The song is highlighted by a near constant keyboard playing by David Bryan that is well defined in the beginning of the song and at several interludes, as well as loud guitar playing by Richie Sambora, background singing in the bridge and chorus, and a loud fast-paced delivery of lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi. It is one of the more upbeat and hard rocking songs on New Jersey. The song repeats the phrase "Bad Medicine" a total of 19 times. Towards the end of the song, Jon says he is running out of breath and has to go, but then relents, saying "I'm not done...one more time, with feelin'" and the band finishes the song with another repeat of the chorus.
Music video
There are two videos for the song, one with the band live in concert, and a more well-known live video in which a crowd of young peoplewaiting in line to get into the video shoot is asked by Sam Kinison if they "can make a better Bon Jovi video than these guys can." The crowd gives a very enthusiastic response, and members of the crowd are given hand-held cameras and invited onstage to help shoot the video.
Legacy
"Bad Medicine" continues to see considerable airplay on many rockradio stations and has always been a live staple at Bon Jovi concerts. In concert, an approximately 1-minute interlude of the classic "Shout" is incorporated into the middle of the song. Although with the Circle Tour, "Bad Medicine" has been played with many more covers than just "Shout". The song was featured on the band's compilation albumsCross Road and Greatest Hits, the live album , the acoustic collection This Left Feels Right, as well as several concert videos including Live From London and The Crush Tour. Is the theme song entrance of the mexican wrestler Dr. Wagner Jr. Who works before to CMLL, is the actual wrestler of AAA
"Bad Medicine" is part of Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits pack released for Rock Band 3.
In the 2001 filmJay and Silent Bob Strike Back, the song was played when Justice walks into Moby's restaurant, giving Jay dreams about kissing her.
In 2008, the Canadian hit show named an episode after this song.
Mexican Wrestler Dr. Wagner Jr. uses the song as his entrance theme.
The song was frequently sung by football fans with the lyrics changed to "Your love is like Barry Venison" in honour of Barry Venison, the former Liverpool F.C. and Newcastle United
In 2017, in the Young Sheldon episode entitled "Spock, Kirk, and Testicular Hernia," Sheldon enters Georgie's room to help him study for a math test and the song can be heard as Sheldon enters his room.
