"You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi (Slippery When Wet, 1986)

"You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi (Slippery When Wet, 1986)

Key: C Minor
Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)
Power Chords Used: C5, Eb5, Bb5, Ab5, G5, F5
Note: Power chords are placed above lyrics to align with vocal phrasing. Use a mid-tempo hard rock strumming pattern (downstrokes or down-down-up-up-down, ~124 BPM per Chordify). The intro riff (played by Richie Sambora) is iconic; Guitar 1 plays it while Guitar 2 plays power chords. Listen to the album for timing and dynamics. The song has a punchy, anthemic vibe, driven by Jon Bon Jovi’s vocals and Sambora’s guitar.

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Intro
C5 Eb5 Bb5 Ab5 (x2, with riff)
(Guitar 1 plays riff, Guitar 2 plays power chords)

Intro Riff (Guitar 1, simplified from Songsterr):

e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-5-5-5-5-8-5-5-5-5-8-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-8-5-5-5-5-8-5-5-|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
  PM---------------------|   PM---------------------|

(Guitar 2 strums C5, Eb5, Bb5, Ab5, palm-muted)

• C5: x-3-5-x-x-x or 8-10-10-x-x-x
• Eb5: x-6-8-x-x-x or 11-13-13-x-x-x
• Bb5: x-1-3-x-x-x or 6-8-8-x-x-x
• Ab5: 4-6-6-x-x-x
• F5: 1-3-3-x-x-x or x-8-10-x-x-x
• G5: 3-5-5-x-x-x or x-10-12-x-x-x

Verse 1
C5 Eb5
An angel’s smile is what you sell
Bb5 Ab5
You promise me heaven, then put me through hell
C5 Eb5
Chains of love got a hold on me
Bb5 Ab5
When passion’s a prison, you can’t break free

Pre-Chorus
F5 C5
Oh, you’re a loaded gun, yeah
F5 G5
Oh, there’s nowhere to run
F5 G5
No one can save me, the damage is done

Chorus
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame
Ab5 Bb5 Eb5 C5
You give love a bad name (bad name)
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
I play my part and you play your game
Ab5 Bb5 Eb5 C5
You give love a bad name (bad name)
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
You give love a bad name

Verse 2
C5 Eb5
Paint your smile on your lips
Bb5 Ab5
Blood red nails on your fingertips
C5 Eb5
A schoolboy’s dream, you act so shy
Bb5 Ab5
Your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye

Pre-Chorus
F5 C5
Oh, you’re a loaded gun
F5 G5
Oh, there’s nowhere to run
F5 G5
No one can save me, the damage is done

Chorus
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame
Ab5 Bb5 Eb5 C5
You give love a bad name (bad name)
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
I play my part and you play your game
Ab5 Bb5 Eb5 C5
You give love a bad name (bad name)
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
You give love a bad name

Solo
C5 Eb5 Bb5 Ab5 (x2)
(Solo by Richie Sambora, C minor pentatonic with bends)

Pre-Chorus
F5 C5
Oh, you’re a loaded gun
F5 G5
Oh, there’s nowhere to run
F5 G5
No one can save me, the damage is done

Chorus
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame
Ab5 Bb5 Eb5 C5
You give love a bad name (bad name)
C5 Eb5 Bb5 C5
I play my part and you play your game
Ab5 Bb5 Eb5 C5
You give love a bad name (bad name)

Outro
C5 Eb5
Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame
Bb5 Ab5
You give love a bad name
C5 Eb5
I play my part and you play your game
Bb5 Ab5
You give love a bad name (bad name)
(Repeat C5, Eb5, Bb5, Ab5, fade out with “You give love a bad name”)

E|------------------------------------------|
B|--8b10--8b10--8p6------------------------|
G|------------------7p5--------------------|
D|----------------------8p5----------------|
A|--------------------------8p6-5h6p5------|
E|------------------------------------8-6--|
   * Bend the 8th fret on B string to pitch of 10th fret, then pull off to 6, etc.

E|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|--5h7p5---5-------------------------------|
D|--------8---8-5h8p5-----------------------|
A|--------------------8-6-5h6p5-------------|
E|------------------------------8-6-8-------|
   * Fast hammer-ons and pull-offs, keep it fluid.

E|--13p10----10-----------------------------|
B|--------13----13-10-----------------------|
G|--------------------12-10-----------------|
D|--------------------------12-10-----------|
A|--------------------------------12-10-----|
E|--------------------------------------13--|
   * Quick pull-off from 13 to 10, then descend.

E|------------------------------------------|
B|--13b15-13-11-13-11-----------------------|
G|--------------------12-10-----------------|
D|--------------------------12-10-----------|
A|--------------------------------12-10-----|
E|--------------------------------------13--|
   * Bend 13th fret on B string to pitch of 15, release, then play the descending run.

E|--15b17-15-13-15-13-----------------------|
B|--------------------15-13-----------------|
G|--------------------------15-14-12--------|
D|-----------------------------------15-12--|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
   * Big bend at 15th fret to pitch of 17, then descend with vibrato on the last note.

E|------------------------------------------|
B|--13-11-----------------------------------|
G|--------12-10-----------------------------|
D|--------------12-10-----------------------|
A|--------------------12-10-8-10-8----------|
E|---------------------------------10-8-6---|
   * Finish with a descending run, ending on a bluesy slide to the 6th fret.

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Notes

• Power Chords: The C5, Eb5, Bb5, Ab5 progression for verses and chorus, and F5, C5, G5 for the pre-chorus, are adapted from Ultimate Guitar and Songsterr, optimized for power chords to match the song’s heavy rock vibe. Chordify confirms C minor as the key (~124 BPM). This setup simplifies the rhythm guitar part, syncing with Sambora’s riff.
• Playing Tips: The intro riff (Guitar 1) is palm-muted, emphasizing C minor pentatonic notes; Guitar 2 plays C5, Eb5, Bb5, Ab5 with downstrokes. Keep strumming punchy for the verse and chorus. The solo uses C minor pentatonic; Songsterr has a detailed tab. Use a moderately distorted tone (e.g., Marshall Plexi or Mesa/Boogie) to match Sambora’s sound.
• Transposition: For easier fretting, try a capo on the 2nd fret (Bb5, Db5, Ab5, Gb5, Eb5, Bb5, F5) or transpose to D minor (D5, F5, C5, Bb5, G5, D5, A5) using Cifra Club’s transposer.