What Do You Got? Explained

What Do You Got?
Cover:Bon Jovi-What Do You Got.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Bon Jovi
Album:Greatest Hits
Released:August 27, 2010
Studio:Bay 7 Studios, Valley Village, California
Sparky Dark Studios, Calabasas, California
Genre:Country rock, pop rock
Length:3:47
Label:Island
Producer:Howard Benson, Bon Jovi (co-producer), Sambora (co-producer)
Prev Title:When We Were Beautiful
Prev Year:2010
Next Title:No Apologies
Next Year:2011

"What Do You Got?" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It is one of four songs written for the band's Greatest Hits album, released in November 2010.[1] The song is the first single from the compilation album.[1] The song was released on the band's official website on August 27.[2] It was also released to radio airplay on August 27. It was officially released on September 21, 2010 as a digital download, but the physical single was released in Germany on October 22, 2010.[3]

Background and lyrical content

"What Do You Got?" was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Brett James, produced by Howard Benson and co-produced by Jon Bon Jovi and Sambora. It was recorded in Bay 7 Studios in Valley Village and Sparky Dark Studios in Calabasas, California.[4] The song was written during sessions for The Circle (2009), but it didn't fit that album, so band decided to hold it and finished it for the Greatest Hits (2010).[5]

Lyrically, the song is about the aesthetics of love. Richie Sambora explained: "It's a worldly thing and it doesn't have to be exactly about romance. It could be about with your family, daughter or son. What do you got if you ain't got love. It's a profound statement in its simplicity."[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Wayne Isham and produced by Dana Marshall. Isham explained: "I dug the 3D process, and it was awesome to execute it with long-time friends and collaborators Bon Jovi. We've worked together a long time, evolving and growing, so I'm happy to continue that tradition with the new medium of 3D".[7]

Release and reception

Originally, Jon Bon Jovi didn't want to release "What Do You Got?" as the first single and instead favored "No Apologies". He said: "If anyone wants to pick a single, you tell me. What do I know? That was the one that floated to the top, and I was taken aback because it was the (last) of the five I would've picked. But people have really been relating to the lyric, and seemingly for...radio, it's a hit."

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic said that "What Do You Got?" and "No Apologies" "will likely not make any subsequent best-of".[8] Mike Diver from BBC said that the song is a "by-the-book slowie worthy of a few lighters held aloft".[9] Glenn Osrin from Examiner.com said the song "artistically is as slick, smooth and musically competent as fans expect of Bon Jovi". He also stated that "Jon's voice is crisp and clear, up in front in the mix; and Richie Sambora's guitar work is neat, clean, and growing more minimal by the minute". Describing the composition, Osrin said that song "continues the band's trend of recording music that tries to be more socially conscious than rollicking".

Personnel

Songwriting and production

Musicians

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (2010–11)Peak
position
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
European Hot 100 Singles[10] 79
scope="row"
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[11] 43
scope="row"
Spain Airplay (PROMUSICAE)[12] 20
scope="row"
scope="row"
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[13] 2

Year-end charts

Releases

Country DateType
AustriaAugust 27, 2010[15] Radio airplay
United States/CanadaAugust 27, 2010Radio airplay
MalaysiaAugust 31, 2010Radio airplay
United KingdomSeptember 4, 2010Radio airplay
United StatesSeptember 21, 2010Digital download
GermanyOctober 15, 2010[16] CD single

In TV

"What Do You Got?" was used in a promotional video for Grey's Anatomy in Canada.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bon Jovi Greatest Hits to be released in November worldwide. bonjovi.com. 2010-08-24.
  2. Web site: Bon Jovi audio – What Do You Got?. bonjovi.com. 2010-08-28.
  3. Web site: What Do You Got? on bonjovi.de. bonjovi.de.
  4. What Do You got? . . 2010 . European CD Single . . 0602527548449. New York City.
  5. Bon Jovi Mulls Solo Album After 'Circle' Tour Wraps. Billboard. 29 October 2010 . 12 January 2017.
  6. What's Next . . . January 14, 2011 . 8:30 ET.
  7. Web site: MERGE@Crossroads' Isham Goes 3D for Bon Jovi. November 10, 2010. CG Today. January 18, 2017.
  8. Web site: Erlewine. Stephen Thomas. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection – Bon Jovi. Allmusic. January 12, 2017.
  9. Web site: Diver. Mike. Review of Bon Jovi – Greatest Hits. BBC. January 12, 2017.
  10. Web site: Chart Search Results – European Hot 100 Singles 2010-11-06 . . August 7, 2012 . May 26, 2024 . live . https://archive.today/20240526032456/https://www.webcitation.org/69jyASObB?url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/chart-search-results/singles/3124714.
  11. Web site: Chart Search Results – Japan Hot 100 Singles 2010-11-20 . . August 7, 2012 . May 26, 2024 . live . https://archive.today/20240526032418/https://www.webcitation.org/69jy0XUTl?url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/chart-search-results/singles/3125126.
  12. Web site: Top 20 – Lista de Radios – Semana 45: Del 6 al 12 de Noviembre de 2010. December 16, 2012 . es . Productores de Música de España.
  13. Web site: Chart Search Results – Bubbling Under Hot 100 2010-10-09 . . August 7, 2012 . https://archive.today/20240526032536/https://www.webcitation.org/69jyNHPz5?url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/chart-search-results/singles/3123797 . live . May 26, 2024.
  14. Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2011. Billboard. September 28, 2019.
  15. Web site: Aktuelles . oe3.ORF.at . 2012-03-14.
  16. Web site: What Do You Got? (Ltd. Digipak Edt.): Bon Jovi: Amazon.de: Musik . Amazon.de . 2009-09-09 . 2012-03-14.