Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
It's all the same, only the names will change
Everyday, it seems we're wastin' away
Another place where the faces are so cold
I drive all night just to get back home
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days
The people I meet always go their separate ways
Sometimes you tell the day
By the bottle that you drink
And times when you're all alone all you do is think
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive
Wanted (wanted) dead or alive
Oh, and I ride!
(Yeah!)
Oh, and I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
I walk these streets
A loaded six-string on my back
I play for keeps 'cause I might not make it back
I been everywhere, still, I'm standing tall
I've seen a million faces
And I've rocked them all
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive
I'm a cowboy, I got the night on my side
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive
And I ride, dead or alive
I still drive (I still drive) dead or alive
Dead or alive, dead or alive, dead or alive, dead or alive
Everyday, it seems we're wastin' away
Another place where the faces are so cold
I drive all night just to get back home
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days
The people I meet always go their separate ways
Sometimes you tell the day
By the bottle that you drink
And times when you're all alone all you do is think
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive
Wanted (wanted) dead or alive
Oh, and I ride!
(Yeah!)
Oh, and I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
I walk these streets
A loaded six-string on my back
I play for keeps 'cause I might not make it back
I been everywhere, still, I'm standing tall
I've seen a million faces
And I've rocked them all
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive
I'm a cowboy, I got the night on my side
I'm wanted (wanted) dead or alive
And I ride, dead or alive
I still drive (I still drive) dead or alive
Dead or alive, dead or alive, dead or alive, dead or alive
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Track duration: 05:09
"Wanted Dead or Alive" as written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richard Sambora
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Here we go....
Its all the same only the names will change: Its about music and fans showing up at a consert, the bands and venues "names" will change but it will still be a consert with someone playing music
Everyday it seems we're wastin away
another place where the faces are so cold: Tired of the same old thing, doing a show in front of thousands of people you don't know
I drive all night just to get back home: pretty self explanitory
I'm a cowboy on a steel horse I ride: He feels alone on the tour bus( cowboys often traveled alone, and the steel horse here is refering to a tour bus
I'm wanted dead or alive
wanted dead or alive: Fans and perhaps even the record company want him for what he does not for who he is
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes its not for days: its often hard to sleep after a rousing rock consert, doing it every day cause sleep deprivation
The people I meet always go their seprate ways: This means the fans and consert goers, after the show they go home, he goes to the next show
Sometimes you tell the day by the bottle that you drink: Refrence to the fact that the band drank while on the road..........Alot
And times when you're alone all you do is think: Talking about time without and or away from his family
Richie's KICK ASS solo, here
I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back: well live Jon now actualy says "guitar", so we all know he means he always has his guitar with him on tour, DUH
I play it(he says "it" here, listen to the song, or read the original Slippery When Wet liner notes) for keeps, cause I might not make it back: he means he gives the fans at the show his all, for a great show, because he might not be playing there again
I've been everywhere, (oh, yea)and still I'm standing tall: Bon Jovi has toured the world and were on top of the charts, yet he's still ready to do it all again
I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all: Is the millions of fans at the shows and he indeed did rock us all
....later in the song...I've got the nite on my side: Most conserts are at nite, and his fans love so the nite keeps him going....
I hope that helps, thank You
However, the last verse of this song is pretty badass.
Point 1: The first line says "Its all the same, only the names have changed." Thats about how they used to be called outlaw cowboys and now they're rock stars.
Point 2: "Im a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride. Wanted dead or alive." This is just restating the parallel he is about to illustrate. Outlaws used to ride horses. Now the bad boy image is a guy on a bike. Plus a steel horse is obviously a motorcycle thats totally obvious.
Point 3: "Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days." Thats is showing how both rock stars and outlaws get little to no sleep because of their schedules/activities.
Point 4:"Sometimes you tell the day by the bottle you drink." You drink what appropriate for what youre doing. A beer if youre relaxing and not needing your basic motor skills(shooting or playing guitar) or water if you cant relax.
Point 5:"I walk the streets with a loaded six string on my back" That is merging the tow independent identities of a rockstar and outlaw into one. The six string is obviously a guitar but the fact that its "loaded" means that its some what like a six shooter.
Point 6: "Ive seen a million faces" is a reference to the fact that both rockstars and outlaws travel alot and meet many different people. One sings songs and rocks them with music the other takes their money and i suppose "rocks" their normal lives.
Point 1: The first line says "Its all the same, only the names have changed." Thats about how they used to be called outlaw cowboys and now they're rock stars.
Point 2: "Im a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride. Wanted dead or alive." This is just restating the parallel he is about to illustrate. Outlaws used to ride horses. Now the bad boy image is a guy on a bike. Plus a steel horse is obviously a motorcycle thats totally obvious.
Point 3: "Sometimes I sleep, sometimes it's not for days." Thats is showing how both rock stars and outlaws get little to no sleep because of their schedules/activities.
Point 4:"Sometimes you tell the day by the bottle you drink." You drink what appropriate for what youre doing. A beer if youre relaxing and not needing your basic motor skills(shooting or playing guitar) or water if you cant relax.
Point 5:"I walk the streets with a loaded six string on my back" That is merging the tow independent identities of a rockstar and outlaw into one. The six string is obviously a guitar but the fact that its "loaded" means that its some what like a six shooter.
Point 6: "Ive seen a million faces" is a reference to the fact that both rockstars and outlaws travel alot and meet many different people. One sings songs and rocks them with music the other takes their money and i suppose "rocks" their normal lives.