Showing posts with label Livin' on a Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Livin' on a Prayer. Show all posts

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Desmond Child: Top 50 Songs

Desmond Child

Top 50 Songs

Songwriter Desmond Child was born John Carles Barrett on 10/28/1953 in Gainesville, Florida. He got his start with Desmond Child & Rouge in 1975, reaching #51 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Our Love Is Insane” in 1979. The group disbanded a year later.

Child has subsequently worked with multiple artists as a songwriter and producer, including Aerosmith, Clay Aiken, Jimmy Barnes, Michael Bolton, Bon Jovi, Cher, Chicago, Kelly Clarkson, Alice Cooper, Dream Theater, Hilary Duff, Selena Gomez, Hall & Oates, Hanson, INXS, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Jonas Brothers, Kiss, Cyndi Lauper, Ricky Martin, Jesse McCartney, Meat Loaf, Billie Myers, Allanah Myles, Katy Perry, Ratt, LeAnn Rimes, Roxette, Scorpions, Shakira, Billy Squier, Joss Stone, Barbra Streisand, Bonnie Tyler, Carrie Underwood, Steve Vai, John Waite, Weezer, Robbie Williams, Winger, Trisha Yearwood, and Zedd.

For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.

Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Awards:

Top 50 Songs Written/Co-Written by Desmond Child

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards.

DMDB Top 1%:

1. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986)
2. Ricky Martin “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (1999)

DMDB Top 2%:

3. Bon Jovi “You Give Love a Bad Name” (1986)

DMDB Top 5%:

4. Aerosmith “Dude Looks Like a Lady” (1987)
5. Kiss “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” (1979)
6. Sisqó “Thong Song” (2000)
7. Bon Jovi “Bad Medicine” (1988)
8. Aerosmith “What It Takes” (1989)
9. Alice Cooper “Poison” (1989)
10. Ava Max “Kings & Queens” (2020)

DMDB Top 10%:

11. Aerosmith “Angel” (1987)
12. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Hate Myself for Loving You” (1988)
13. Billie Myers “Kiss the Rain” (1997)
14. Katy Perry “Waking Up in Vegas” (2008)
15. Aerosmith “Crazy” (1993)
16. Kiss “Heaven’s on Fire” (1984)
17. Ricky Martin with Christina Aguilera “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely” (2001)

DMDB Top 20%:

18. Michael Bolton “How Can We Be Lovers” (1989)
19. Bon Jovi “Keep the Faith” (1992)
20. Ricky Martin “She Bangs” (2000)

21. Ricky Martin “The Cup of Life” (1998)
22. Aerosmith “Hole in My Soul” (1997)
23. Kiss “Reason to Live” (1987)
24. Bon Jovi “Born to Be My Baby” (1988)
25. Cher “Just Like Jesse James” (1989)
26. Bon Jovi “This Ain’t a Love Song” (1995)
27. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “Little Liar” (1988)
28. Bon Jovi “You Want to Make a Memory” (2007)
29. Cher “We All Sleep Alone” (1987)
30. Cher “Save Up All Your Tears” (1991)
31. Kiss “Hide Your Heart” (1989)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

32. Bon Jovi “Misunderstood” (2002)
33. Bon Jovi “Something for the Pain” (1995)
34. Alice Cooper “House of Fire” (1989)
35. Bon Jovi “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” (1992)
36. Kiss “Let’s Put the X in Sex” (1988)
37. Clay Aiken “Invisible” (2003)
38. Ricky Martin “Shake Your Bon-Bon” (1999)
39. Bon Jovi “Real Life” (1999)
40. John Waite “These Times Are Hard for Lovers” (1987)

41. Hanson “Weird” (1997)
42. Desmond Child “Love on a Rooftop” (1991)
43. Desmond Child & Rouge “Our Love Is Insane” (1979)
44. Ratt “Lovin’ You’s a Dirty Job” (1990)
45. Desmond Child “Youre the Story of My Life” (1991)
46. Zedd with Jon Bellion “Beautiful Now” (2015)
47. Alice Cooper “Bed of Nails” (1989)
48. Bon Jovi “All About Lovin’ You” (2002)
49. INXS “Afterglow” (2005)
50. Aerosmith “F.I.N.E.” (1989)

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 10/21/2023.

