Dry County (song)

For the B-52s song, see Dry County (The B-52s song).

"Dry County" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on March 7, 1994, as the sixth and final single from their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith (1992). It was written by Jon Bon Jovi. Clocking in at 9 minutes and 52 seconds, "Dry County" is the longest song that Bon Jovi has ever recorded on a studio album. The song reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart and number six in Finland. It was not released in the United States or Canada.

"Dry County"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Keep the Faith
B-side	"Stranger in This Town" (live)
Released	March 7, 1994 (1994-03-07)
Length	9:52 (album version) 6:37 (radio edit)
Label	Jambco Vertigo Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Jon Bon Jovi
Producer(s)	Bob Rock
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"I Believe" (1993) "Dry County" (1994) "Always" (1994)
Music video
"Dry County" on YouTube

Lyrical interpretation

"Dry County" is about the decline of the U.S. domestic oil industry and its effect on those whose income relied on it. In live versions of the song, during the buildup to the second guitar solo, Jon Bon Jovi often includes a monologue about the struggles of life generally.

Live performances

Although "Dry County" is considered a fan favorite, it was only played regularly on the Keep the Faith Tour. On May 13, 2006, Bon Jovi played "Dry County" live at the first concert of the summer leg of their Have a Nice Day Tour in Düsseldorf, it was the first time it had been played live in 10 years, and went on to be performed on further occasions on that tour and on the band's more recent Lost Highway Tour. The band's followers often display signs requesting the song. It was also performed during The Circle Tour and Because We Can Tour. It was performed once on the This House Is Not for Sale Tour in 2018 at the Allentown, Pennsylvania show.

Track listings

UK 7-inch and cassette single[1][2] "Dry County" – 9:36 "Stranger in This Town" (live) UK CD1[3] "Dry County" (edit) "Stranger in This Town" (live) "Blood Money" (live) UK CD2[4] "Dry County" (live) "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" (live) "Waltzing Matilda" (live)

European and Australian CD single[5] "Dry County" (edit) – 6:37 "Dry County" – 9:36 Japanese CD single[6] "Dry County" (edit) "Stranger in This Town" (live) "Blood Money" (live) "Dry County" (live) "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" (live) "Waltzing Matilda" (live)

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[7]	31
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8]	26
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9]	15
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10]	6
Germany (GfK)[11]	41
Ireland (IRMA)[12]	18
Japan (Oricon)[13]	24
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14]	22
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15]	19
Scotland (OCC)[16]	14
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17]	35
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18]	10
UK Singles (OCC)[19]	9

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	March 7, 1994	7-inch vinyl CD1 cassette	Jambco Vertigo Mercury	[20]
	March 21, 1994	CD2		[21]
Japan	March 25, 1993	CD	Jambco Mercury	[13]

References

1. Dry County (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Bon Jovi. Jambco, Mercury Records, Vertigo Records. 1994. JOV 13, 858 458-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
2. Dry County (UK cassette single sleeve). Bon Jovi. Jambco, Mercury Records. 1994. JOVMC 13, 858 458-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Dry County (UK CD1 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Jambco, Mercury Records. 1994. JOVBX 13, 858 415-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. Dry County (UK CD2 liner notes). Bon Jovi. Jambco, Mercury Records. 1994. JOVCD 13, 858 417-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Dry County (European & Australian CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Jambco, Mercury Records, Phonogram Records (Australia). 1994. 858 414-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Dry County (Japanese CD single liner notes). Bon Jovi. Jambco, Mercury Records. 1994. PHCR 3033.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
7. "Bon Jovi – Dry County". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
8. "Bon Jovi – Dry County" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 14. April 2, 1994. p. 18. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
10. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
11. "Bon Jovi – Dry County" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Dry County". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
13. "ドライ・カウンティ | ボン・ジョヴィ" [Dry County | Bon Jovi] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 14, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
15. "Bon Jovi – Dry County" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
16. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
17. "Bon Jovi – Dry County". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
18. "Bon Jovi – Dry County". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
20. "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. March 5, 1994. p. 21. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
21. "Single Releases". Music Week. March 19, 1994. p. 21.