Early morning, I left the house, the sun was a fiery ball at the tree line across a frozen river.  The vehicle temperature gauge read +2 degrees.  A song was playing on the local radio station.

I am certain the poets, lyricists, playwrights, are the ones who show us the metaphors, perform the scenes by which we are living our lives.  Are these productions of fate, of inevitable destiny, or are they matters of conscious choice?  The truth I think, is that we are born into a society that ascribes value to a particular style of male or female behavior, a mode of male or female comportment if you will.

Then, dimly aware of this role, we choose, we raise the wager on our “destiny.”  No longer the child learning an imposed role, — as an adult by virtue of our choice, the “game” turns into an extended tragic, final and fatal scene.

These lyrics capture one of the central metaphors, under the spell of which many Americans live out their lives.  This is the notion of the outlaw, the misunderstood individual, always on-the-run, believing that he will come to a premature end.  He, and it is worth noting this male figure, imagines that he has a special relationship with this six-gun.  He believes that life demands that he be a killer.  He is “Cain to Abel” marked as an outcast, but noble nonetheless.  “I never drew first, – but I drew first blood.”  (my plea is self defense Your Honor…)

The lines that made me shudder:

You ask about my conscience
And I offer you my soul

For a conscience, the speaker can only offer in response, his soul.  At the narrator’s core, at the level of the essential self there is only emptiness.  There’s no memory of being loved, and no expectation of experiencing durable love.  “Well I’ve seen love come. I’ve seen it shot down. I’ve seen it die in vain.” 

The lines of the final verse are an appeal to the gods, to the universe if you will:

But before I’m six-foot deep
Lord, I gotta ask a favor
And I’ll hope you’ll understand
‘Cause I’ve lived life to the fullest
Let this boy die like a man
Staring down a bullet
Let me make my final stand

His request of the gods is that the divine presence grant in death fulfillment of his being, to experience what he has always sought: realized manhood.

Perhaps you will say this is only a movie theme, an aspect of another cinematic object of amusement.  I say it is more, a great deal more.

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This song was written in response to the request of Emilio Estevez when he asked Jon Bon Jovi to make a song for the film “Young Guns II” (1990). Jon played a small role in the film. Estevez has a napkin with this song written on a set of the film. It appears on the band’s best-of compilation and is loved by their fans during live performances.

Blaze Of Glory

By Jon Bon Jovi

I wake up in the morning
And I raise my weary head
I’ve got an old coat for a pillow
And the earth was last night’s bed

I don’t know where I’m going
Only God knows where I’ve been
I’m a devil on the run
A six-gun lover
A candle in the wind

When you’re brought into this world
They say you’re born in sin
Well, at least they gave me something
I didn’t have to steal or have to win

Well, they tell me that I’m wanted
Yeah, I’m a wanted man
I’m a colt in your stable
I’m what Cain was to Abel
Mister, catch me if you can

I’m going down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
I’m going out in a blaze of glory
And, Lord, I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I’m no one’s son
Call me young gun

You ask about my conscience
And I offer you my soul
You ask if I’ll grow to be a wise man
Well, I ask if I’ll grow old

You ask me if I’ve known love
And what it’s like to sing songs in the rain
Well, I’ve seen love come
I’ve seen it shot down
I’ve seen it die in vain

Shot down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
‘Cause I’m going out in a blaze of glory
Lord, I never drew first
But I drew first blood
I’m the devil’s son
Call me young gun

Each night I go to bed
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
No, I ain’t looking for forgiveness
But before I’m six-foot deep
Lord, I gotta ask a favor
And I’ll hope you’ll understand
‘Cause I’ve lived life to the fullest
Let this boy die like a man
Staring down a bullet
Let me make my final stand

Shot down in a blaze of glory
Take me now but know the truth
I’m going out in a blaze of glory
Lord, I never drew first
But I drew first blood
And I’m no one’s son
Call me young gun
I’m a young gun
Young gun
Young gun