Livin’ on a Prayer

Entering middle school, I didn’t really have a musical identity. My folks listened to a blend of oldies, country, and Christian radio. And while I was pretty meh on Christian radio, I decided I liked late 80s country and the oldies station quite a bit. I used to fall asleep listening to KILT country and Oldies 94.5.

Listening to Randy Travis, George Strait, Dwight Yoakum, Reba McIntire, and the Judds on one hand, and The Beatles, Stones, Otis Redding, Supremes, Creedence, and Sam Cooke on the other provided a decent musical education for a sixth grader. I realize now, listening to old people music all the time made me a weirdo for my age.

Although I wasn’t a music fan yet, with my own tastes and identity, I definitely had a window into what that might look like. My older sister had band posters on her wall. She had concert tees. It was peak glam metal years, and she loved it. So I kinda liked it too.

My sister had been a HUGE Journey fan as a tween / adolescent. But in the mid- to late 80s, Bon Jovi was becoming the new Journey, and she made the transition, too. The memory of her coming home from the Bon Jovi show and talking about how incredible it was, including the trademark flyover above the crowd was something I’ve remembered the rest of my life—even if I never emulated it on my own.

Meanwhile, in sixth grade, we had to make a music video for theater arts class where you record yourselves lip syncing to a popular song, and the two other boys in my group decided to do “Livin’ on a Prayer.” That would not have been my choice, but it indicated to me that Bon Jovi wasn’t just a girl thing. The boys liked them too.

The song itself could be the sequel to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” as the two young lovers who met and teamed up in the earlier song are now fighting for survival under the heavy weight of late-stage capitalism. But both songs invite you to look past the current troubles to a future that can become better, if you only believe in each other and the power of, um, thoughts and prayers.

I don’t mean to sound skeptical. I fully and unironically love both bands. And that’s something that was true in the moment. Journey’s Live in Houston ‘81 album is committed to memory, and if you don’t like it, I will fight you.

And Bon Jovi updated the Eagles’ outlaw cosplay with “Wanted Dead or Alive” and the surprisingly decent Young Guns II soundtrack (it kinda holds up). That soundtrack was one of the first 15 or 20 CDs I owned, and Jeff Beck’s solo on “Blaze of Glory” absolutely slays.

Jon Bon Jovi - Blaze Of Glory (Official Music Video)

In my late 20s I caught Bon Jovi’s show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and they ripped through a classic set in impressive fashion. A tight show in under 30 minutes, and they rocked them all. They are a great band, full stop. Also, props to Bon Jovi for being masters of the pre-chorus that’s just as good as the chorus. Example below.

Fave lyrics:

Tommy used to work on the docks, union’s been on strike He’s down on his luck, it’s tough, so tough Gina works the diner all day, working for her man She brings home her pay, for love, mmm, for love She says, “We’ve gotta hold on to what we’ve got It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not We’ve got each other and that’s a lot for love We’ll give it a shot” Whoa, we’re half way there Whoa oh, livin’ on a prayer Take my hand, we’ll make it, I swear Whoa oh, livin’ on a prayer