As the 2012 NRL season fast approaches, we prepare ourselves for another year of listening to Bon Jovi’s horribly try-hard ditty and theme song for the NRL, ‘This is our house’. But even though the NRL own the Australian rights to the song until the end of 2013, it’s got to go. Now.
Sorry Bon Jovi. You don’t cut it.
Of all the NRL theme songs and intros (and I’m including Vanessa Amorosi and Lee Kernaghan’s slaughtering of an Easybeats classic for a Friday Night Football promo in 2000) yours Bon Jovi, is the worst.
When Marketing Manager Paul Kind announced the acquisition of Jon Bon Jovi and his band to sing the NRL theme song last year, we all thought it was a godsend.
Mr Bon Jovi, 80s rock icon and sometimes actor, agreeing to sing for OUR national rugby league competition, all the way over in little ol’ Australia?! He’d put in clever lyrics, add a solid beat and maybe even put his face to the NRL?! What a deal!
Turned out it wasn’t a godsend. It was utter rubbish:
Based around the American sports terminology of ‘our house’ which refers to a team’s home ground, what we got was a try-hard anthem-esque tune that is more likely to make someone punch Bon Jovi, than the air.
But that was the song. Maybe the video would be better?
Wrong.
The clip accompanying the theme song featured inanimate stock footage of Jon Bon Jovi from a US concert, with his mug popping up on an unidentifiable stadium that appeared to be made of big LCD screens and surrounded by a rollercoaster – because THAT’S realistic.
The NRL highlights that were thrown in were okay, but proved there is such a thing as too much flame-effect.
Well surely we were the only sport that would be getting access to the song and video?
Wrong again.
It was a non-exclusive, commercial endeavour by the band. So rock’n’roll, right? By Bon Jovi’s own admission the song was especially written to be sold to sports association peoples (read: SAPs) for major sports promotions.
Sell it they did, too. Along with the NRL in Australia, the USA and Canada have each been playing the exact same thing to promote the NFL (just with their sports clips intertwined). Now that the NFL is becoming more and more popular in Australia, it’s not as if we can just ignore this fact either.
It’s just not the same is it?
There was something a lot more genuine about past NRL theme songs.
Whether it was Tom Jones changing the lyrics of En Vogue’s ‘Whatta man’ to ‘Whatta game’ in 2000, the Hoodoo Gurus doing something similar in 2007, or Tina Turner forming a scrum alongside the forward pack of the Brisbane Broncos in 1990, these efforts struck a chord with us in a way Bon Jovi doesn’t.
Shared by the band through their Facebook and Twitter when it was launched by the NRL, the idea was to spread the word of rugby league to the touring rockers’ huge fan base overseas. But this made the end product far too foreign, impersonal and commercially tacky.
We know we can do better, so what’s stopping us?
Let’s get rid of Bon Jovi and take a step back. Reconnect with what has worked well in previous attempts. The big names aren’t important. What’s important is producing something that truly captures the spirit of this great game.
Hot tip: it’s not close-ups of a washed-up old man in leather lip syncing a generic “rock” song.
Titus
Guest
Boyz are back in town-- Thin Lizzy.
Barry Sutton
Guest
Could someone tell me what the song at the NRL 1990 semi final was?
Pat Manning
Guest
Year by year the NRL theme song has gotten progressivly worse... None of the recent songs have done anything to stir the emotions. The powers that be who have the desision, should get in touch with reality one day.....
db swannie
Guest
Rolly,every sport has rule changes ,dodgy refs & corrupt players .. & i think Meatloaf was a major,major flop for GF day for the AFL.
Johnno
Guest
Kelly Clarkson anyone. Hoodo gurus Rose Tattoo waverley park jimmy barnes and tina turner together janet jackson she did the super bowl
rolly
Guest
how you can you blame a song for low ratings in the nrl, nrl is getting worst every yr with diffrent rules corrupt players and dodgy refs, the game should sell it self with out some them song,, bon jovi packs out any stadium more then a nrl grandfinal can,,, i hate afl but after going watch a normal afl game last yr nrl have got alot to learn about promotion or even organising a game of football,,,,
Mark Young
Roar Guru
How about the guy on Sax!
Todd Slater
Guest
Thanks Melanie, its fantastic i agree. The only one that has come close since was probably the Hoodoo Gurus in 2006 Have a look at what i regard as the lowest point below. Billy Idol on the hovercraft, 2002 grand final, Easts v Warriors. Down there with the exploding optus tv before the '97 grand final. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcJcsWoD3fU Finally, this is arguably up there with Tina Turner's performance. 1987 grand final pre match entertainment, a complete variety show at the last grand final at the Sydney Cricket Ground. I think it's great. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3bVHdAs268&feature=related
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
Todd that sends shivers down my spine! The PACKED crowd singing along with her. Just awesome. You know I think I actually remember that performance too. Wow!
Tom of Brisbane
Guest
Or how about "If you like it then you gotta put a ring on it". Premiership ring, geddit? Thank you, thank you. I'm here all week
Todd Slater
Guest
Here's Tina ripping it up before the '93 grand final at the football stadium. Love it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sTou37O-rXM#!
Todd Slater
Guest
There does seem to be a pattern that emerges where despite the topic of the post, it degenerates into an online slanging match about different codes, usually league & union. I find it very boring as it has nothing to do with the article posted & does nothing but drag the whole tone down.
Brett
Guest
hey dont forget kingplaymaker and jonno theyre just as bad
AGO74
Guest
redb - apart from Melbourne Storm fans or rugby league "fans" such as yourself, I'm pretty sure that no-one in Melbourne would have given two hoots about it.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Rolf Harris and Jake the Peg perhaps,that is an Aussie original.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I am sure John Lennon(Liverpool lud) if he were alive today, could have provided decent lyrics just " ÏMAGINE"(sic). Damn English musicians ,pretty average. The rolling around on the ground is the result of heavy body contact, not dancing.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Sacrebleu what have we started,a froggy free for all.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Nope there ain't no love on a battlefield ,and rugby league can be a battlefield. And that Benatar song does not have the zing or message of the one in mind
Dropa
Guest
its quite insane the number of anti league storys stinking up this site,this one drags the very bottom of the barrell. Its ok though, the A-league will rival League any day now...bwa ha haaaaa!
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Its not just the song its the whole package. For as long as I can remember now all league promos have been stock footage of big hits etc with some simple special effects. The result is something that comes on in the middle of an ad break and fails to score any attention. I'm willing to bet that any promo for the upcoming origin in Melbourne will simply feature footage of players superimposed on melbourne landmarks, The NRL needs to do something daring and exciting to get people talking about the game, not simply trot out the same old stock footage put to a song.