Have A Nice Day by Bon Jovi

Album: Have A Nice Day (2005)

Charted: 6 53

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This song is about overcoming adversity - the "Have A Nice" day refrain is a bit ironic. Jon Bon Jovi wrote the song after George W. Bush was reelected as US president in 2004. Bon Jovi campaigned for his opponent, John Kerry, and although he was disappointed that Kerry lost, he wanted to make sure those who disagreed with Bush continued to fight.
"Have a nice day" was a pretty standard send-off in the '70s and '80s used by service workers to close a transaction. It's the kind of thing a waitress at one of the many diners in New Jersey would say after dropping the check. The phrase later became a cliché, which is how Jon Bon Jovi uses it in this song:

When the world gets in my face
I say, have a nice day
"Have A Nice Day" was the lead single and title track to Bon Jovi's 2005 album. The group was a decade past their hit-making era and not yet in the realm of nostalgia, but they were still able to garner some airplay for the song and the album sold well over a million copies in America.
Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora - the longtime songwriting team in the group - wrote and produced the song with John Shanks, a pop songwriter who had worked on hits for Michelle Branch ("Everywhere") and Keith Urban ("Somebody Like You").
Bon Jovi wasn't the first to use the title. The British group Stereophonics released their "Have A Nice Day" in 2001. Both songs use the title phrase as a platitude.
The music video demonstrates how viral moments were manufactured in 2005, a few years before the iPhone and social media. We see a fan take a photo of the CD cover - a drawing of a smiley face with angry eyebrows - on a Samsung phone and then send it to his friends, who pass it on. The image soon becomes what we would now call a meme, showing up on mailboxes, street signs and even jewelry.

Comments: 9

Brandon from Los Angeles, CaliforniaThis song is about not letting people’s perception of you define who you are, but instead creating your own reality and being your own man.

This idea is expressed in the opening lines “Why you wanna tell me how to live my life? And who are you to tell me if it's black or white?”

Instead of simply following the labels that society gives us (“my daddy lived a lie it’s just the price that he paid”) this song urges us to do things on our own terms and not compromise who we are for anyone.

Looking at the chorus: “shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice, standing on the ledge, I show the wind how to fly”

The first 2 lines suggest that we should strive to be the best version of ourselves and take chances (rolling with the dice).
The third line states how instead of blindly following the crowd (flying with the wind), we should redirect the crowd with our actions and start a new movement (showing the wind how to fly).

The chorus continues to build, and then ends with the famous “Have a Nice Day” which is a classy way of saying “go F**k yourself” aka don’t try to label or confine me.

Overall a very catchy and powerful song, and one of Bon Jovi’s best from the 2000s.
Beau from Phoenix, AzBon Jovi took this saying from pro wrestler Mick Foley, who used this as his catchphrase for years.

It basically is another way of saying 'f--k off'.
Keeri from Airdrie, Abif you watched the interview on the have a nice day disc you would know the song is geared towards stickin it to the man. the meaning is very sarcastic and ironic. its all about doing your own thing and not giving a f--k what people think. if you also watch the interviews Richie says have a nice day with a big sarcastic smile on his face and gives the camera the finger. the song says f--k off, i do the f--k i like!
Bob from Las Vegas, NvThis song stinks! George Bush rocks! Bon Jovi is awesome but i hate this song!
Bradley from Savannah, Gapreety cool vidio, we did that at my high school on the last day of school. we made alot of face sticky notes about 1000. it was sweet, they were everywhere :)
Sofija from Novi Sad, SerbiaBon Jovi was only glam on their first two to three albums. Their sound turned a lot more towards rock later on. Besides, glam metal artists don't like the term hair metal, because when grunge came along, glam metal bands were called 'hair farmers' because the industry was now promoting grunge. And, Krista, if you've seen the video you could notice Jon's hair is short and blonde, which wasn't the case back in the 80s. Then it was long, curly and somewhre between dirty blonde and brown.

And it is really an Anti-Bush song, Jon mentioned that in more than a couple of interviews.
Michael from Morris County, NjPersonally, i doubt think the whole idea is Anti-Bush. Bad Ass song though
Krista from Elyria, Ohi agree emily! i like the meaning! i thought this was an 80s album!
bon jovi is king of hairbands!
Emily from Abingdon, VaInteresting . . .
Never knew.

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