Livin’ On A Prayer

Words & Music by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora & Desmond Child
C5 D5 E5 E5* G5 Eb5 F5 Bb5
3fr 5fr 7fr 3fr 6fr 6fr

q = 122
Intro
*Em[add9] Cadd#11/E D/E Em[add9]

    
(Synth.)
 
Fade in
*Chord symbols reflect overall harmony.

(Bass enters)
Cadd#11/E D/E

Em[add9] Cadd#11/E D/E
        

 
Em[add9]
Gtr. 1 (elec.)

            
       
           


Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo. Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo. Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo. Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo.
w/talk box, dist. + P.M.
Fig. 1
f

 0
7
7
5
0 0 7
5
0
7
7
5
0 0 7
5
0
7
7
5
0 0 7
5
0
7
7
5
0 0 7
5

Play Gtr. 1 part

Gtr. 1 w/Fig. 1(x2)

C/E D/E Esus4 Em Cmaj7/E D7/E

                  
 
Spoken: Once up - on a time, not so long a -

Verse

1° Gtr. 1 tacet
2° Gtr. 1 w/Fig. 1(x4)
 
Em
       
    
go... 1. Tom - my used to work on the docks.
2. Tom - my’s got his six string in hock.

Esus2 Em Esus4
         
3
 
      
Un - ion’s been on strike, he’s down on his luck, it’s
Now he’s hold - ing in when he used to make it talk so

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 
   
   
     

 
tough, so tough.
Gtr. 1 tough, mmm, it’s tough.

     
   
  
Wow, wow. Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo.
Fig. 2… slight P.M.



5 7
3 5 7 5 5

loco

0 7 0 0 7

      
 





    
Gtr. 2 (elec.)(2°)

 
w/talk box+dist.
Wha, ah,
full full


20 20
0
14 14 14 14 0

Play Gtr. 2 part (2°)

Esus4 Esus2 Em Esus2

         
    

 
Gi - na works the din - er all day.
Gi - na dreams of run - ning a - way. When she

  
       
   

Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo. Oo, wo, oo, wo.
slight P.M.
…Fig. 2 ends


 
7 5 5 7 5
0 7 0 0 7 0 7

 

    
 


w/bar
grad. dive
wow.


15
17
0 0

-3 1/2 -6
(1°) Gtr. 1 w/Fig. 2
Em Esus4 C5
        
3
 
      

Work - ing for her man, she brings home her pay for love,
cries in the night Tom - my whis - pers; “Ba - by it’s o - kay
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      
            


mmm, for love. She says: We’ve got to
some - - day.” We’ve got to

     
Pre-Chorus

        
C5 D5 E5 C5 D5
 
     
  

    
hold on to what we’ve got. It does - n’t make a dif - f ’rence if we
Gtr. 1

               
         
 
talk box off
P.M.


5 7 7 7 9 X 5 7
3 5 5 5 7 X 3 5 0
0

              

E5 C5 D5 E5

      

 

 
make it or not. We’ve got each oth - er, and that’s a lot for
  
               
         



7 7 9 X 5 7 7 7 9 X
5 5 7 X 3 5 0 5 5 7 X

 
Chorus

   
C5 D5 E5* C5
   
3
  
    

 
love. We’ll give it a shot. Whoa, we’re
3
 
         
        
  
Fig. 3… P.M. P.M.


5 7 7 7 7 2 5 5
3 5 5 5 5 2 3 3
10 0 0 0

  
D5 G5 C5 D5

       
      
 

 
half - way there. Oh, liv - in’ on a prayer.

          
        
  
P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M.


7 5 7
5 5 3 0 5 0
0 3 X

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   
E5 C5 D5 G5 C5 D5
     
            
     

 
Take my hand, we’ll make it, I swear. Oh, liv - in’ on a prayer.

           
     
     

    
P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M.
…Fig. 3 ends


2 5 5 7 5 7
2 3 3 5 5 3 3 4 5
0 0 0 0 3 X

1. 2.
Interlude
Em

C5
       
 
  
Liv - in’ on a

prayer.



     
    
        
      

w/talk box Harm. w/ bar
Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo. Oo, wo, oo, wo, oo, wo.




12
12 7 5 5
12 7 5 5
7 5 5 7 5 5
0 7 0 0 7 0 7 0 0 7 12
Play Gtr. 2 part

  
Guitar Solo

  C5      D5
  

 

E5 D5 C5 G5
             

Gtr. 2

          
 
  
talk box off P.H. rake
Gtr. 1 w/Fig. 3
full full full


12 14 15
12 15 12 13 15 15 15 15 15 15
X
5 7 7 7
7 5 7 5 5

                
E5 C5 D5
  
G5 C5

       
   


slight P.H. rake
1/2


12 14 15
12 X X 13 12 12 15 12 13 12
12 X X 14 X X 12 X 11 11 X 12
X X X X 12 X 12
12

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        
E5 C5 D5
  
  


   
Oo, we’ve got to hold on,

 

    
 

Gtr. 2

  

full full  full



15 15 17 17
15 15 15 15 17 17
14 16


Gtr. 1

                   
                   
 
mf  
P.M. P.M.


9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 5 7
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 3 X 5 0 0

     
E5 C5 D5
         
3
   
3 3

  

 
read - y or not. You live for the fight when that’s all that you’ve got.

   
Gtr. 1 3

       
     
Gtr. 2 tacet 


7 7 9 5 7 7 7 7
5 5 7 3 5 5 5 5
0
Play Gtr. 1 part
Outro-Chorus

 
Begin Fade (3°)

  
G5 Eb5 F5 Bb5 Eb5 F5
           
  


     
   


Whoa, we’re half - way there. Whoa, liv - in’ on a prayer.


       
               
        
 
   
P.M. P.M. P.M. P.M.


Fig. 4


 5
8
6
3
3 8
8
6
3
3
3 X 0 1 0 6 X 0 1 0

Gtr. 1 w/Fig. 4

 
Play 3 times and Fade


G5 Eb5 F5 Bb5 Eb5 F5

               




       
Take my hand and we’ll make it, I swear. Whoa, liv - in’ on a prayer.

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