Bon Jovi, being the genius he is, managed to have a huge hit with a song that fits both categories.
I'm talking about his monster smash, "Living on a Prayer" from 1986's "Slippery When Wet."
The song starts off talking about Tommy who lost his job and Gina who for some reason is hanging out with Tommy even though she "dreams of running away."
The song is a charging rhino that defies any clinical analysis.
And yet.......
Why is it that Bon Jovi announces that "It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not."
When just a few bars later, in the chorus he belts out "Take my hand and we'll make it I swear!"
Huh?
Well which is it Tommy???!!!
You've hocked your guitar, you lost your job on the dock.....
WTF?
"Relax, babe. We're halfway there. Take my hand and .....actually it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not. We got each other.
Let's hit the bong!"
Tommy is not the guy you want to take your first skydiving lesson from.
YOU: "Uh, Tommy, don't you think we should pull the rip cord? The ground is racing up on us!"
TOMMY: What? Oh, chill out bro. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or.......SPLAT!!!!
You'd be living on a prayer too if you had some stoner guy for a boyfriend who keeps changing his mind.
I still love the song, and overall, lyrically the song is pretty good.
But Gina really should dump that loser.
Hey Miles,
ReplyDeleteThe song was always a crowd pleaser when we sang it in my NYU A-Capella group...oh, so may years ago!!
Yeah, this song is to Born to Run/Atlantic City — just as Jon Bon Jovi is the poor man's Bruce Springsteen. It's catchy as fuck though.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that Johhny Bon Hairdo was singing:
ReplyDelete"It doesn't make a difference if we're naked or not"
I like my lyrics better. Makes SOME sense of it, Miles.