 
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Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Top 100 Songs by Hair Bands

Hair Bands:

Top 100 Songs

Ah, the hair bands. This much-maligned genre was a mix of rock and pop wrapped up in big hair and leather pants. The bands – almost all white men – were known for lifestyles filled with debauchery and depravity. It was no wonder teens in the ‘80s flocked to the bands like moths to a flame.

Regardless of these bands’ lack of critical acclaim, some of these bands (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard) when on to become some of the biggest rock bands in the world – even after they cut their hair and opted for more sensible jeans. Here – love ‘em or hate ‘em – are the top songs from hair bands as determined by aggregating 21 lists and then ranking those songs featured on 3 or more lists in order of their overall DMDB points.

Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (1987)
2. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986)
3. Van Halen “Jump” (1984)
4. Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar on Me” (1987)
5. Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” (1987)
6. Guns N’ Roses “November Rain” (1991)
7. Whitesnake “Here I Go Again” (1987)
8. Kiss “Rock and Roll All Nite” (1975)
9. Poison “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” (1988)
10. Guns N’ Roses “Paradise City” (1987)

11. Bon Jovi “You Give Love a Bad Name” (1986)
12. Def Leppard “Photograph” (1983)
13. Scorpions “Rock You Like a Hurricane” (1984)
14. Twisted Sister “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (1984)
15. Europe “The Final Countdown” (1986)
16. Ratt “Round and Round” (1984)
17. Quiet Riot “Cum on Feel the Noize” (1983)
18. Van Halen “Runnin’ with the Devil” (1978)
19. Extreme “More Than Words” (1990)
20. Mötley Crüe “Girls, Girls, Girls” (1987)

21. Whitesnake “Is This Love” (1987)
22. Warrant “Cherry Pie” (1990)
23. Def Leppard “Love Bites” (1987)
24. Bon Jovi “Wanted Dead or Alive” (1986)
25. Mr. Big “To Be with You” (1991)
26. Night Ranger “Sister Christian” (1984)
27. Guns N’ Roses “Patience” (1988)
28. The Scorpions “No One Like You” (1982)
29. Kiss “Detroit Rock City” (1976)
30. Def Leppard “Rock of Ages” (1983)

31. Van Halen “Panama” (1984)
32. Mötley Crüe “Home Sweet Home” (1985)
33. Quiet Riot “Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” (1983)
34. Poison “Nothin’ But a Good Time” (1988)
35. Skid Row “I Remember You” (1989)
36. Tesla “Love Song” (1989)
37. Van Halen “Hot for Teacher” (1984)
38. Whitesnake “Still of the Night” (1987)
39. Mötley Crüe “Dr. Feelgood” (1989)
40. The Scorpions “Still Loving You” (1984)

41. Lita Ford “Kiss Me Deadly” (1988)
42. Skid Row “18 and Life” (1989)
43. Warrant “Heaven” (1988)
44. Cinderella…Don’t Know What You Got ‘Til It’s Gone (1988)
45. Bon Jovi “Bad Medicine” (1988)
46. Mötley Crüe “Kickstart My Heart” (1989)
47. Queensrÿche “Silent Lucidity” (1990)
48. Def Leppard “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” (1981)
49. Lita Ford with Ozzy Osbourne “Close My Eyes Forever” (1988)
50. Poison “Talk Dirty to Me” (1986)

51. Alice Cooper “Poison” (1989)
52. Bon Jovi “Runaway” (1983)
53. Great White “Once Bitten Twice Shy” (1989)
54. Autograph…Turn Up the Radio (1984)
55. Def Leppard “Foolin’” (1983)
56. White Lion “When the Children Cry” (1987)
57. Twisted Sister “I Wanna Rock” (1984)
58. Cinderella “Nobody’s Fool” (1986)
59. Mötley Crüe “Shout at the Devil” (1983)
60. Kiss “Lick It Up” (1983)

