Children return to school Mon 8th April

Personnel in Bon Jovi. Livin’ on a prayer 1986.

  • Jon Bon Jovi โ€“ lead vocals.
  • Richie Sambora โ€“ electric guitartalk box, backing vocals.
  • Alec John Such โ€“ bass guitar (credited), backing vocals.
  • Tico Torres โ€“ drums, percussion, finger cymbals.
  • David Bryan โ€“ keyboards, backing vocals.

Breaking It Down

“Livin’ on a Prayer,” Bon Jovi’s signature hit, epitomized the band’s fusion of the best elements of hard-driving heavy metal, storytelling rock and roll, and romantic pop. In fact, that stylistic merger is built right into the structure of the song.

The song opens by establishing a bleak environment. The sound of the song’s first bars is ominous; a lone, prolonged synthesizer note lends the “Livin’ on a Prayer” an eerie feeling from the very start, a feeling only heightened by Sambora’s distinctively out-of-this-world-sounding guitar solo. Dark-sounding minor chords predominate as Tico Torres’ drums and Alec John Such’s bassline kick in to give the song a propulsive metal-driven momentum. Bon Jovi’s lyrics begin telling the story of Tommy of Gina, a young couple struggling to “hold on to what they’ve got” in the face of economic hard times. Through its intro and first verse, “Livin’ on a Prayer” is a pretty grim song.

Then everything begins to change. As verse gives way to pre-chorus, Bon Jovi stops singing about the problems facing Tommy and Gina and starts singing about their mutual devotion and determination to “give it a shot” no matter what. Meanwhile Sambora lays off the ominous-sounding guitar, switching to a more conventional soaring guitar riff while David Bryan’s keys begin chiming in a brighter key. Things for Tommy and Gina seem to be looking up.

And then, “Ohhhhhhhh! We’re halfway there! Oh, oh, we’re livin’ on a prayer!” 

The chorus erupts from what has been a progression of gloomy minor chords shifts suddenly into bright, hopeful G Major, while Bon Jovi’s voice is suddenly backed by a multi-tracked chorus, making it sound as if a stadium of fans is already singing along. The lyrics turn defiant, and Tommy and Gina’s Love conquers all.

This is one of the great choruses in all of rock and roll, as joyful and exuberant as anything in modern pop music. This is a chorus to make fans dance. The chorus is pure pop adrenaline.

Below is a very useful plan for how most Rock Songs are written.

[embeddoc url=”http://www.broadheath.coventry.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Rock-music.pdf”]

Looking again at yesterday’s Rock Rhythm Grid- Can you play some of the rhythms along to Bon Jovi? Notice the different sounds on the rhythms: Try hitting/tapping the seat of a chair for one sound, carpet or hard floor for another pitched sound etc.

[embeddoc url=”http://www.broadheath.coventry.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Drum-Patterns.pdf”]

Play your own ostinato drum pattern on Junk Percussion, Food containers, House furniture or body percussion along with a Rock Song of your choosing.

Describe the different musical elements (pitch, tempo, rhythm, melody and dynamics) with regards to mood and effects in We will Rock you.

130 responses to “Rock Music Origins Lesson 2”

  1. Sorry I meant ostinato

    1. Mrs Khan

      What is an ostinato Adeena?

  2. I listened to the songs and produced pagination with my hands and feet

    1. Mrs Khan

      Adeena, can you describe the pitch and tempo of the song?

  3. Safwan U.

    I like Lyric because there was a beat in it.

    1. Mrs Khan

      Can you describe the pitch and tempo of the song?

  4. Steven N.

    I used body percussion

    1. Mrs Khan

      What did you think of the song? Can you describe it to me?

  5. Rajbir B.

    I listened to the songs. With my junk orchestra, I made an ostinato using a cardboard guitar.

    1. Mrs Khan

      Wow! Thatโ€™s a good idea. Can you tell me what an ostinato is Rajbir?

      1. Rajbir B.

        I think it is a pattern that repeats

  6. Reyyan M.

    i made an ostinoro by stomping my feet and clapping

    1. Mr Russell

      Good Reyyan. (Ostinato)

  7. Zaid M.

    Iโ€™ve heard all of those songs before except the last one and I think I clapped to the beat quite well. Also my favourite song was the final countdown.

