"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.

"Livin' on a Prayer" is the band's signature song, topping fan-voted lists and re-charting around the world decades after its release. The original 45-RPM single release sold 800,000 copies in the United States,[citation needed] and in 2013 was certified triple platinum for over 3 million digital downloads. The official music video has over 887 million views on YouTube as of March 2022.

Lyrics

Once upon a time not so long ago

Tommy used to work on the docks

Union's been on strike

He's down on his luck

It's tough, so tough

Gina works the diner all day

Working for her man

She brings home her pay

For love, for love

She says, "We've gotta hold on to what we've got

It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not

We've got each other and that's a lot

For love we'll give it a shot."

Whoa, we're half-way there

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Take my hand, we'll make it. I swear

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Tommy's got his six string in hock

Now he's holding in

What he used to make it talk

So tough, it's tough

Gina dreams of running away

When she cries in the night

Tommy whispers

"Baby, it's okay, someday

We've gotta hold on to what we've got

It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not

We've got each other and that's a lot

For love we'll give it a shot

Whoa, we're half-way there

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it. I swear

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Livin' on a prayer

We've gotta hold on ready or not

You live for the fight when it's all that you've got

Whoa, we're half-way there

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Whoa, we're half-way there

Whoa, livin' on a prayer

Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear

Whoa, livin' on a prayer