What Makes This Song Great? "Livin' On A Prayer" BON JOVI

Great analysis of this tune, Rick! Towards the end you wonder how many background singers there were, and I can answer that question for you, being one of them. In 1985 many big bands came through Vancouver to record at Little Mountain Sound with Bruce Fairbairn, and Nancy Nash and I (joani Bye) were often called for backgrounds. In this case Bruce called us in to sing on a track for a band from New Jersey named Bon Jovi. We, along with Jon and Bruce, did all those screaming bgs and man, was it fun!! Bruce called when the record was released to apologize for the fact that they had neglected to credit us on the album. I didn't think it was a big deal, having never heard of them before we did the session. Of course I had no idea that song would become so huge and so iconic!! And unfortunately, the oversight was never rectified, even on wikipedia. On the upside, we still do receive royalties. And I'm famous among my 29-year-old daughter's friends, who all scream along with us when the song plays in a bar. A great song indeed!!

Guys, let's be honest: The really cool thing about Rick's WMTSG series is that he doesn't actually explain the songs, but totally celebrates them. And he does it like the 12-, 14- or 16-year-old music fan we all were at the age when we just discovered music as the big thing for us. Rick's videos are sometimes a time machine, bringing back the enthusiasm and excitement of our past. And no one does that better than Rick.

Probably THE greatest pre-chorus ever.

Those golden harmonies between Richie and Jon were just breathtaking…damn I miss those so much!!🥺🥺🥺

Livin' On A Prayer has possibly the best chorus in the history of popular music. While some songs don't deserve the amount of recurrent airplay and relevance they have, this one absolutely does.

I seen a interview with Ritchie and he was saying when he brought in the talk box to the sessions he was met with some resistance. I bet they are happy they listened to him, it's such a signature part of the song, hard to imagine it without it

Finally somone talks about this bassline. I feel like such a boomer praising this song around my peers. I was 9 when it released. I started playing bass at 15. I have always said this was one of the bess basslines ever.

Glad to see Tico getting some love. He is a solid drummer, and I always loved his drum sound on those first few albums. I can picture him hitting that bell on the ride in the chorus. Love how it is mixed, so that it really comes through.

This was the record industry at its peak. Writers, producers, engineers, session players all paid for on the win big/lose big gamble of an A & R guy. A legendary time in music.

Bon Jovi at his vocal peak was insane. Those notes he was hitting effortlessly back in the day are crazy.

I remember the first time I heard this song and it changed my life. Best song ever

Rick I’m 75 and played most of my life and I have learned more from you about music than all those years and I really appreciate the insight you give. Good music is timeless because my son likes the same music as I as does my grandson. You are a credit to anyone with ears and much appreciated and much respect. Thank you.

Everybody who gut drunk in a karaoke bar knows just exactly how bloody high that chorus is!

This was Jon Bon Jovi at the peak of his power. Just the vocal melody makes this a great song,

Watching your deconstruction videos, I now realize that my favorite songs from the ‘80s are even better than I thought. When I hear them broken down and analyzed, I hear parts very differently and now, I have a whole new appreciation for just how brilliant they really are. Thank you for all your hard work, keep it up!

As a guy with a degree in Music Ed, I really like it when you break down stuff like this. I recall that most of my colleges and professors often looked down their noses at popular music but this is a great view into this music and shows it is much, much more than most give it credit for.

When you play that bass part at the start EVERYONE knows the song immediately. That defines a classic

Greatest YouTube series in history.Thank you for providing us with insights on the magic behind these masterpieces

This man really knows the science of chord's eventually the music as a whole.

Incidentally, this same bass line on the chorus is the same bass line on "Heaven Is Place On Earth" I've wondered if anyone else has noticed that? I've often wondered who came up with it first lol