It's all the same, only the names will change
Every day, it seems we're wastin' away
Another place where the faces are so cold
I'd 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 alone, well, 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, I'm a cowboy
On a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (wanted), dead or alive

And I walk these streets, a loaded six-string on my back
I play for keeps 'cause I might not make it back
I've been everywhere, still I'm standing tall
I've seen a million faces and I've rocked them all

'Cause I'm a cowboy
On a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted (wanted), dead or alive
'Cause I'm a cowboy
I got the night on my side
And I'm wanted (wanted), dead or alive
And I ride (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

Wanted Dead Or Alive Lyrics as written by Richard S Sambora Jon Bon Jovi

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Wanted Dead or Alive song meanings
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  • +8
    General Comment

    Well this song is a pretty clear cut. Its a parallel between Bon Jovi's live on the road and that of an out law cowboy.

    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.

    pritchardmhereon January 02, 2010   Link

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