Livin' on a Prayer

by Bon Jovi

Top hit from: 08.02 to 07.03.1987

"Livin' on a Prayer" is Bon Jovi's second single from their Slippery When Wet album. Written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora with Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, was well received at both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first #1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The single also became Bon Jovi's second consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit and has become the band's signature song, topping fan-voted lists and re-charting around the world decades after its release.
The album version of the song fades out at the end, with a song length of 4:10. However, the version playable on the music video games Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2 retains the original studio ending of the song, where the band revisit the intro riff and end with a talkbox solo. This version of the song ends at 4:53.
The song is also featured in the 2001 movie Rock Star. The song was sung by Sri & David to a sold out house at Mint in San Francisco on 8/20/2011.
Jon Bon Jovi did not like the original recording of this song, which can be found as a hidden track on 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong. Richie Sambora

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Lyrics

Songwriters: Bongiovi, Jon; Sambora, Richard; Child, Desmond;

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 got to hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We got each other and that's a lot
For love we'll give it a shot!

Oh, we're half way there
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer

Tommy's got his six string in hock
Now he's holding in what he used to make it talk
So tough, mmm, it's tough

Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers
"Baby it's okay, someday"


We gotta hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We got each other and that's a lot
For love we'll give it a shot!

Oh, we're half way there
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer
Livin' on a prayer!

We gotta hold on ready or not
You live for the fight when it's all that you've got

Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer

Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer

Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer




these lyrics are last corrected by PrincessC