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Bass Transcription: “Livin’ On A Prayer” Revisited by Rob Collier
Click to download the bass transcription for “Livin’ On A Prayer”
I was a big fan of Bon Jovi when I was in third and fourth grade. I made my own Bon Jovi t-shirts with black spray paint. I watched and re-watched their music videos. I spent a lot of time trying to decide if New Jersey was better than Slippery When Wet. (On the strength of the song “Bad Medicine,” my nine-year-old brain ultimately concluded that New Jersey was, in fact, superior.)
But by the time I hit middle school, Bon Jovi was considered “soft” and I abandoned them for the psychedelic rock of the 60s and 70s my friends were beginning to listen to. I didn’t think about Bon Jovi much after that, but when I did, they weren’t kind thoughts.
About two years ago I was browsing in a record store and “Livin’ On A Prayer” came on the radio. I remember thinking, “ugh, I have to listen to this for the next four minutes.” Though I tried to ignore the song and continue shopping, I began getting drawn into the bass line. The more I listened to it, the more annoyed I got. I wasn’t annoyed because the song was bad. I was annoyed because the bass line was so good. I was annoyed because it meant that in the near future I would once again be buying a Bon Jovi album.
The bass player on the recording of “Livin’ On a Prayer” (and most of Bon Jovi’s recorded output) is studio veteran Hugh McDonald. The liner notes credit Alex John Such as the bassist, but he was literally only the “face of bass.” Such did not record with Bon Jovi, but was the official member of the band because he looked the part. He appeared in videos and promotional photos and toured with the band, though accounts of his actual bass playing are less than flattering. Because his appearance, and perhaps age, was not in line with the band’s image, McDonald was with the band only in the studio. In the mid 90s, Such left the band and McDonald replaced him full time, though he is still considered only an “unofficial” band member.
Despite the shady dealings with their bass players, I have developed a steadfast, uncompromising love for the bass line on “Livin’ On A Prayer.” The verses feature an immediately recognizable bass hook. The pre-chorus has a simple, supportive, driving groove. The chorus has an understated, but intensely melodic line that becomes the secondary focus of the song during that section (the vocals being the primary focus). In short, from beginning to end, this song has so many of the things we look for in a bass line.
The song kicks off with the bass hook, a one-measure ostinato in Em. The riff is essentially a half-measure pattern repeated with octave displacement on the “and” of three. The staccato eighth note on beat three makes the line bounce forward and is a key component in making the song groove. Try playing the riff without the staccato—it is a much flatter, less dynamic line.
Eventually the guitars and keyboards introduce a C-D-Em chord progression, but the bass hangs onto the riff without changing.
When the verse begins, the bass continues to play the same hook, with the only variations coming at the end of each eight-bar phrase (at the first and second endings). Again, the chords eventually move through the C-D-Em progression, but McDonald does not alter the line to fit the changing harmony.
As the pre-chorus arrives, McDonald keeps the straight eighth note feel, but he finally changes chords with the rest of the band. The chord progression is simply a condensed form of the progression heard in the verse (C-D-Em), but now the bass line is mostly repeated root notes. A few tasteful slides give the line some expressive character, but the real purpose here is to move away from the groove of the verse and make the song begin to drive a little more. Also, note the quick R&B bass pattern McDonald throws in at measure 21.
As cool as the opening bass riff is, and as supportive as the bass line on the pre-chorus is, the chorus is the fun part of the song. Here, McDonald keeps the straight eighth note groove, but now with anticipations on the “and” of two every other bar (whenever it goes to C). The line is a mix of scale and arpeggio patterns. The Em and D chords have ascending scale motion. The G chord is arpeggiated down the triad. The C has a lower neighbor, then an ascending chromatic passing tone to lead into the D chord. McDonald has come up with such a great way to connect the chords. He uses familiar patterns to create a superb melodic line, but he keeps the song driving and stays out of the way of the vocals. Catchy though the vocals are, the bass is what makes the chorus move.