    1. Mrs Khan

      Can you describe the song to me? Think about the pitch/tempo?

  8. Safya S.

    i like them all

    1. Mrs Khan

      Why did you like it? Can you describe the music? Please have a look at the questions on the blog.

  9. Ravi J.

    I have watched and listened to all the songs. Iโ€™ve made rhythm with my hand and use object around me to make a beat and a ostinartto.

  10. Aayan M.

    We used objects to make Ostinato to the song living on a prayer we used a Broad Heath value Teamwork to make an Ostinato. An Ostinato is a pattern that repeats till a new beat comes.

  11. Marwa H.

    I liked them all

    1. Mr Russell

      What did you like about them Marwa?

  12. I have clappet to the beat Well and in Rythim

    1. Mr Russell

      Well done Jacob. Clapped.

  13. Raees A.

    I created a my own rhythm tapping my feet and clapping.
    I also clapped on the table stamping on the floor.

    1. Mr Russell

      Great Raees, did you enjoy it?

  14. Muhammad S.

    My favorite song was We Will Rock You because the tempo and the pitch was very different than any other song

    1. Mr Russell

      How was it different to the other songs Muhammad? ๐Ÿ‘

  15. Harroop S.

    I did the drum beats and it sounded good when I started to do it fast.

    1. Harroop S.

      And I loved all the music videos because there were some amazing beats at the start which actually made it sound like Rock ‘N’ Roll.

  16. Ebraheem J.

    We created a ostanarto and we used our hands and feet. The school value we used is teamwork I know this because we had to listen to other people.

  17. Boluwatife I.

    We used objects to make Ostinato to the song living on a prayer we used a Broad Heath value Teamwork to make a Ostinato . A Ostinato is pattern that repeats .

    1. Mr Mashford

      Super stuff Bolu, well done. Did you enjoy the song?

  18. Armaan R.

    We made a ostinato , as we used body percussion and the table to create it . We used the Broad Heath value of teamwork , communication, resilience and perseverance . We made the ostinato to the song Bon Jovi Livinโ€™ on a prayer.

  19. Marley H.

    I have clappet to the beat

    1. Mr Mashford

      Did you clap well to the beat Marley?

  20. Braydon Y.

    I created an ostinato beat by using the table and body percussion to create our sounds. The Broad Heath value we used is teamwork to get the same beat I know this because I heard we were getting the beat at the same time as the others. We were also resilient because we didnโ€™t get it at first but we kept on trying to get the beat.

  21. Mikolaj P.

    What did we do? How did we do it?
    I used my feat and hands to create an ostinato beat for the song livinโ€™on a prayer by Bon Jovi,The Broad Heath value we used is teamwork
    Ostinato means a musical pattern that repeats

    1. Mr Mashford

      A superb feat to use your feet Mikolaj

  22. Aayan S.

    What did we do?
    We created an Ostinato using our furniture and objects close to us we found a rhythm for the song Bon Jovi livin on a prayer. The broad heath value we used is teamwork to make a beat/ ostinato.

  23. Yahya K.

    i listened to the songs .with my junk orcesstra i made an ostinatto using a cardboard guitar and a card board drums

    1. Mr Mashford

      Fantastic Yahya. What is an ostinatto?

  24. Oliwier J.

    I made my own rhythm tapping my feet and clapping.

    1. Oliwier J.

      I also tapped the objects around me and used teamwork and listening skills to join in the beat with the people around me. I was also resilient and tried even though I found it difficult at first.

  25. Aleena M.

    I enjoyed all the songs

    1. Mr Mashford

      What did you enjoy about the songs Aleena?

      1. Aleena M.

        they were my taste

  26. Lisa C.

    I loved we will rock YOU

    1. Mr Mashford

      Why did you love We Will Rock You Lisa? What was great about it?

  27. Danyaal H.

    I listened to all the songs and did the other tasks to.

    1. Mr Mashford

      And what did you think of the songs? What did you do for the other tasks Danyaal?

  28. Kia J.

    I liked all the songs

    1. Mr Mashford

      What did you like about them Kia?

  29. Elyas S.

    I really enjoyed the second video.

    1. Mr Mashford

      Why did you really enjoy it Elyas? What was great about it?

  30. Sheima B.

    My favourite was the final countdown

    1. Mr Mashford

      Why was that your favourite song Sheima?

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