Who Says You Can't Go Home

"Who Says You Can't Go Home"
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Have a Nice Day
Released	January 30, 2006
Format	CD single, music download
Genre	Heartland rock (Original Bon Jovi version) Country rock (Duet version)
Length	4:40 (Album/Rock version) 3:50 (Duet version/UK radio edit)
Label	Island
Writer(s)	Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora
Producer(s)	John Shanks, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"Have a Nice Day" (2005) "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (2006) "Welcome to Wherever You Are" (2006)
Jennifer Nettles singles chronology "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (2006) "That Girl" (2013) Audio sample file info · help Alternative cover Cover of Bon Jovi/Jennifer Nettles version Cover of Bon Jovi/Jennifer Nettles version

"Who Says You Can't Go Home" is a song written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora for the American rock band Bon Jovi's ninth studio album Have a Nice Day (2005). The song was produced by John Shanks, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. It was released as the second single in North America in the first quarter of 2006 and reached the top 30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, peaking at #23. Outside North America, "Welcome to Wherever You Are" was released as the second single with "Who Says You Can't Go Home" being released as the album's third release on June 12, 2006. The song reached #5 in the UK, becoming the band's second Top 10 single from the album. A version of the song was also shipped to country music radio, featuring duet vocals from Jennifer Nettles of the duo Sugarland and peaked at #1 on the Country charts.

Content

The lyrics to "Who Says You Can't Go Home" reflect on lead-singer Jon Bon Jovi's own personal passion for his community and New Jersey roots.

Country music version

In the United States, a version of the song was released to the country music format as a duet with Jennifer Nettles, lead singer of the duo Sugarland.

The country music version was originally recorded as a duet with Keith Urban, who also played banjo on the song. After Jon Bon Jovi decided that Urban's voice was too similar to his own, he asked a representative of Mercury Records to recommend a female duet partner.

Music video

The music video for the country version features Habitat for Humanity volunteers, including members of the Philadelphia Soul Arena Football League team owned in part by Jon Bon Jovi, building homes for low-income families and was used to promote the organization while another version of music video features a man in a dog pursuit. It also received an award for Best Collaborative Video at the CMT Music Awards in 2006. The Jennifer Nettles version has the same setting.

2008 Presidential Election

During the 2008 US Presidential election, the original version of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" was used frequently at public events supporting the Republican Party. Specifically, the song was a prominent feature at several large rallies supporting vice-presidential candidate and former Governor of Alaska Sarah 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 by Foo Fighters, Heart, John Mellencamp, and Boston. The Republicans, in turn, claimed "blanket rights" to play the songs at their public events.

In launching the complaint, Bon Jovi stated,

"We were not asked... we do not approve of their use of [the song]. We wrote this song as a thank you to those who have supported us over the past 25 years. The song has since become a banner for our home state of New Jersey and the de facto theme song for our partnerships around the country to build homes and rebuild communities."

Bon Jovi has been an enthusiastic Democratic Party supporter, appearing at a $30,000 per-plate fundraiser in support of President Barack Obama and performing at rallies for various Democratic candidates.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Who Says You Can't Go Home".

UK CD single #1

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (Radio edit)
2. "Complicated" (Live In Boston)

UK CD single #2

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (Radio edit)
2. "Last Man Standing" (Live in Boston)
3. "Raise Your Hands" (Live in Boston)
4. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" music video (dog fursuit version)

Vinyl single

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (Radio edit)
2. "Complicated" (Live in Boston)

Digital Download

1. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (Acoustic Version)

Charts

Chart (2005–2006)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart	36
German Singles Chart	54
Irish Singles Chart	30
UK Singles Chart	5
US Billboard Hot 100	23
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	8
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)	5
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)	1*
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)	30

Year-end charts

Chart (2006)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)	9*

* - duet with Jennifer Nettles

Preceded by "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts

Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one single May 6—May 13, 2006

Succeeded by "Wherever You Are" by Jack Ingram

Awards and achievements

• Won award for "Best Collaborative Video" at the CMT Music Awards in 2006.
• Won award for "Favorite Rock Song" at the 33rd People's Choice Awards in 2007
• Won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in 2007.
• Song has been chosen to group best Country songs of the year - "ASCAP Country Music Awards" in 2006
• Nominated for "Music Event Of The Year" at the Country Music Association Awards
• Nominated for "Vocal Event Of The Year" at the Academy of Country Music Awards