61. Skid Row “Youth Gone Wild” (1989)
62. Poison “Something to Believe In” (1990)
63. Damn Yankees “High Enough” (1990)
64. White Lion “Wait” (1987)
65. Ozzy Osbourne “Shot in the Dark” (1986)
66. Poison “Fallen Angel” (1988)
67. Dokken “In My Dreams” (1985)
68. Slaughter “Fly to the Angels” (1990)
69. Van Halen “I’ll Wait” (1984)
70. Winger “Seventeen” (1988)

71. Kix “Don’t Close Your Eyes” (1988)
72. David Lee Roth “Yankee Rose” (1986)
73. Kiss “Heaven’s on Fire” (1984)
74. Cinderella “Gypsy Road” (1988)
75. Cinderella “Shake Me” (1986)
76. Dokken “Alone Again” (1984)
77. Firehouse “Love of a Lifetime” (1991)
78. Ugly Kid Joe “Cat’s in the Cradle” (1992)
79. Mötley Crüe “Without You” (1989)
80. Winger “Miles Away” (1990)

81. Winger “Headed for a Heartbreak” (1988)
82. Great White “Rock Me” (1987)
83. Kiss “Tears Are Falling” (1985)
84. Warrant “Down Boys” (1988)
85. Tesla “Signs” (live, 1990)
86. Slaughter “Up All Night” (1990)
87. Ratt “You’re in Love” (1985)
88. Mötley Crüe “Looks That Kill” (1983)
89. Firehouse “Don’t Treat Me Bad” (1991)
90. Vixen “Edge of a Broken Heart” (1988)

91. Guns N’ Roses “Nightrain” (1987)
92. Mötley Crüe “Live Wire” (1981)
93. Cinderella “Coming Home” (1988)
94. Warrant “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (1990)
95. Mötley Crüe “Too Young to Fall in Love” (1983)
96. Faster Pussycat “House of Pain” (1989)
97. Ratt “Lay It Down” (1985)
98. Mötley Crüe “Wild Side” (1987)
99. Trixter “Give It to Me Good” (1990)
100. L.A. Guns “The Ballad of Jayne” (1989)

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 1/23/2018; last updated 5/11/2021.

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Monday, October 10, 1994

Bon Jovi: A Retrospective, 1984-1994

Bon Jovi

A Retrospective: 1984-1994

Overview:

Rock group formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. Considered one of the premiere “hair bands” of the 1980s, but have remained a top-selling rock group since.

The Players:

  • Jon Bon Jovi (vocals, various instruments: 1983-present)
  • Everett Bradley (session and touring musician: 2003-04, 2016-24; percussion, backing vocals: 2024-present)
  • David Bryan (keyboards: 1983-present)
  • Hugh McDonald (session and touring musician: 1983-1994; bass: 1994-present)
  • Phil X (guitar: 2013-present)
  • Dave Sabo (guitar: 1983)
  • Richie Sambora (guitar: 1983-2013)
  • John Shanks (guitar, backing vocals: 2024-present)
  • Alec John Such (bass: 1983-1994). Died in 2022.
  • Tico Torres (drums: 1983-present)

Links:

Awards:

Studio Albums:


Compilations:

Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi

Released: January 21, 1984

Peak: 43 US, 71 UK, -- CN, 39 AU

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.06 UK, 4.0 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.849 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Runaway (2/11/84, 39 BB, 37 CB, 34 GR, 34 RR, 5 AR, 5 DF) CR
  2. Roulette
  3. She Don’t Know Me (5/5/84, 48 BB, 46 CB, 44 AR, 15 DF)
  4. Shot Through the Heart
  5. Love Lies
  6. Breakout
  7. Burning for Love (10/17/84, --)
  8. Come Back
  9. Get Ready

7800° Fahrenheit

Bon Jovi

Released: March 27, 1985

Peak: 37 US, 28 UK, -- CN, 30 AU

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.06 UK, 1.06 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