As the song continues, we get the obvious repetition of verse, pre-chorus, and chorus. McDonald doesn’t vary the line too much when sections return, though he does incorporate subtle embellishments that maintain the structure of the line while keeping it fresh.
The last chorus modulates up a minor third, and the bass pattern simply shifts up three frets. It is here that most of the embellishments occur. McDonald knows the song is about to fade out so he gets a little looser and begins to experiment a little more with the line.
The bass line in each section of the song seems to have its own distinct personality. There is the memorable bass riff of the verse, the driving bass line of the pre-chorus, and the melodic bass line of the chorus. And as nice as all three are, it is the chorus bass line that never fails to draw me in.
Click to download the bass transcription for “Livin’ On A Prayer”
Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes…
It is always great to meet a super busy bassist who simply exudes a love for music and his instrument. Erick “Jesus” Coomes fits this description exactly. Hailing from Southern California, “Jesus” co-founded and plays bass for Lettuce and has found his groove playing with numerous other musicians.
Join us as we hear of his musical journey, how he gets his sound, his ongoing projects, and his plans for the future.
Photo, Bob Forte
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Visit Online
www.lettucefunk.com
IG @jesuscsuperstar
FB@jesuscoomes
FB @lettucefunk
Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
“These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav
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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
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Bass CDs
New Album: Jake Leckie, Planter of Seeds
Bassist Jake Leckie and The Guide Trio Unveil New Album Planter of Seeds,
to be released on June 7, 2024
Planter of Seeds is bassist/composer Jake Leckie’s third release as a bandleader and explores what beauty can come tomorrow from the seeds we plant today.
What are we putting in the ground? What are we building? What is the village we want to bring our children up in? At the core of the ensemble is The Guide Trio, his working band with guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Beth Goodfellow, who played on Leckie’s second album, The Guide, a rootsy funky acoustic analog folk-jazz recording released on Ropeadope records in 2022. For Planter of Seeds, the ensemble is augmented by Cathlene Pineda (piano), Randal Fisher (tenor saxophone), and Darius Christian (trombone), who infuse freedom and soul into the already tightly established ensemble.
Eight original compositions were pristinely recorded live off the floor of Studio 3 at East West Studios in Hollywood CA, and mastered by A.T. Michael MacDonald. The cover art is by internationally acclaimed visual artist Wayne White. Whereas his previous work has been compared to Charles Mingus, and Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet with Charlie Haden, Leckie’s new collection sits comfortably between the funky odd time signatures of the Dave Holland Quintet and the modern folk-jazz of the Brian Blade Fellowship Band with a respectful nod towards the late 1950s classic recordings of Ahmad Jamal and Miles Davis.
The title track, “Planter of Seeds,” is dedicated to a close family friend, who was originally from Trinidad, and whenever she visited family or friends at their homes, without anyone knowing, she would plant seeds she kept in her pocket in their gardens, so the next season beautiful flowers would pop up. It was a small altruistic anonymous act of kindness that brought just a little more beauty into the world. The rhythm is a tribute to Ahmad Jamal, who we also lost around the same time, and whose theme song Poinciana is about a tree from the Caribbean.
“Big Sur Jade” was written on a trip Leckie took with his wife to Big Sur, CA, and is a celebration of his family and community. This swinging 5/4 blues opens with an unaccompanied bass solo, and gives an opportunity for each of the musicians to share their improvisational voices. “Clear Skies” is a cathartic up-tempo release of collective creative energies in fiery improvisational freedom. “The Aquatic Uncle” features Randal Fisher’s saxophone and is named after an Italo Calvino short story which contemplates if one can embrace the new ways while being in tune with tradition. In ancient times, before a rudder, the Starboard side of the ship was where it was steered from with a steering oar. In this meditative quartet performance, the bass is like the steering oar of the ensemble: it can control the direction of the music, and when things begin to unravel or become unhinged, a simple pedal note keeps everything grounded.
