"Midnight in Chelsea" is a song by American rock singer
Jon Bon Jovi
John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (born March 2, 1962), known professionally as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is best known as the founder and frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was formed in 1983. He ...
, released as the first single from his second solo album, ''
Destination Anywhere
''Destination Anywhere'' is Jon Bon Jovi's second solo studio album released June 16, 1997 and features music from the film ''Destination Anywhere'' released in the same year. It follows his successful 1990 soundtrack '' Blaze of Glory'', from ...
'' (1997), in June 1997. The song is written and produced by Bon Jovi and
Dave Stewart, and is Bon Jovi's highest-charting solo single in the UK, reaching number four on the
UK Singles Chart. The song also charted at number 29 on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Adult Top 40, number 30 on the ''Billboard''
Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
chart, and number 11 in Canada. Its highest peak was in Spain, where it reached number one for two weeks.
Music video
The song's
video was shot in the
Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, with the
Hotel Chelsea as a primary location. However, the song is actually about the
London neighbourhood from which the Manhattan locale indirectly took its name, as evidenced by lyrics that refer to London topics such as
Sloane Rangers, ''
The Sun'' and "
a big red bus". The usual description of lyrics do not include capital letters for The Sun. The music video was released on the DVD ''
Destination Anywhere: The Film''.
Critical reception
Larry Flick
Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...
from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' wrote, "You may need to double-check the
CD single sleeve to remind yourself that this is, in fact, a
Jon Bon Jovi
John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (born March 2, 1962), known professionally as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. He is best known as the founder and frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was formed in 1983. He ...
recording. The man who has made millions of teenage girls swoon with his
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
/
metal musings previews his forthcoming solo outing, "''
Destination Anywhere
''Destination Anywhere'' is Jon Bon Jovi's second solo studio album released June 16, 1997 and features music from the film ''Destination Anywhere'' released in the same year. It follows his successful 1990 soundtrack '' Blaze of Glory'', from ...
''", with a sharply time-sensitive slice of
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
/
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
. This richly textured track opens with a shuffling,
hip-hop-spiked drum loop that will unlock many a top 40 door without turning off faithful mainstream rock stations. However, Bon Jovi and co-producer
Dave Stewart wisely steer down an appropriately guitar-paved road after the first few bars of the song. Factor in a markedly more mature and restrained vocal and a maddeningly memorable la-la-la
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
, and you have the makings of a smash that will ring in a bright new career phase for the artist." David Sinclair from ''
The Times'' viewed the song as a "
middle-of-the-road taster" from Bon Jovi's solo album.
Track listings
All songs were written by Jon Bon Jovi. Additional writers are credited in parentheses.
* UK and Australian CD1
# "Midnight in Chelsea" (single edit) – 4:03
# "Sad Song Night" – 4:11
# "August 7" (acoustic version) – 4:12
# "Midnight in Chelsea" (album version) – 4:58
* UK and Australian CD2
# "Midnight in Chelsea" (single edit) – 4:03
# "Drive" (demo) – 4:14
# "Every Word Was a Piece of My Heart" (Dave Stuart mix) – 4:39
# "Midnight in Chelsea" (album version) – 4:58
* UK cassette single and European CD single
# "Midnight in Chelsea" (single edit) – 4:03
# "Midnight in Chelsea" (album version) – 4:58
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the ''
Destination Anywhere
''Destination Anywhere'' is Jon Bon Jovi's second solo studio album released June 16, 1997 and features music from the film ''Destination Anywhere'' released in the same year. It follows his successful 1990 soundtrack '' Blaze of Glory'', from ...
'' album booklet.
Recording
* Written in London, March 1996
* Recorded and produced at
Right Track Studios (New York City), December 1996
* Mixed at
A&M Studios (Hollywood, California)
* Remixed at Quad Studios (New York City)
* Mastered at
Sterling Sound
George Marino (April 15, 1947 – June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s.
Biography
Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He at ...
(New York City)
Personnel
* Jon Bon Jovi – writing, vocals, backing vocals, guitar, production
*
Dave Stewart – writing, guitar, production
* Zhana Saunders – backing vocals
*
Hugh McDonald – bass
* Alex Silva – keyboards, programming
*
Kenny Aronoff – drums
* Teese Gohl – string arrangement
* Obie O'Brien – mixing, engineering, remixing
* Jim Labinski – mixing assistant
* Peter Karam – engineering assistant
*
Ann Mincieli – remixing assistant
* Mike Rew – remixing assistant
*
George Marino – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Jon Bon Jovi songs
1996 songs
1997 singles
Mercury Records singles
Music videos directed by Mark Pellington
Number-one singles in Spain
Song recordings produced by Jon Bon Jovi
Songs written by David A. Stewart
Songs written by Jon Bon Jovi