2.383 out of 5.00 (average of 5 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. In and Out of Love (7/6/85, 69 BB, 71 CB, 37 AR, 27 DF) CR
  2. The Price of Love
  3. Only Lonely (4/20/85, 54 BB, 57 CB, 28 AR, 29 DF)
  4. King of the Mountain
  5. Silent Night (10/22/85, 24 AR)
  6. Tokyo Road
  7. The Hardest Part Is the Night (8/21/85, 68 UK)
  8. Always Run to You
  9. To the Fire
  10. Secret Dreams

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

Released: August 18, 1986

Peak: 18 US, 6 UK, 18 CN, 16 AU

Sales (in millions): 12.0 US, 1.2 UK, 28.0 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

4.270 out of 5.00 (average of 32 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Let It Rock
  2. You Give Love a Bad Name (7/23/86, 1 BB, 1 CB, 7 GR, 7 RR, 9 AR, 14 UK, 2 CN, 32 AU, 6 DF) CR
  3. Livin’ on a Prayer (10/25/86, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 1 GR, 1 RR, 1 AR, 4 UK, 1 CN, 3 AU, 2 DF) CR
  4. Social Disease
  5. Wanted Dead or Alive (11/1/86, 7 BB, 7 CB, 8 GR, 7 RR, 13 AR, 13 UK, 17 CN, 13 AU, 3 DF) CR
  6. Raise Your Hands
  7. Without Love
  8. I’d Die for You
  9. Never Say Goodbye (3/14/87, 28 BA, 35 RR, 11 AR, 21 UK, 26 AU, 29 DF) CR
  10. Wild in the Streets

About the Album:

Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

New Jersey

Bon Jovi

Released: September 19, 1988

Peak: 14 US, 12 UK, 1 CN, 12 AU

Sales (in millions): 7.0 US, 1.2 UK, 15.0 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.957 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Lay Your Hands on Me (5/27/89, 7 BB, 5 CB, 6 GR, 9 RR, 20 AR, 18 UK, 17 CN, 23 AU, 19 DF) CR
  2. Bad Medicine (9/3/88, 1 BB, 1 CB, 1 GR, 2 RR, 3 AR, 17 UK, 5 CN, 4 AU, 23 DF) CR
  3. Born to Be My Baby (10/8/88, 3 BB, 2 CB, 3 GR, 2 RR, 7 AR, 22 UK, 7 CN, 30 AU, 31 DF)
  4. Living in Sin (10/7/89, 9 BB, 9, CB, 8 GR, 10 RR, 37 AR, 35 UK, 19 CN, 64 AU, 24 DF)
  5. Blood on Blood
  6. Homebound Train
  7. Wild Is the Wind
  8. Ride Cowboy Ride
  9. Stick to Your Guns
  10. I’ll Be There for You (1/28/89, 1 BB, 1 BA, 1 CB, 2 GR, 1 RR, 5 AR, 18 UK, 2 CN, 23 AU, 30 DF) CR
  11. 99 in the Shade
  12. Love for Sale

About the Album:

Read more on the DMDB page for this album.

Blaze of Glory: Young Guns II (soundtrack)

Jon Bon Jovi

Released: July 26, 1990

Peak: 3 US, 2 UK, 1 CN, 2 AU

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.1 UK, 2.1 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.465 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. Billy Get Your Guns
  2. Miracle (10/6/90, 12 BB, 12 CB, 11 GR, 13 RR, 20 AR, 29 UK, 36 DF)
  3. Blaze of Glory (7/20/90, 1 BB, 1 CB, 2 GR, 3 RR, 1 AR, 13 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU, 8 DF) CR
  4. Blood Money
  5. Santa Fe
  6. Justice in the Barrel Intro
  7. Never Say Die
  8. You Really Got Me Now
  9. Bang a Drum
  10. Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin’
  11. Guanno City [Alan Silverstri]

Keep the Faith

Bon Jovi

Released: November 3, 1992

Peak: 5 US, 11 UK, 8 CN, 11 AU

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.6 UK, 9.5 world (includes US + UK)

Genre: rock

Rating:

3.131 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks:

