Livin' on a Prayer

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by.” (Billy Joel)

Can you recall one song that made you feel this way? What was it — and what message did it convey?

It would be, as a matter of course, Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer. I could recognize that song from the first keyboard note in the intro, wherever it’s played. When you get to the first bass line before the drum starts to play, I feel like I am a sprinter who is about to make my most important, explosive start in my life.

The whole song fascinates me without no end. As I write this, it’s more than 20 years old. Has it ever fail to awaken my spirit ? No. Indeed, it is an excellent study of how music could influence you so much instantly and continues to inspire you as long as you are being honest to yourself ( For I also found out that you could also close your ears and pretend that a certain song can not excite you ).

That distinctive Ritchie Sambora’s vocoder moans in the backgrounds alone has sparked so many successful backing vocals setting for many succesful songs. Torres’ drumbeat never sounds so raw, simple yet powerful and uplifting at the same time. And Bryan, - the ever important but sometimes unsung member of the band -, succesfully sets an atmosphere for the entire song : so subtle, but makes you feel sureally invincible.

If I were to isolate one part of the song that I feel most responsible to the success of it, I would without a doubt pick Jon’s part. While his voice is not the best performance of his, the words that he sang are so naive to touch the child in me; but also very pregnant with potential that nothing in the world would stop me from believing the best there is. In fact, for me it feels like a sublimation of Paul’s words in one of the epistle, “For who can separate us from the love of Christ ? Neither life, nor death, …..” that I faithfully selected for Igo’s dedication verses.

Lately in my life, at those difficult times during my recovery which coincides with the children’s most formative years; just remembering about this song sends a rush through my veins, and I find my face lines tighten in determination although circumstances seem hopeless. My whole being resonates with these words,

“We’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got,

It doesn’t make a difference that we’ll make it or not;

We’ve got each other, and that’s a lot,

For love; We’ll give it a shot !“

And indeed, I am halfway there !!