Livin' on a Prayer

Last updated

"Livin' on a Prayer"
LivinOnAPrayer(hq).jpg
Single by Bon Jovi
from the album Slippery When Wet
B-side "Wild in the Streets"
ReleasedOctober 1986
Recorded1986
Genre
Length4:11 (album version)
4:23 ( Rock Band 2 edit)
5:07 (DualDisc remix)
5:16 (Crossroads re-record version)
Label Mercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Bruce Fairbairn
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"You Give Love a Bad Name"
(1986)
"Livin' on a Prayer"
(1986)
"Wanted Dead or Alive"
(1987)
Music video
"Livin' on a Prayer" on YouTube

"Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi, and is the band's second chart-topping single from their third album Slippery When Wet . Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and 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 No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their second consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit. [7]

Contents

"Livin' on a Prayer" is the band's signature song, topping fan-voted lists and re-charting around the world decades after its release. In 2013, the song was certified triple platinum for over 3 million digital downloads.

Song history

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 . Lead guitarist Richie Sambora, however, convinced him the song was good, and they reworked it with a new bassline (recorded by Hugh McDonald uncredited [8] [9] [10] ), different drum fills and the use of a talk box to include it on Slippery When Wet. The song spent two weeks at number one on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, from January 31 to February 14, 1987, and four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, from February 14 to March 14. It also hit number four on the UK Singles Chart.

The album version of the song, timed around 4:10, fades out at the end. However, the music video game Guitar Hero World Tour features the song's original studio ending, where the band revisit the intro riff and end with a talk box solo; this version ends at 4:53. The original ending is also playable on the similar video game Rock Band 2 , though edited in this case (thereby eliminating the talk box solo at the end). The version included on the 2005 DualDisc edition of Slippery When Wet has an extended version of the original ending, with a different talk box solo playing over the riff (possibly taken from an outtake of the song); this version, which fades out at the end like the standard version of the song, ends at 5:06.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks – in which New Jersey was the second-hardest hit state after New York, suffering hundreds of casualties among both WTC workers and first responders – the band performed an acoustic version of this song for New York. Bon Jovi performed a similar version as part of the special America: A Tribute to Heroes .

In 2022, Mike Reno, vocalist of the band Loverboy, revealed to Loudwire he is certain the backing vocals he recorded for this song are used. [11]

Reception and legacy

Billboard said that "metal muscle meets gritty reality in a tough, clanging rocker." [12] Cash Box said that "Solid chorus and ringing guitar highlight Jon Bon Jovi’s gutsy singing." [13]

In 2006, online voters rated "Livin' on a Prayer" No. 1 on VH1's list of The 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s. More recently, in New Zealand, "Livin' on a Prayer" was No. 1 on the C4 music channel's show U Choose 40 , on the 80's Icons list. It was also No. 1 on the "Sing-a-long Classics List". After Bon Jovi performed in New Zealand on January 28, 2008, while on their Lost Highway Tour, the song re-entered the official New Zealand RIANZ singles chart at number 24, over twenty years after the initial release. [14]

Australian music TV channel MAX placed the song at No. 18 on their 2008 countdown "Rock Songs: Top 100". In 2009, the song returned to the charts in the UK, notably hitting the number-one spot on the UK Rock Chart.

In 2010, it was chosen in an online vote on the Grammy.com website over the group's more recent hits "Always" and "It's My Life" to be played live by the band on the 52nd Grammy Awards telecast. [15] [16]

In the Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary list, "Livin' on a Prayer" was named the 46th greatest rock song of all time. [17] After the song was released for download, the song has sold 3.4 million digital copies in the US as of November 2014. [18] Louder Sound and Billboard ranked the song number four and number two, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest Bon Jovi songs. [19] [20]

The song, including its original ending, is also playable on the music video games Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2 . The song was re-worked and made available to download on November 9, 2010, for use in the Rock Band 3 music gaming platform to take advantage of PRO mode which allows use of a real guitar / bass guitar, and standard MIDI-compatible electronic drum kits / keyboards in addition to up to three-part harmony or backup vocals. [21] [22]

In November 2013, the song made its return to the Billboard Hot 100 at number 25, due to a viral video.

