Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

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According to co-writer Desmond Child, Jon Bon Jovi originally considered not including “Living On A Prayer” on the band’s third album Slippery When Wet: After Bon Jovi did the demo, Jon wasn’t sure about putting it on the album because he felt it was a bit sentimental and didn’t fit with the hard-edged arena rock direction they were headed in. But Richie and I realized early on that this was a very special song and literally got on our hands and knees, half joking and half not, begging Jon to keep it on the record. “Livin' On A Prayer” was released as the album’s second single in late 1986 and became their second consecutive chart-topper in the US, reaching #1 in early 1987 – finishing as the 10th biggest song of the year. It also reached the top 5 in several countries overseas. Regarding the track’s lyrical content, Jon gave the following statement: It deals with the way that two kids–Tommy and Gina–face life’s struggles, and how their love and ambitions get them through the hard times. It’s working class and it’s real… I wanted to incorporate the movie element, and tell a story about people I knew. So instead of doing what I did on ‘Runaway’, where the girl didn’t have a name, I gave them names, which gave them an identity… Tommy and Gina aren’t two specific people; they represent a lifestyle. The hit unexpectedly re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 on November 21, 2013 in the 25th spot. It re-entered the charts after a 2009 video of Boston Celtics basketball fan Jeremy Fry dancing to the rock anthem at Boston’s TD Garden was re-uploaded to YouTube. With 11 million new views, the video propelled the 1987 classic back on the charts. In 2023, the song’s music video became the group’s second to surpass one billion views on YouTube.