When people think about the soundtrack from Young Guns II, they automatically think of Jon Bon Jovi. The story goes that Emilo Estevez (the star of the movie) originally approached Jon Bon Jovi to see if he would grant permission to allow the inclusion of Bon Jovi's hit song, Wanted Dead Or Alive, on the soundtrack. Bon Jovi didn't feel that the song fit well with the theme of the movie, but was inspired to contribute a new song, Blaze Of Glory, to the film. Blaze Of Glory blazed fast up the charts peaking at #1 and earned Academy and Grammy award nominations. The single led to Jon Bon Jovi's first solo album titled Blaze Of Glory: Songs Inspired by the Film Young Guns II consisting of tunes filled with anger and aggressiveness of which Bon Jovi was feeling at the time as he was determining whether to leave his band and go solo permanently. Although two of the Bon Jovi songs (Blaze Of Glory, Billy Get Your Guns) were featured at the end of the movie, Jon wasn't the primary composer for the film. There actually was an original score created for the movie, another masterpiece turned in by one of the best composers in the biz, Alan Silvestri.
Ironically, Silvestri was not involved with the first Young Guns movie. That nod went to a jobroni composer named Anthony Marinelli who never created any other memorable scores. Alan Silvestri's Young Guns II score mixed a classic western theme similar to tunes heard in classic western films with a new age melodic hard rock guitar sound. The overture is heard throughout the movie, usually when Billy and his gang were riding onward towards their next escapade. The song kind of makes you feel like you are riding along as a member of Billy The Kid's gang. Just some powerful stuff, and very epic. Although not as recognizable as his other works such as the Back To The Future and Forrest Gump scores, I personally believe it's one of his best.
Ladies and gentlemen.... #22 Young Guns II Overture by Alan Silvestri
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