| "Who Says You Can't Go Home" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single byBon Jovi | ||||
| from the albumHave a Nice Day | ||||
| B-side | "Complicated" (live) | |||
| Released | March 27, 2006 (2006-03-27) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:40 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
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| Bon Jovi singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Who Says You Can't Go Home" onYouTube | ||||
"Who Says You Can't Go Home" is a song that was written byJon Bon Jovi andRichie Sambora for American rock bandBon Jovi's ninth album,Have a Nice Day (2005). The song was produced byJohn Shanks, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. A duet version of the song featuring vocals fromJennifer Nettles of the American duoSugarland was also shipped tocountry music radio. Both versions of the song feature onHave 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 secondsingle in North America in March 2006 and reached the top 30 on the USBillboard 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 theBillboardHot Country Songs chart. This was Bon Jovi's most-recent song to chart on thePop Songs chart untilNever Say Never, a collaboration between the band and Pitbull utilizing the former's 2000 hitIt's My Life hit the chart in 2025 at number thirty-six.[2]
The lyrics of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" reflect Jon Bon Jovi's roots and passion for his hometown in New Jersey.
In the United States, a version of the song was released to thecountry music format as a duet withJennifer Nettles, lead singer of the duoSugarland. The country music version was originally recorded as a duet withKeith Urban, who also playedbanjo on the song. After Jon Bon Jovi decided that Urban's voice was too similar to his own, he asked a representative ofMercury Records to recommend a female duet partner.[3][4] The country version was performed onSaturday Night Live on October 13, 2007.
The music video for the country/Jennifer Nettles version, released in November 24, 2005,[5] and directed by Jon's brother, Anthony M. Bongiovi,[6] featuresHabitat for Humanity volunteers, including members of thePhiladelphia SoulArena 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 theCMT Music Awards in 2006.[7]
The shooting of the music video for the regular version, featuring a man dressed up as a dog, began at the March 9, 2006Bon Jovi concert at theGlendale Arena outsidePhoenix and continued in theLos Angeles area.[8] The video was released in the week of March 27, 2006.[9] It was directed by Jeff Labbé through@radical.media,[8] lensed by David Lanzenberg,[10] and edited by Steve Prestemon.[11]
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During the2008 US Presidential election, the original version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" was used frequently at public events supporting theRepublican Party. Specifically, the song was a prominent feature at several large rallies supporting vice-presidential candidate and formerGovernor of AlaskaSarah 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 byFoo Fighters,Heart,John Mellencamp, andBoston. The Republicans, in turn, claimed "blanketrights" to play the songs at their public events.
In launching the complaint, Bon Jovi stated,
Bon Jovi has been an enthusiasticDemocratic Party supporter, appearing at a fundraiser in support of PresidentBarack Obama and performing at rallies for various Democratic candidates.
UK CD1 and 7-inchpicture disc[13][14]
UK CD2[15]
Digital download[16]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March 27, 2006 (2006-03-27) | Contemporary hit radio | Island | [39][40] |
| United Kingdom | June 12, 2006 (2006-06-12) | CD | Mercury | [41] |
