post it.

But the gap here filming for this channel, did make me speed up this process of filming for this New Jersey album; They will go on a one-video-every-week-schedule.
Instead of one every two weeks.

So the gap did ultimately lead to changing things for the better.

2. Link to my new channel 03:00
Three weeks ago, first time recording this episode, the reason it was such a rush job was because I created a new channel that week.
Here is the link to that new audio-yoga channel I created:
@RockStarYoga

3. An actual heatwave 03:58
And then last week, when I had planned my second go at this video, it got cancelled due to an actual heatwave here!
So this video about “99 In the Shade” (37 degrees Celsius, in the shade) got delayed because of high temperatures.
The irony was not lost on me.
(in my defense: Dutch houses do go without airconditioning)

4. The context-requiring shade for 99 In the Shade 05:32
We have to talk about this!
Because 99 In the Shade has come up as a “evidence” that New Jersey is not a perfect album.

Yet I do understand why someone would say that.
Because the unused songs for this album, were so stellar!
Shade for 99 In the Shade being on the album, is probably also/ or more, about other songs NOT being on this album.
And less about anyone having beef with this song.

5. About the song 08:22
The song is about teenage years, hot summers, going to the beach and hanging out together, and with the mention of Tommy and Gina from Livin’ on a Prayer, the song really makes a mark as a fun, upbeat song.

6. 80s MTV brought A LOT to unpack! 09:20
In 1987 MTV broadcast a special “Hedonism Weekend” filmed in Jamaica, that didn’t age too well. But it will give us an important life lesson!
And also;
It gave us Jon Bon Jovi in very short pants we all still remember.

7. Bittersweet (Earned) Nostalgia 13.36
Nostalgia for teenage years, coming from Jon Bon Jovi, may have a little bit more than meets the eye.
Because he actually started working on his career as a teenager, a time when the others were hanging out on the beach.
Bon Jovi’s nostalgia for this time period, could at least partially be fueled by missing out, when his peers were out having a good time.

8. Life lesson 16:33
Unexpectedly, the reference to the MTV Hedonism special already brought out the first life lesson.
Which is to give yourself permission to go with the flow, and your crazy ideas, and forgive yourself the moment you look back and think;
“Uhm…. yeah. That was not great.”

9. And also: 20:42
How about Summer 2026?!
Create a bucket list! Have some fun!

Next stop:
Love for Sale!

~Suzanne Beenackers

🇳🇱 Tikkie
☕️ Buy me a coffee
🌎 Paypal

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
https://twostorytown.com/singles

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

—
You can follow all content on:
Twitter, Facebook, and I am new on Instagram.