In 2017, ShortList's Dave Fawbert listed the song as containing "one of the greatest key changes in music history". [23]

In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 457 in their updated list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [24]

Lyrics

The song describes two characters, Tommy and Gina, a working-class couple who struggle to make ends meet. Tommy loses his job as a dockworker due to a strike while Gina works as a diner waitress. The storyline was loosely based on real-life events that Jon Bon Jovi and songwriter Desmond Child experienced in the 1970s. Before becoming successful artists and songwriters, Desmond Child and his then-girlfriend, singer-songwriter Maria Vidal, lived together. They had already begun their music careers, but worked day jobs; Child was a taxi driver in New York while Vidal worked as a waitress in a diner named "Once Upon A Stove", similar to Gina in the song. The owner, manager, and other employees of the diner nicknamed Vidal "Gina" due to her slight physical resemblance to Italian actress and photographer Gina Lollobrigida.

"It deals with the way that two kids – Tommy and Gina – face life's struggles," noted Bon Jovi, "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." [25] Tommy and Gina are also referred to in Bon Jovi's 2000 single "It's My Life".

In a 2002 interview, Bon Jovi said that he wrote the song as a response to the Reagan Era, adding, "trickle-down economics are really inspirational to writing songs". [26]

Music video

The music video was filmed on September 17, 1986, at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California and was directed by Wayne Isham. [27] It starts with a silhouette of the band walking down a hall, followed by shots of the band rehearsing, filmed in black and white, then playing in front of a crowd, in color. Near the beginning of the song, Jon puts on a harness that is being attached to wires by professional stunt coordinators and stunt spotters, and during the final chorus, he soars over the crowd.

The video reached 1 billion views on YouTube (the band's second song to do so) on February 1, 2023. [28]

Alternative versions

Bon Jovi have reworked the song several times, including an acoustic live version that served as a precursor to the MTV Unplugged series and a re-recorded version of the song, "Prayer '94," which appeared on U.S. versions of their Cross Road hits collection. [29]

Personnel

Bon Jovi

Additional musicians

Charts

Sales and certifications

Certifications and sales for "Livin' on a Prayer"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [73] 11× Platinum770,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [74] Gold30,000
Canada (Music Canada) [75] Gold50,000^
Germany (BVMI) [76] Gold250,000
Italy (FIMI) [77] Platinum50,000
Japan (RIAJ) [78]
Digital single
Platinum250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI) [79] 4× Platinum2,400,000
United States (RIAA) [80] 3× Platinum3,400,000 [18]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

In May 2013, the song was featured in a segment on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno . In this segment, a man and his wife were at a gas station when they were suddenly offered a free tank of gas in exchange for singing a song. The husband, Will Sims II, responded by singing "Livin' on a Prayer". The video of the segment went viral, [81] prompting Jon Bon Jovi to record a video personally thanking the couple for having "so much fun" with the band's song. [82]

In 2019, Grammy Award-winning singer Michelle Williams performed the song on the second US series of The Masked Singer . [83]

See also

Notes

  1. Atributted to multiple references: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Jovi</span> American rock band

Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. The band currently consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John Such left the band in 1994, and longtime guitarist and co-songwriter Richie Sambora left in 2013. The band has been credited with "bridging the gap between heavy metal, rock and pop with style and ease".

<i>Slippery When Wet</i> 1986 studio album by Bon Jovi

Slippery When Wet is the third studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on August 18, 1986, by Mercury Records in North America and Vertigo Records internationally. It was produced by Bruce Fairbairn, with recording sessions between January and July 1986 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. The album features many of Bon Jovi's best-known songs, including "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive".

<i>New Jersey</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Bon Jovi

New Jersey is the fourth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on September 19, 1988, by Mercury Records. The album was produced by Bruce Fairbairn and recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The album was the follow-up to the band's third album, Slippery When Wet, and reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in its second week of release after debuting at number eight. It remained at the top for four consecutive weeks and was Bon Jovi's last album to do so until Lost Highway (2007). The album was named after the birth state of Jon Bon Jovi, New Jersey.