The two trio tunes on the album are proof that the establishment of his consistent working band The Guide Trio has been a fruitful collaboration. “Santa Teresa”, a bouncy samba-blues in ? time, embodies the winding streets and stairways of the bohemian neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro it is named for. The swampy drum feel on “String Song” pays homage to Levon Helm of The Band, a group where you can’t always tell who wrote the song or who the bandleader is, proving that the sum is greater than the individual parts. Early jazz reflected egalitarianism in collective improvisation, and this group dynamic is an expression of that kind of inclusivity and democracy.
“The Daughters of the Moon” rounds out the album, putting book ends on the naturalist themes. This composition is named after magical surrealist Italo Calvino’s short story about consumerism, in which a mythical modern society that values only buying shiny new things throws away the moon like it is a piece of garbage and the daughters of the moon save it and resurrect it. It’s an eco-feminist take on how women are going to save the world. Pineda’s piano outro is a hauntingly beautiful lunar voyage, blinding us with love. Leckie dedicates this song to his daughter: “My hope is that my daughter becomes a daughter of the moon, helping to make the world a more beautiful and verdant place to live.”
Bass CDs
Debut Album: Nate Sabat, Bass Fiddler
In a thrilling solo debut, bassist Nate Sabat combines instrumental virtuosity with a songwriter’s heart on Bass Fiddler…
The upright bass and the human voice. Two essential musical instruments, one with roots in 15th century Europe, the other as old as humanity itself.
On Bass Fiddler (Adhyâropa Records ÂR00057), the debut album from Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and bass virtuoso Nate Sabat, the scope is narrowed down a bit. Drawing from the rich and thriving tradition of American folk music, Sabat delivers expertly crafted original songs and choice covers with the upright bass as his lone tool for accompaniment.
The concept was born a decade ago when Sabat began studying with the legendary old-time fiddler Bruce Molsky at Berklee College of Music. “One of Bruce’s specialties is singing and playing fiddle at the same time. The second I heard it I was hooked,” recalls Sabat. “I thought, how can I do this on the bass?” From there, he was off to the races, arranging original and traditional material with Molsky as his guide. “Fast forward to 2020, and I — like so many other musicians — was thinking of how to best spend my time. I sat down with the goal of writing some new songs and arranging some new covers, and an entire record came out.” When the time came to make the album, it was evident that Molsky would be the ideal producer. Sabat asked him if he’d be interested, and luckily he was. “What an inspiration to work with an artist like Nate,” says Molsky. “Right at the beginning, he came to this project with a strong, personal and unique vision. Plus he had the guts to try for a complete and compelling cycle of music with nothing but a bass and a voice. You’ll hear right away that it’s engaging, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, and beautifully thought out from top to bottom.”
While this record is, at its core, a folk music album, Sabat uses the term broadly. Some tracks lean more rock (‘In the Shade’), some more pop (‘White Marble’, ‘Rabid Thoughts’), some more jazz (‘Fade Away’), but the setting ties them all together. “There’s something inherently folksy about a musician singing songs with their instrument, no matter the influences behind the compositions themselves,” Sabat notes. To be sure, there are plenty of folk songs (‘Louise’ ‘Sometimes’, ‘Eli’) and fiddling (‘Year of the Ox’) to be had here — the folk music fan won’t go hungry. There’s a healthy dose of bluegrass too (‘Orphan Annie’, ‘Lonesome Night’), clean and simple, the way Mr. Bill Monroe intended.
All in all, this album shines a light on an instrument that often goes overlooked in the folk music world, enveloping the listener in its myriad sounds, textures, and colors. “There’s nothing I love more than playing the upright bass,” exclaims Sabat. “My hope is that listeners take the time to sit with this album front to back — I want them to take in the full scope of the work. I have a feeling they’ll hear something they haven’t heard before.”
Available online at natesabat.bandcamp.com/album/walking-away
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
New Gear: The Dingwall John Taylor Signature Model
This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
New Gear: Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass
Debut Album: Nate Sabat, Bass Fiddler