This is an accepted version of this page "Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi from their third studio album, Slippery When Wet.

Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, performed strongly on both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first song to reach No.

[7] Regarded as the band's signature song, "Livin' on a Prayer" has topped fan-voted lists and re-charted around the world decades after its release.

Lead guitarist Richie Sambora, however, convinced him the song was good, and they reworked it with a new bassline (recorded by Hugh McDonald uncredited[9][10][11]), different drum fills and the use of a talk box to include it on Slippery When Wet.

"[13] Cash Box said that "Solid chorus and ringing guitar highlight Jon Bon Jovi’s gutsy singing.

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.

[20][21] 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.

The storyline was loosely based on real-life events that Jon Bon Jovi and songwriter Desmond Child experienced in the 1970s.

The 1977 Dockworkers' Strike was the inspiration for Tommy's plight, wherein the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) engaged in a seven-week work stoppage, demanding a 77% pay raise over six years.

They had already begun their music careers, but worked day jobs; Child was a taxi driver in New York while Vidal was employed as a waitress in a diner named "Once Upon A Stove", similar to Gina in the song.

"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.

[27] The music video was filmed on September 17, 1986, at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California and was directed by Wayne Isham.