  1. I Believe (9/25/93, 11 UK, 40 AU)
  2. Keep the Faith (10/13/92, 29 BB, 21 CB, 7 GR, 11 RR, 1 AR, 5 UK, 5 CN, 10 AU, 24 DF) CR
  3. I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (7/10/93, 97 BB, 31 GR, 29 AR, 17 UK, 47 CN, 24 AU)
  4. In These Arms (4/17/93, 27 BB, 24 CB, 3 GR, 9 RR, 32 AR, 9 UK, 6 CN, 10 AU) CR
  5. Bed of Roses (1/15/93, 10 BB, 4 CB, 3 GR, 4 RR, 39 AC, 25 AR, 13 UK, 2 CN, 10 AU, 31 DF) CR
  6. If I Was Your Mother
  7. Dry Country (3/26/94, 9 UK, 31 AU)
  8. Woman in Love
  9. Fear
  10. I Want You
  11. Blame It on the Love of Rock & Roll
  12. Little Bit of Soul

Cross Road

Bon Jovi

Recorded: 1984-1994

Released: October 10, 1994

Peak: 8 US, 15 UK, 1 CN, 12 AU, 8 DF

Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.87 UK, 21.0 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: rock > hair band

Rating:

4.427 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Livin’ on a Prayer (2) Keep the Faith (3) Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night (4) Always (5) Wanted Dead or Alive (6) Lay Your Hands on Me (7) You Give Love a Bad Name (8) Bed of Roses (9) Blaze of Glory (10) In These Arms (11) Bad Medicine (12) I’ll Be There for You (13) In and Out of Love (14) Runaway

Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums:

  • Always (9/20/94, 4 BB, 3 BA, 3 CB, 1 GR, 2 RR, 4 AC, 2 UK, 1 CN, 2 AU) CR
  • Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night (2/4/95, 7 UK, 18 CN, 10 AU) CR

About the Album:

The international version of the album included “Never Say Goodbye” and U.S. version included “Prayer ’94,” a rerecorded version of “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 3/9/2011; last updated 5/9/2024.

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Saturday, February 14, 1987

Bon Jovi hit #1 with “Livin’ on a Prayer”

Livin’ on a Prayer

Bon Jovi

Writer(s): Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child (see lyrics here)

First Charted: October 25, 1986

Peak: 14 US, 14 CB, 13 GR, 13 RR, 12 AR, 4 UK, 12 CN, 3 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): 3.4 US, 1.8 UK, 6.29 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1004.1 video, 1272.55 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Bon Jovi started in 1983, releasing two albums over the next couple of years and building a following as a platinum-selling hair band. For their third album, they brought in producer Bruce Fairbairn because, as Jon Bon Jovi said, “he just had that same Jersey gutter attitude as us.” FB Fairbairn noted that “while their previous record had been good, …the songs weren’t as strong as they could be. Specifically, they didn’t have songs on their records that were radio-oriented.” FB

That was no longer a problem with the resulting Slippery When Wet album. On the strength of three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 the album sold 20 million copies and gave Bon Jovi international fame. The first single, “You Give Love a Bad Name,” was a #1 hit, but the follow-up – “Livin’ on a Prayer” eclipsed it, becoming the band’s signature song. It was the only song in 1987 to spend more than three weeks atop the Billboard charts and Cashbox named it song of the year. In an online poll in 2006, VH1 viewers named it the greatest song of the ‘80s. WK

Lyrically, the song focuses on a working-class couple struggling to make ends meet. Tommy and Gina were inspired by real people who Jon Bon Jovi and Desmond Child, a co-writer on the song, knew. WK Initially, Jon didn’t like the song, thinking they might pawn it off on a soundtrack. FB Fairbairn fought for including it on the album and after they re-recorded the song with the inclusion of a talk box – an effect featured prominently on Peter Frampton’s “Show Me the Way” a decade earlier – the band thought they had a single on their hands. FB

The song experienced an unusual revival in 2013. A video shot at a Boston Celtics’ game showed basketball fan Jeremy Fry enthusiastically dancing to “Livin’ on a Prayer.” When it went viral and drew millions of views worldwide, the song the re-charted, hitting #25. SF

Resources:

  • FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 660.
  • SF Songfacts
  • WK Wikipedia

Related Links:

First posted 11/1/2019; last updated 7/25/2023.

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