This Ain't a Love Song

"This Ain't a Love Song" is the lead single from American rock band Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, These Days (1995). The rock ballad[1] is an example of the strong rhythm and blues influence that Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wanted the album to have. Released in May 1995 by Mercury, it reached number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, number six on the UK Singles Chart, and number one on the Finnish Singles Chart.

"This Ain't a Love Song"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album These Days
ReleasedMay 23, 1995 (1995-05-23)
GenreRock[1]
Length5:08
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"Someday I'll Be Saturday Night"
(1994)
"This Ain't a Love Song"
(1995)
"Something for the Pain"
(1995)
Music video
"This Ain't a Love Song" on YouTube

Critical reception

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James Masterton wrote in his weekly UK chart commentary, "The new single is another ballad although rather more understated and reflective than many they have produced in the past."[2] Simon Williams from NME commented, "And hey, guess what? "This Ain't a Love Song" actually is a love song!"[3] Another NME editor, Stephen Dalton, wrote that it "waltzes and croaks" like "Bed of Roses".[4]

Music video

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The accompanying music video for "This Ain't a Love Song" was shot at Wat Ratchaburana in Ayuthaya, Thailand, and directed by Andy Morahan.[5]

"Como yo nadie te ha amado"

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A Spanish version, "Como yo nadie te ha amado" ("Nobody Has Loved You Like I Do"), was also recorded. However, the lyrics in the two versions differ from each other; the original version talks about a lost love, which is never recovered, while the Spanish version is a reflection on love, about how no one will love someone with the same passion than the narrator.

Mexican singer Yuridia covered the Spanish version, "Como yo nadie te ha amado", on her second studio album Habla El Corazón which peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.[6] Yuridia's cover received was nominated at the 2008 Latin Billboard Awards for Latin Pop Airplay of the Year by a Female Artist.[7] Her cover also led to Jon Bon Jovi winning an ASCAP Latin Award in the Pop/Ballad field.[8]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[51] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Version Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States "This Ain't a Love Song" May 15, 1995 Mercury [67]
May 23, 1995
  • CD
  • cassette
[68]
Japan May 26, 1995
  • Maxi-CD
  • mini-CD
[37][69]
United States "Como yo nadie te ha amado" June 1995 Radio [70]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kops, Pieter (May 27, 1995). "Airplay Action". Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 21. p. 41. ...whose This Ain't A Love Song invades at number 24. The rock ballad...
  2. ^ Masterton, James (June 4, 1995). "Week Ending June 10th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Williams, Simon (May 27, 1995). "Singles". NME. p. 45. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  4. ^ Dalton, Stephen (July 1, 1995). "Long Play". NME. p. 49. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Garcia, Alex S. "mvdbase.com - Bon Jovi - "This ain't a love song"". Music Video DataBase. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "Yuridia - Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  7. ^ "Finalistas a los premios Latin Billboard". El Nuevo Heraldo (in Spanish). February 6, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  8. ^ "16th Annual Latin Music Awards". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. May 16, 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  9. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (US CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 856 824-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (Canadian CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 422 856 824-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (US cassette single sleeve). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 856 824-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (US & Canadian maxi-CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 422 852 059-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 422 856 824-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. PHDR-501.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (UK CD1 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. JOVCD 17, 856 999-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (UK CD2 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. JOVCX 17, 852 001-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (UK cassette single sleeve). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. JOVMC 17.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (Australian cassette single sleeve). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 8569744.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (European & Australian CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 856 974-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 856 975-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (French CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. 852 022 - 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ This Ain't a Love Song (Japanese maxi-CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1995. PHCR-8330.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  30. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
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  56. ^ "RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved October 22, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
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  67. ^ Newman, Melinda (May 20, 1995). "Bon Jovi on a Roll 'These Days'". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 20. pp. 11, 38. The first single, midtempo "This Ain't A Love Song," will go to top 40, hot AC, and AC the week of May 15.
  68. ^ "This Ain't a Love Song / Always / Prostitute". Amazon. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  69. ^ "ジス・エイント・ア・ラブ・ソング | ボン・ジョヴィ" [This Ain't a Love Song | Bon Jovi] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  70. ^ Lannert, John (June 3, 1995). "Posthumous Certifications for Selena". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 22. p. 47. ...'Como Yo, Nadie Te Ha Amado,' a Spanish-language version of the band's current single, 'This Ain't A Love Song.' The Latino single is due out in early June.