<i>Keep the Faith</i> 1992 studio album by Bon Jovi

Keep the Faith is the fifth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on November 3, 1992, by Mercury Records. It is Bon Jovi's last studio album to feature all five original band members as bass guitarist Alec John Such was dismissed from the band in 1994, though it was not his last release with the band. It is Bon Jovi's first album since 1985's 7800° Fahrenheit not to be produced by Bruce Fairbairn. The album was produced by Bob Rock and was recorded at the Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. Keep the Faith marked a change to a "more serious interpretation of the band's pop-metal groove". It is also Bon Jovi's longest album to date, clocking in at 66 minutes.

<i>This Left Feels Right</i> 2003 compilation album by Bon Jovi

This Left Feels Right is a compilation album by Bon Jovi, released in 2003. An album featuring new versions of the band's songs from previous albums, it charted at No. 14 on Billboard 200. It's a "trip down memory lane" as Jon Bon Jovi described the album. It features revamped versions of many of Bon Jovi's biggest hits, often in a more somber style. Many of the 80's hard hitting chart-rockers are presented in a different light as soulful ballads.

<i>Cross Road</i> (album) 1994 greatest hits album by Bon Jovi

Cross Road is the first official greatest hits album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on October 11, 1994, by Mercury Records. The album contains hits from all previously released albums from their debut, Bon Jovi (1984) to Keep the Faith (1992). The album also features two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" entitled "Prayer '94" available only on the North American versions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's My Life (Bon Jovi song)</span> 2000 single by Bon Jovi

"It's My Life" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was released on May 8, 2000, as the lead single from their seventh studio album, Crush (2000). It was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Max Martin, and co-produced by Luke Ebbin. The song peaked at number one in Austria, Flanders, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland while charting within the top 10 across several other countries and peaking at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "It's My Life" is Bon Jovi's most well-known post-1980s hit single and helped introduce the band to a new, younger fanbase.

<i>Blaze of Glory</i> (Jon Bon Jovi album) 1990 studio album by Jon Bon Jovi

Blaze of Glory is the debut solo studio album by Jon Bon Jovi, the frontman of Bon Jovi. The album was released on August 7, 1990, through Mercury Records. It includes songs from and inspired by the movie Young Guns II. Emilio Estevez originally requested Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive" as the theme song for his upcoming Billy the Kid sequel, but Jon Bon Jovi ended up composing an all-new theme song for the film's soundtrack instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaze of Glory (Jon Bon Jovi song)</span> 1990 single by Jon Bon Jovi

"Blaze of Glory" is the debut solo single of American singer-songwriter Jon Bon Jovi. It reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Album Rock Tracks charts in 1990, becoming his only chart-topper away from his band Bon Jovi. "Blaze of Glory" also topped the Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand singles charts and reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Destination Anywhere</i> 1997 studio album by Jon Bon Jovi

Destination Anywhere is Jon Bon Jovi's second solo studio album released June 16, 1997 and features music from the film Destination Anywhere released in the same year. It follows his successful 1990 soundtrack Blaze of Glory, from the film Young Guns II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi song)</span> 1987 single by Bon Jovi

"Wanted Dead or Alive" is a power ballad by American rock band Bon Jovi. It is from their 1986 album Slippery When Wet. The song was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora and was released in 1987, as the album's third single. During a February 20, 2008 encore performance in Detroit, Jon Bon Jovi told the crowd about running into Bob Seger at a Pistons game. As he introduced his song "Wanted Dead or Alive", he said it was inspired by Seger's "Turn the Page" hit and called the song the band's anthem. The song peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, making it the third single from the album to reach the Top 10 of the Hot 100. As a result, Slippery When Wet was the first glam metal album to have 3 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Give Love a Bad Name</span> 1986 single by Bon Jovi

"You Give Love a Bad Name" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, released as the first single from their 1986 album Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child about a woman who has jilted her lover, the song reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on November 29, 1986, and became the band's first number-one hit. In 2007, the song re-entered the charts at No. 29 after Blake Lewis performed it on American Idol. Despite the lyrics of the chorus, the song should not be confused with "Shot Through the Heart", an unrelated song from Bon Jovi's 1984 self-titled debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runaway (Bon Jovi song)</span> 1984 single by Bon Jovi

"Runaway" is the debut single by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was originally recorded in 1981 for the so-called "Power Station Demos" at the beginning of singer Jon Bon Jovi's career, featuring the vocalist backed by session musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livin' on the Edge</span> 1993 single by Aerosmith

"Livin' on the Edge" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. The song was written by Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Mark Hudson. It was released in March 1993 as the first single from the band's commercially successful album Get a Grip. The single reached number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number three on the Cash Box Top 100, and number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it remained for nine weeks. In the UK, the song peaked at number 19 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Born to Be My Baby</span> 1988 single by Bon Jovi

"Born to Be My Baby" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. It was released on November 24, 1988 as the second single from their fourth studio album New Jersey. It peaked the following year at number 2 on the Cash BoxTop 100, 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 7 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, number 22 in the UK, and number 30 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Have a Nice Day (Bon Jovi song)</span> 2005 single by Bon Jovi

"Have a Nice Day" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. Written, composed and produced by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and John Shanks, "Have a Nice Day" was the first single released from the band's 2005 album of the same name. The overall message of the song can be taken several ways, but reflects an overall theme of both tolerance and defiance, and its title has a discordant effect from its message. Musically, the song features a propulsive blast of power chords, drum beats, and sneering vocals, as well as choruses and hooks similar to Bon Jovi's previous material. It received a positive reception from critics, some of whom praised the song's arrangement and message; both favorable and unfavorable comparisons were made to the band's previous hit "It's My Life".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(You Want to) Make a Memory</span> 2007 single ny Bon Jovi

"(You Want to) Make a Memory" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi, which was released as the first single from their tenth studio album Lost Highway (2007). Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, it was released for radio airplay on March 20, 2007, and for download on the US iTunes Store on April 17, 2007. The song is a ballad, and was performed at several nationally-televised events in an effort to promote the single. "(You Want to) Make a Memory" peaked at number 27 in the United States, making it Bon Jovi's last single to break the Top 40 on the Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miracle (Jon Bon Jovi song)</span> 1990 single by Bon Jovi

"Miracle" is the second solo single by American rock singer Jon Bon Jovi. It was released in 1990 from his debut album, Blaze of Glory, the soundtrack album from the film Young Guns II. The song charted at No. 12 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box and No. 20 on the Album Rock Tracks charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Do You Got?</span> 2010 single by Bon Jovi

"What Do You Got?" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. It is one of four songs written for the band's Greatest Hits album, released in November 2010. The song is the first single from the compilation album. The song was released on the band's official website on August 27. It was also released to radio airplay on August 27. It was officially released on September 21, 2010 as a digital download, but the physical single was released in Germany on October 22, 2010.

<i>This House Is Not for Sale</i> 2016 studio album by Bon Jovi

This House Is Not for Sale is the fourteenth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi. Released on November 4, 2016, by Island Records. It is their first studio album with Phil X on lead guitar after replacing founding member Richie Sambora in 2013, as well as the first album to feature bassist Hugh McDonald as an official member after having played with the band in a touring/session capacity since 1994.

