Who Says You Can't Go Home

"Who Says You Can't Go Home"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Have a Nice Day
B-side	"Complicated" (live)
Released	March 27, 2006 (2006-03-27)
Genre	Rock country rock[1]
Length	4:40
Label	Island, Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora
Producer(s)	John Shanks, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"Welcome to Wherever You Are" (2005) "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (2006) "(You Want to) Make a Memory" (2007)
Music video
"Who Says You Can't Go Home" on YouTube

"Who Says You Can't Go Home" is a song that was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora for American rock band Bon Jovi's ninth album, Have a Nice Day (2005). The song was produced by John Shanks, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. A duet version of the song featuring vocals from Jennifer Nettles of the American duo Sugarland was also shipped to country music radio. Both versions of the song feature on Have a Nice Day; the original version appears as the fourth track, while the country version appears as the thirteenth and final track.

"Who Says You Can't Go Home" was released as the second single in North America in March 2006 and reached the top 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 23. Outside North America, "Welcome to Wherever You Are" served as the second single, with "Who Says You Can't Go Home" being released as the album's third single on June 12, 2006. The song reached number five in the United Kingdom, becoming the band's second top-10 single from the album. The duet with Jennifer Nettles peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Content

The lyrics of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" reflect Jon Bon Jovi's roots and passion for his hometown in New Jersey.

Country version

In the United States, a version of the song was released to the country music format as a duet with Jennifer Nettles, lead singer of the duo Sugarland. The country music version was originally recorded as a duet with Keith Urban, who also played banjo on the song. After Jon Bon Jovi decided that Urban's voice was too similar to his own, he asked a representative of Mercury Records to recommend a female duet partner.^[2][3] The country version was performed on Saturday Night Live on October 13, 2007.

Music videos

The music video for the country/Jennifer Nettles version, released in November 24, 2005^[4] and directed by Jon's brother, Anthony M. Bongiovi,^[5] features Habitat for Humanity volunteers, including members of the Philadelphia Soul Arena Football League team owned in part by Jon Bon Jovi, building homes for low-income families and was used to promote the organization. It won an award for Best Collaborative Video at the CMT Music Awards in 2006.^[6]

The shooting of the music video for the regular version, featuring a man dressed up as a dog, began at the March 9, 2006 Bon Jovi concert at the Glendale Arena outside Phoenix and continued in the Los Angeles area.^[7] The video was released in the week of March 27, 2006.^[8] It was directed by Jeff Labbé through @radical.media,^[7] lensed by David Lanzenberg,^[9] and edited by Steve Prestemon.^[10]

2008 Presidential Election

During the 2008 US Presidential election, the original version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" was used frequently at public events supporting the Republican Party. Specifically, the song was a prominent feature at several large rallies supporting vice-presidential candidate and former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin. This use of the song quickly became part of a controversy over several different songs that Republican candidates had been using without the artists' permission, including music by Foo Fighters, Heart, John Mellencamp, and Boston. The Republicans, in turn, claimed "blanket rights" to play the songs at their public events.

In launching the complaint, Bon Jovi stated,

"We were not asked... we do not approve of their use of [the song]. We wrote this song as a thank you to those who have supported us over the past 25 years. The song has since become a banner for our home state of New Jersey and the de facto theme song for our partnerships around the country to build homes and rebuild communities."

Bon Jovi has been an enthusiastic Democratic Party supporter, appearing at a $30,000-per-plate fundraiser in support of President Barack Obama and performing at rallies for various Democratic candidates.

Awards and achievements

• Won award for "Best Collaborative Video" at the CMT Music Awards in 2006.^[11]
• Won award for "Favorite Rock Song" at the 33rd People's Choice Awards in 2007
• Won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 2007
• Song has been chosen to group best Country songs of the year - "ASCAP Country Music Awards" in 2006
• Nominated for "Music Event of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards
• Nominated for "Vocal Event of the Year" at the Academy of Country Music Awards

Track listings

UK CD1 and 7-inch picture disc^[12][13]

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (radio edit)
2. "Complicated" (live in Boston, Massachusetts, December 10, 2005)

UK CD2^[14]

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home"
2. "Last Man Standing" (live)
3. "Raise Your Hands" (live)
4. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (video)

Digital download^[15]

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (acoustic version) – 4:21

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2005–2006) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 36 Canada AC (Billboard)[17] 19 Canada Hot AC Top 30 (Radio & Records)[18] 2 Canada Rock Top 30 (Radio & Records)[19] 25 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[20] 15 Germany (GfK)[21] 54 Ireland (IRMA)[22] 30 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[23] 31 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] 33 Scotland (OCC)[25] 9 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[26] 86 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 57 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 5 US Billboard Hot 100[29] 23 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[30] 8 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[31] 5 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[32] Duet with Jennifer Nettles 1 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[33] 30

Year-end charts Chart (2006) Position US Billboard Hot 100[34] 71 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[35] 11 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[36] 19 US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[37] 9

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	March 27, 2006 (2006-03-27)	Contemporary hit radio	Island	[38][39]
United Kingdom	June 12, 2006 (2006-06-12)	CD	Mercury	[40]

References

1. "Bon Jovi – 'Have a Nice Day' (2005) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)". 22 April 2024.
2. "Bon Jovi's Duet With Jennifer Nettles Hits the Country Top 10". CMT.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2007.
3. "Jon Bon Jovi still aims to connect". Post-gazette.com. July 23, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2007.
4. "Bon Jovi - Who says you can't go home [version 1: home construction] @ mvdbase.com".
5. "SARAH DONALDSON - Resume - Actors Access". resumes.actorsaccess.com.
6. "Nettles Gives Clues About Sugarland's Next Album". Archived from the original on March 11, 2018.
7. "SHOT: Bon Jovi - Jeff Labbe, director". VideoStatic.
8. "Bon Jovi - Who says you can't go home [version 2: human dog] @ mvdbase.com". mvdbase.com - the music video database.
9. "MYMANAGEMENT.CO.UK - Directors of Photography - David Lanzenberg". Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
10. "Archival Work — Steve Prestemon | Film Editor". Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
11. "AllMusic (Bon Jovi charts & awards)".
12. Who Says You Can't Go Home (UK CD1 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 2006. 9858238.
13. Who Says You Can't Go Home (UK 7-inch picture disc). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 2006. 985 974-9.
14. Who Says You Can't Go Home (UK CD2 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 2006. 9858248.
15. "Who Says You Can't Go Home (Acoustic Version) – Single". Apple Music. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
16. "Bon Jovi – Who Says You Can't Go Home" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
17. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard.
18. "R&R Canada Hot AC Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1648. March 10, 2006. p. 49. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
19. "R&R Canada Rock Top 30" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1650. March 24, 2006. p. 57. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
20. "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 26. July 1, 2006. p. 69. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
21. "Bon Jovi – Who Says You Can't Go Home" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
22. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Who Says You Can't Go Home". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
23. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 22, 2006" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
24. "Bon Jovi – Who Says You Can't Go Home" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
25. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
26. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200635 into search. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
27. "Bon Jovi – Who Says You Can't Go Home". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
29. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
30. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
31. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
32. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
33. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
34. "Billboard Top 100 – 2006". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
35. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
36. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
37. "Best of 2006: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2006. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
38. "CHR". FMQB. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
39. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1650. March 24, 2006. p. 21. Incorrectly lists the song as the Jennifer Nettles duet.
40. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. June 10, 2006. p. 27.

• "Bon Jovi: Have a Nice Day F.A.Q." Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2006.

External links

• Music video: "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (with Jennifer Nettles) Video on YouTube