Jon Bon Jovi: Livin' on a Prayer didn't always have a key change

29 April 2024, 19:15 | Updated: 1 May 2024, 13:17

The Bon Jovi frontman revealed the 1986 hit's iconic karaoke moment almost never was.

Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer is undoubtedly the band's most well-known hit and a karaoke favourite around the world.

However, Jon Bon Jovi has revealed that he didn't think too much of the 1986 single on the day it was written and it didn't have its now-iconic key change.

Speaking to Gold's James Bassam about the making of the single, the 62-year-old rocker recalled: "Well, certainly on the day that we wrote it, I absolutely positively thought, 'Yeah, it's good. It's fine. Who cares?' It's just another good song to put on the [Slippery When Wet album]."

He added: "It was when we went to rehearsal that it took on a life of its own because we were aware that we needed to develop a line and we were thinking of 'sugar pie, honey bunch', and like Motown, stuff like that. And so we knew it was in mind.

"But on the day we wrote it on a stand-up piano and an acoustic guitar, although the lyrics and the melodies were intact, we left there with that."

• What are Bon Jovi's biggest songs?
• Bon Jovi announce Forever album and share Legendary single

The New Jersey native - who's real name is John Francis Bongiovi, Jr. - went on: "I would venture to say, and I have two other witnesses that would have to corroborate this, I don't know that we had the key change on the day. I think that came during the practice, during the pre-production, during the rehearsal.

"I don't see how we could have said, 'And then it should be a key change'. I think that probably came in that same rehearsal when we worked up that bass line and [lead guitarist] Tiko [Torres] came in and you went, 'Oh, there's something unique here'.

"But a young man at 24 would say, 'Of course, we should go to the key change'. The 62-year-old sits there and goes, 'No, don't do the key change!'."

This month saw Bon Jovi share the details of their 16th studio album, Forever, which is released on 7th June.

"This record is a return to joy," said their frontman. "From the writing, through the recording process, this is turn up the volume, feel good Bon Jovi."

From it comes lead single Legendary and its accompanying video, which you can watch below:

Bon Jovi - Legendary (Official Music Video)

The new album is now available for pre-order HERE where fans can find exclusive coloured vinyl options, CDs, cassettes, and limited edition signed copies.

An extremely limited run of Ocean Waves coloured vinyl will also include a one-of-a-kind instant photo of Jon.

BON JOVI - Forever tracklisting

1. Legendary
2. We Made It Look Easy
3. Living Proof
4. Waves
5. Seeds
6. Kiss The Bride
7. The People’s House
8. Walls Of Jericho
9. I Wrote You A Song
10. Living In Paradise
11. My First Guitar
12. Hollow Man

The band have also taken a look back at their career with a new documentary, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.

The series, which arrived on Disney+ for UK audiences on 26th April 2024, sees the It's My Life rockers discuss the highs and lows of their time as a band amid Jon Bon Jovi's carer-threatening vocal surgery and his road to recovery.

Watch the trailer for the expansive documentary below:

Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story (Official Trailer)

Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story in the UK is available on Disney+ now.

Bon Jovi walk the red carpet for premiere of Disney documentary series on band