References

  1. "Smashed Hits: Livin' On A Prayer". BBC News. November 27, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  2. Beaujour, Tom; Bienstock, Richard; Eddy, Chuck; Fischer, Reed; Grow, Kory; Johnston, Maura; Weingarten, Christopher R. (August 31, 2019). "50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone . Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  3. Sleazegrinder (December 4, 2015). "The 20 Best Hair Metal Anthems Of All Time Ever". Louder Sound . Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Browne, David (September 6, 2001). "Why are Bon Jovi suddenly musical saints?". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  5. Breihan, Tom (February 3, 2021). "The Number Ones: Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer"". Stereogum . Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  6. Deusner, Stephen (February 18, 2017). "We're all livin' on a prayer: How a hair band anthem from the least cool '80s rockers became a classic". Salon . Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  7. "AllMusic (Bon Jovi charts & awards) Billboard singles".
  8. 1 2 Brodén, Victor (July 23, 2014). "On Bass: The Song Guys". Premier Guitar. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Setaro, Shawn. "Inside The Business Of Bon Jovi With Bryan Reesman". Forbes. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  10. McDonald, Hugh. "Hugh McDonald Official Website – Discography". Internet Archive. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  11. "Loverboy's Mike Reno Reveals Backing Vocal on Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer'". Loudwire . February 9, 2022.
  12. "Reviews". Billboard. December 13, 1986. p. 61. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  13. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. December 13, 1986. p. 8. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  14. "RIANZ". Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  15. "More GRAMMY Performers, Presenters Announced". April 30, 2017.
  16. "Beyonce Swift Boated".
  17. "It's Only Rock & Roll: Top Billboard Hot 100 Rock Songs". Billboard . Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  18. 1 2 Appel, Rich (November 26, 2014). "Revisionist History, Part 5: Bon Jovi's 'Prayer' Answered, 'Caroline' Is Sweeter Than 'Sugar'". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  19. Dome, Malcolm (June 26, 2016). "The Top 10 Best Bon Jovi Songs". Louder Sound . Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  20. Weiss, Dan (October 24, 2017). "Bon Jovi's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard . Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  21. Kohler, Chris (November 9, 2010). "Bon Jovi Rock Band Tracks Upgraded with Pro Keys, Guitars". Wired . Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  22. Snider, Mike (June 10, 2010). "Rock Band 3: What's New, What's Notable". USA Today . Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  23. "The 19 greatest key changes in music history". ShortList . October 1, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  24. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  25. Dome, Malcolm (July 2006). "We'll make it, I swear…". Classic Rock #94. pp. 45–46.
  26. "Bon Jovi Calls George Bush as 'lunatic'!".
  27. "mvdbase.com – Wayne Isham technician videography".
  28. Rowley, Glenn (January 2, 2023). "Bon Jovi's 'Livin' On a Prayer' Video Joins YouTube's Billion-Views Club". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  29. Cross Road (liner notes). Bon Jovi. Mercury Records. 1994. P2-26013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. McDonald, Hugh. "Hugh McDonald Official Website – Discography". www.huey-mcdonald.com. Archived at the Wayback Machine of Internet Archive. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  31. 1 2 "What Makes This Song Great? Ep.111 BON JOVI "Livin' on a Prayer"". YouTube. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  32. "Loverboy's Mike Reno Reveals Backing Vocal on Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer'". Loudwire . February 9, 2022.
  33. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 41. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  34. "Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  35. "Radio2 top 30: 7 february 1987" (in Dutch). Top 30. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  36. "Top Singles – Volume 45, No. 23, March 14, 1987". RPM . Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  37. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  38. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Livin' On A Prayer". Irish Singles Chart.
  39. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bon Jovi" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  40. "Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  41. "Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer". Top 40 Singles.
  42. "Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer". VG-lista.
  43. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  44. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  45. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  46. "Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer". Singles Top 100.
  47. "Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer". Swiss Singles Chart.
  48. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  49. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  50. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  51. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  52. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending FEBRUARY 14, 1987". Cash Box magazine . Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  53. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  54. 1 2 "Bon Jovi: Livin' on a Prayer" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  55. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  56. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  57. "Bon Jovi Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  58. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  59. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week . London, England: Spotlight Publications: 24. January 24, 1987.
  60. "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  61. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  62. "Jaaroverzichten 1987 (Flanders)" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  63. "Top 100 Singles of '87". RPM . Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  64. "European Charts of the Year 1987: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 51/52. December 26, 1987. p. 34. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  65. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1987" (in Dutch). Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  66. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1987" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  67. "Top Selling Singles of 1987" . Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  68. "Top Pop Singles of '87". Billboard.biz . Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  69. "Top Rock Tracks". Billboard . Vol. 99, no. 52. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 26, 1987. p. 16. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  70. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1987". Cash Box magazine . Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  71. "2008 Year-End UK Charts" (PDF). Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  72. "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2013". Billboard. January 2, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  73. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  74. "Brazilian single certifications – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  75. "Canadian single certifications – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer". Music Canada.
  76. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bon Jovi; 'Livin' on a Prayer')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  77. "Italian single certifications – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  78. "Japanese digital single certifications – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved February 28, 2021.Select 2017年8月 on the drop-down menu
  79. "British single certifications – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  80. "American single certifications – Bon Jovi – Livin' on a Prayer". Recording Industry Association of America.
  81. "Gas Pump Couple Join Leno On 'Tonight' For An Encore [Video]". Inquisitr . The Inquisitr. May 12, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  82. Bon Jovi, Jon (May 12, 2013). Thank you very much for having so much fun with the song! -JBJ. Johannesburg, South Africa: YouTube. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  83. Komonibo, Ineye (December 5, 2019). "The Butterfly On The Masked Singer Was Revealed – & It Was The Show's Most Touching Moment". Refinery29 . Retrieved December 5, 2019.