WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

Live 31 Jan 1998 version

Page last updated: 01 Sep 2012

Intro

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE is a 1986 song by Bon Jovi. See the original Bon Jovi version for more details.

31 Jan 1998 Performance

The above lyrics are for live 31 Jan 1998 performance of WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, during the "Come Together: Jon Bon Jovi & Friends" benefit concert. Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen traded lead vocals on this song.

The "Come Together" Benefit

The "Come Together: Jon Bon Jovi & Friends" benefit concert was organized by the Long Branch Police Department, The Asbury Park Press, and FPI Concerts, along with Jon Bon Jovi. The concert was to honor slain Long Branch police officer Sgt. Patrick King and raise money for the Sgt. Patrick King Memorial Fund to provide for his family. King, 45-year-old father of two young boys, was fatally shot on 20 Nov 1997 by a fugitive who had vowed to kill himself and a police officer rather than be captured and returned to jail.

Twenty musicians with ties to the Jersey shore music scene answered Jon Bon Jovi's call, including Bruce Springsteen and several members of the then-disbanded E Street Band (Clarence Clemons, Danni Frederici, Patti Scialfa, Steven Van Zandt, and Max Weinberg), Southside Johnny, Bobby Bandiera, and Richie Sambora among others. Actor Danny DeVito was the event's MC. Tickets, which were priced at $125, went on sale on 17 Jan 1998 noon and sold out in just eight minutes. The concert that was organized in short order raised more than $112,000 for King's widow and his two sons.

"It was a chance to forget about [the murder] a little bit," Long Branch police Sgt. Bruce Johantgen, one of about 50 city police officers who attended the show, told The Asbury Park Press. "The outpouring of love from the performers to the audience was unbelievable". Johantgen said he found it ironic that Bon Jovi and other performers thanked the audience for coming to the sold-out show. "From the police perspective, I kept thinking, 'We should be thanking you for giving your time'," Johantgen said.

This was a near-reunion of the fabled E Street Band and Springsteen's first full-length electric gig following the acoustic The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour. Springsteen spent much (or possibly all) of the night onstage, singing or playing guitar only. Soundboard recording for the complete concert is available among collectors.

Complete setlist:

• THIS TIME IT'S FOR REAL (with Southside Johnny, Jon Bon Jovi, and Steven Van Zandt)
• TWO HEARTS (Bruce Springsteen with Steven Van Zandt)
• BAD MEDICINE (Jon Bon Jovi and Southside Johnny)
• UNTIL THE GOOD IS GONE (Steven Van Zandt)
• TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT (Bruce Springsteen with Jon Bon Jovi)
• BROKE DOWN PIECE OF MAN (Southside Johnny and Bon Jovi)
• HARD TIMES COME EASY (Richie Sambora)
• LOVE'S GLORY (Patti Scialfa)
• THERE GOES MY BABY (Southside Johnny)
• THIS TIME BABY'S GONE FOR GOOD (Bruce Springsteen with Southside Johnny and Steven Van Zandt)
• YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME (Bruce Springsteen with Jon Bon Jovi)
• THE PROMISED LAND (Bruce Springsteen)
• ALL I NEEDED WAS YOU (Southside Johnny and Van Zandt)
• SOMEDAY I'LL BE SATURDAY NIGHT (Jon Bon Jovi and Southside Johnny)
• BOBBY JEAN (Bruce Springsteen)
• BLOOD ON BLOOD (Jon Bon Jovi)
• THE FEVER (Bruce Springsteen with Southside Johnny and Clarence Clemons)
• I'VE BEEN WORKING TOO HARD - LITTLE QUEENIE (Southside Johnny and Jon Bon Jovi)
• I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME (Bruce Springsteen with Southside Johnny, Jon Bon Jovi, and Steven Van Zandt)
• IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME (Bruce Springsteen with Southside Johnny and Van Zandt)
• WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE (Bruce Springsteen with Jon Bon Jovi)
• BACKSTREETS (Bruce Springsteen)
• FOREVER (Steven Van Zandt)
• LIVIN' ON A PRAYER (Jon Bon Jovi)
• BADLANDS (Bruce Springsteen)
• I PLAYED THE FOOL (Southside Johnny and Jon Bon Jovi)
• KEEP THE FAITH (Jon Bon Jovi)
• BORN TO RUN (Bruce Springsteen)
• ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE WORLD (Bruce Springsteen with all performers)
• TREAT HER RIGHT (Southside Johnny and Jon Bon Jovi with all performers)
• THUNDER ROAD (Bruce Springsteen with Southside Johnny, Jon Bon Jovi, Steven Van Zandt, and all performers)

Live History

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE was performed off-tour on 31 Jan 1998 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, during the "Come Together: Jon Bon Jovi & Friends" benefit concert.

[Click here to display/hide detailed performances list]

Available Versions

List of available versions of WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE on this website:

• Live 31 Jan 1998 version
• Original Bon Jovi version

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake).