November 7, 2023 • 18 mins
Desmond Child is a Grammy winning songwriter/producer known for some of the biggest global hits that helped ignite the success of music icons Kiss, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ricky Martin and Katy Perry.
He has a new book out called "Livin on a Prayer: Big Songs Big Life."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I think that you know, we're hardwired to being comforted
by music or excited by music since the beginning of time,
but lyric content it can be healing as well. We've
received so many letters that the purpose that Lewin on
a Prayer got them through cancer, got them through the
death of family member.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
On this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast, Buzz
interviews one of the most influential figures in music history.
This musician is a prolific pop hit maker known for
so many songs that have been the soundtrack of our lives.
Bon Jobi hits like You Give Love a Bad Name,
Aerosmith hits like What It Takes and Crazy. The list
goes on and on. Desmond Child is the author of
(00:44):
Living on a Prayer, Big Songs, Big Life, and he's
next on Taking a.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Walk Bears Maestro th thanks for having me on, thank
you for being on a virtual Taking a Walk, and
congratulations on Living on a Prayer, Big Songs, Big Life.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Well, thank you. I had some big songs, but actually
my life is the bigger than my songs.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
How different was the writing process for you compared to
the songwriting process.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, you know, a song can be written in nur
and half. This what I call my seven year Joe
House Confession. You know, it took a really long time
to you know, to write because you know, I've lived
a long time, and so I'm going to be I'm
actually going to be seventy at the end of the month,
(01:37):
which is like really scary, but you know it. It
had to be written because you know, I had to
set the record straight on a lot of stuff that
you know, I had been out there. You know, sometimes
the artists, you know, kind of changed the story a
little bit to suit you know them. But I had
(01:58):
to tell my side of the story but also take
responsibility for a lot of stuff that I didn't do right.
And my motivation was my sons were getting older, and
they're twenty one years old now, but when I started
the book they were they were a lot younger, but
still I wanted to have something that they would remember
(02:19):
me by as not just Doddy with the big checkbook
een check book. It's like, wow, now they decided roman
in there in their last year at NYU. Now they're
deciding to go to law school. So that means the
party doesn't stop, and they're right, They're not just going
to go out and get jobs. They're going to just
(02:41):
like keep going, keep rocking. So you know, it's like, okay,
as long as you're learning, it's all good.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Was the process of writing the book therapeutic for you?
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It was because well, you know what, I don't know.
It's like I've been doing the audiobook and it's like
reliving all those stories again. I mean sometimes I just
can't even get through it. You know. It was therapeutic
in that, But it's also like kicking over a hornet's
mess too. I like stuff, you know, it starts to
(03:15):
hurt again, and then I obsess about it. So I
don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's just like it's my life and I have to,
you know, like put it out there.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
You've been in Nashville a long time. Do you consider
yourself an insider now? Because I don't think you were
an insider obviously at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, you know what, I my husband and I got
there in ninety two where we rented a cabin and
then by ninety five we built our own on hilltop
and all that we call it broke Backrack Mountain. And
you know, I'm still an outsider. I mean, even though
(03:57):
you know, we have a lot of friends and all that,
people that came like decades after me, you know, are
more insider than I am because I'm not really in
country music. It's just that, you know, we wanted to
raise our sons there Remain and Nero, and so you know,
we've become part of the community, more like neighbors than
(04:18):
you know, like like you know, special people or anything
like that. And uh, you know, we have a beautiful
group of friends that we love so much, and our sons,
you know, all the parents from the schools that our
kids went to and all of that. So we love Nashville.
But I've never been on the inside.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
So I'd love to get your reaction to some of
the catalog which you have been responsible for. It could
take us days to go through it, but I'm just
going to pick a couple of artists and songs out.
Let's start with this guy named John bon Jovi, who
you've done some work with, like Living on a Prayer.
(05:02):
Describe that experience.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, I when I first worked with them, they had
gotten my number from Paul Stanley of Kiss, who recommended me,
and I think you know, I later found out like
not so long ago that the real motivation for writing
with me was to try to write some hit songs,
(05:25):
let's say, for other artists, because they didn't consider me
like one hundred percent rock and roll like they were,
I guess. I mean, I mean, they were like twenty
two and twenty four at the time. And so I
got there and I had a tridle in my back pocket,
you give Love a bad Name. And when I pulled
it out literally on a piece of paper and read it,
(05:46):
John's face lit up and I never saw so many teeth. Well,
I said, oh my god, this guy has got it.
He's got the h's factor. And they decided to keep
the songs for them selves. So then we started tried
writing another song, and that song ended up being Living
on a Prayer, her title in my book. And John
(06:11):
at first didn't want to record the song because you
thought it was a bit sentimental and bit you know,
kind of sad sounding. Uh. But when they got in
the studio, they rocked it up with their producer Bob
While it was Bob Rock was the engineer and Bruce
Fairburn was the producer, and they turned it into a masterpiece.
(06:34):
So you know, I've also had extraordinary luck, you know,
because it, you know, does take luck, you know, not
just effort and talent. And I guess I was meant
to do all of this because maybe there's a role
for me in the world to bring people hope.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
What was it like working with that shy flower by
the name of Joan Jett.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, you know, first of all, she's so her presence,
you know, it's amazing strength and integrity. And we got
together and you know, Kenny, her manager, called me and said,
I want you to write with Tony, you know, and
so so I did it, and I'm not sure she
(07:18):
was that comfortable. And then I had the title again
called I Hate myself for Loving you, and she said, no,
I don't sing the word love. I said, but you do.
And I love rock and roll, I said, She said,
I wear it out. I'm not saying the word love,
but you know, I said, but you also say the
word hate, you know, I hate myself for loving you.
(07:39):
And you know, I finally, you know, wore her down
and talked her into it, and it's become like her
second biggest hit, you know, after I Love rock and Roll.
And it's also a Sunday night football theme. And on
top of that, Dolly Parton just recorded it for her
Rockstar album featuring Joan Jet. So that song just keep keeps,
(08:01):
you know, the gift that keepsun given.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
And then since I'm based in Boston, I got to
bring up those bad boys from Boston Aerosmith, who you've
done some amazing work with.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
What was that like, well there again, I mean they
didn't want to write with me. I was forced on
them by their A and R guy, John Kladner, brilliant,
legendary guy. And you know, they flew me to Boston
and then the car picked me up and brought me
this big like airplane hangar kind of rehearsal space that
(08:33):
they were working on. There was a stage built and
there were like one hundred guitars on the ground level,
you know, just like all in stands ready to go, Sparky, Tiger, Zebra,
you know, you know, Fenders, Gibson's, every kind of guitar ever,
just in case. Joe had a kind of hanker in
for like a different sound. Right, So when I walked in,
(08:55):
I didn't even say a word, but Stephen grabbed me
and like we went to like the side of the stage,
and they were working on this loop, this backwards guitar
loop that went like and then Stephen started singing cruise
and all the lad is and then they stopped and
they said, what do you think of that? And I said,
I think that's bad, you know, point blank. And I
(09:18):
said I don't think man Heron would put that on
the B side of the worst record, which I said
to be funny, and they didn't laugh. And Joe crossed
his arms and kind of leaned way back and looked
at me sideways. And then Stephen, you know, who's more
like a people pleaser kind of guy, and he said, well,
when I first started singing the riff, I was singing, dude,
(09:38):
looks like a lady. I said, stop right there. That's
a hit title. And just said, well, we are there
what that means. And you know, we don't want to
insult the gay community. I said, dude, I'm gay, not insulted.
And I dragged them into you know, that stairline, and
what had happened was that Stephen how he came up
(09:59):
with that title. They've gone into a bar on the
shore with the roadies and all that, and sitting at
this lonely you know, a way off in the corner
at this empty bar was his vision of loveliness with
a big platinum mullet, porcelain skin, black nails and bangles
and a curvy, you know figure. And all of a
(10:23):
sudden she turns around and it's Vince Neil with Motley Crue,
and Stephens said, dude, looks like a lady. Do look second, lady,
Do look second, lady. And then it's stuck. And that's
where where hoo came came from. And I said, Okay,
that's the story we're going to tell. And they went along,
you know, Jerry, reluctantly. But it's turned into one of
(10:45):
the classics for them. And so I'm very very you know,
honored that. You know, that song has stood the test
of time, and it was ahead of its time because
the second verse goes, neither Georgeill looked by its cover?
Oh who you're going by your lover? How ahead of
its time was that?
Speaker 4 (11:05):
It's amazing?
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Oh my god, I love it.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
You spent a couple of years with Bob Crwe, who
is known for so many strings of hits, from Frankie
Valley Work to Four Seasons. He's another one we could
go on and on with about his catalogue. What lessons
did you learn about the art of songwriting from Bob Crue?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Well before I met Bob Krue, you know, because I
was a singer. I'd sit at the piano, bang out
some chords and just mumble some stuff, you know, singing melodies,
and then hope that those mumbles sounded like words. And
then I'd kind of like a little bird, take a
little string and then kind of build a nest out
of it. But he wouldn't even let me touch the
piano unless we had a sired title and a concept.
(11:53):
And you know, we built everything that we wrote, thirty
eight songs that I wrote with him, Everything was built
towards paying off the title. That's the correct way. And
ever since I learned writing that way, I started having
nothing but success because you get right to the story.
What's the song about? What is it supposed to say?
(12:14):
What's the title? And he taught me to write titles
that had opposites, you know, like you give rib a
bad name, you know, love bad. I hate myself for
loving you. How can we be lovers if we can't
be friends? Heaven's on fire, you know, and you know
that's that's how you know he taught me to write
(12:37):
because just by looking at the title, they would draw
in the listener like say, oh, well that's that sounds
like it could be interesting, and then the song gets
gets heard and that's all it takes up the songs good.
Once it's an ear warm in somebody's head, then they
have to hear it over and over and over again.
And that's why I think that my songs have stood
the test of time, you know, because you know that's
(13:01):
the thing. You know, It's like there's techniques. And also
Bob Crue taught me to write the courses with tight rhymes,
like you know, not off rhymes, and he said, well,
maybe it's okay. Like during verses you can do kind
of like off rhymes, things that kind of sound alike
but they're not really rhymes. But when it comes to
(13:22):
the chorus, it's much easier for us stadium full of
people to know what's coming next to be able to
sing along too. And if it's not a tight rhyme,
they can't memorize it. So that's Those are some of
the secrets that I reveal in in my book Living
on a Prayer of Big songs, Big Life.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
We had the great Jimmy Webb on a previous episode
of the podcast. I'd like to get your reaction to
something he said. He said that improvisation is a bridge
to creativity. Your thoughts on that, well, first.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Of a, why I just spent the week and watch
Washington d C. With Jimmy Webb and his gorgeous wife
Laura Savini, and we were there lobbying, you know, for
songwriters because of AI and the dangers that are posed
to you know, all creators with AI, and you know,
we want to get in there, you know, before they
(14:19):
start laying down kind of compulsory rates and things like
that that we don't want. We want people come to
make us, offer us if they're going to use us,
use our music to create you know, their Frankenstein's with So,
you know, Jimmy Webb is like my idol. You know,
(14:39):
he's just the premiere you know, American songwriter. His songs
just live forever. And improvisation well he's a pianist, you know,
and so you know, I think that's important for him,
you know, But like I said, I learned the other
way around, you know, the opposite way, which is know
(14:59):
what to going to say and go out and say it,
and then everything falls into place after that. So we write,
we write kind of with opposite techniques.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, lastly, I want to say to you that we
have another podcast we produced which is called Music Saved Me,
and it's about the healing powers of music. Do you
believe music has supernatural healing powers?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Well? I do. I think that. You know, we're hardwired
to be comforted by music or excited by music since
the beginning of time. You know, you can just imagine,
you know, the old history, you know, stories being told
and then embellished upon and made very dramatic by whoever
(15:48):
was was singing it. And you know, because of that,
we're hardwired to respond, you know, to to music. And
you know, I think that there's other things that happened.
The lyric content can be healing as well. We've received
(16:08):
so many letters that told us that living on a
prayer got them through cancer, got them through you know,
the death of you know, a family member. And we
once got an extraordinary letter from a young man that
said he had had it. He decided he was going
to end his life. So he you know, drove his
(16:28):
car like crazy up to the bridge, trumped out of it,
let the engine running, the radios on and he was
leaning to like go jump off when Living on a
Prayer came on the radio and he said, oh wait,
that's my favorite song. So he said, okay, I'll just
go and listen to my favorite song and then that'll
be the end. So he gets back in the car.
By the time it got to the final modulated chorus,
(16:50):
the fifth in New York chorus, he drove home. And
you know, I think that's a beautiful story.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
I love it. I want to congratulate you on the book,
Desmond Child, and thank you for the many gifts that
you have given us.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Well, thank you so much. And if if I just
want to follow me does mean god Child on Instagram?
My links are there. And I even got a skin
line called you don't make a skin line because you know,
celebrities have to have a skin line, and so you
know the diet and Brad Kid has a skin line.
You know, I figured, you know, if he has a
(17:26):
skin line, I have to the only thing is that
you buy his skin line. You had that looking right, Brad.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Chrid, I thank you, my friend.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
But it's fine, it's fine. It's our natural product and
all that. And I always have lotions and potions because
I would sneak it to my mom's bedroom and open
off the little charge and smell them in the plant
and all the time of stuff there. I travel anywhere
without like like a suit sister around my lotions and potions.
Everybody makes fun of me. Thanks Desmond, thank you, thank
(18:03):
you for having me on. And I hope that fans
come and visit me and find out all about magnetic.
You're the best.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Thank you. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Taking
a Walk with the fascinating story of Desmond Child. Please
share this in other episodes of Taking a Walk with
your friends and follow Taking a Walk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart,
or wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review
as well. Thanks for listening to Taking a Walk.
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I think that you know, we're hardwired to being comforted
by music or excited by music since the beginning of time,
but lyric content it can be healing as well. We've
received so many letters that the purpose that Lewin on
a Prayer got them through cancer, got them through the
death of family member.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
On this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast, Buzz
interviews one of the most influential figures in music history.
This musician is a prolific pop hit maker known for
so many songs that have been the soundtrack of our lives.
Bon Jobi hits like You Give Love a Bad Name,
Aerosmith hits like What It Takes and Crazy. The list
goes on and on. Desmond Child is the author of
(00:44):
Living on a Prayer, Big Songs, Big Life, and he's
next on Taking a.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Walk Bears Maestro th thanks for having me on, thank
you for being on a virtual Taking a Walk, and
congratulations on Living on a Prayer, Big Songs, Big Life.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Well, thank you. I had some big songs, but actually
my life is the bigger than my songs.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
How different was the writing process for you compared to
the songwriting process.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, you know, a song can be written in nur
and half. This what I call my seven year Joe
House Confession. You know, it took a really long time
to you know, to write because you know, I've lived
a long time, and so I'm going to be I'm
actually going to be seventy at the end of the month,
(01:37):
which is like really scary, but you know it. It
had to be written because you know, I had to
set the record straight on a lot of stuff that
you know, I had been out there. You know, sometimes
the artists, you know, kind of changed the story a
little bit to suit you know them. But I had
(01:58):
to tell my side of the story but also take
responsibility for a lot of stuff that I didn't do right.
And my motivation was my sons were getting older, and
they're twenty one years old now, but when I started
the book they were they were a lot younger, but
still I wanted to have something that they would remember
(02:19):
me by as not just Doddy with the big checkbook
een check book. It's like, wow, now they decided roman
in there in their last year at NYU. Now they're
deciding to go to law school. So that means the
party doesn't stop, and they're right, They're not just going
to go out and get jobs. They're going to just
(02:41):
like keep going, keep rocking. So you know, it's like, okay,
as long as you're learning, it's all good.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Was the process of writing the book therapeutic for you?
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It was because well, you know what, I don't know.
It's like I've been doing the audiobook and it's like
reliving all those stories again. I mean sometimes I just
can't even get through it. You know. It was therapeutic
in that, But it's also like kicking over a hornet's
mess too. I like stuff, you know, it starts to
(03:15):
hurt again, and then I obsess about it. So I
don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
It's just like it's my life and I have to,
you know, like put it out there.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
You've been in Nashville a long time. Do you consider
yourself an insider now? Because I don't think you were
an insider obviously at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, you know what, I my husband and I got
there in ninety two where we rented a cabin and
then by ninety five we built our own on hilltop
and all that we call it broke Backrack Mountain. And
you know, I'm still an outsider. I mean, even though
(03:57):
you know, we have a lot of friends and all that,
people that came like decades after me, you know, are
more insider than I am because I'm not really in
country music. It's just that, you know, we wanted to
raise our sons there Remain and Nero, and so you know,
we've become part of the community, more like neighbors than
(04:18):
you know, like like you know, special people or anything
like that. And uh, you know, we have a beautiful
group of friends that we love so much, and our sons,
you know, all the parents from the schools that our
kids went to and all of that. So we love Nashville.
But I've never been on the inside.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
So I'd love to get your reaction to some of
the catalog which you have been responsible for. It could
take us days to go through it, but I'm just
going to pick a couple of artists and songs out.
Let's start with this guy named John bon Jovi, who
you've done some work with, like Living on a Prayer.
(05:02):
Describe that experience.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Well, I when I first worked with them, they had
gotten my number from Paul Stanley of Kiss, who recommended me,
and I think you know, I later found out like
not so long ago that the real motivation for writing
with me was to try to write some hit songs,
(05:25):
let's say, for other artists, because they didn't consider me
like one hundred percent rock and roll like they were,
I guess. I mean, I mean, they were like twenty
two and twenty four at the time. And so I
got there and I had a tridle in my back pocket,
you give Love a bad Name. And when I pulled
it out literally on a piece of paper and read it,
(05:46):
John's face lit up and I never saw so many teeth. Well,
I said, oh my god, this guy has got it.
He's got the h's factor. And they decided to keep
the songs for them selves. So then we started tried
writing another song, and that song ended up being Living
on a Prayer, her title in my book. And John
(06:11):
at first didn't want to record the song because you
thought it was a bit sentimental and bit you know,
kind of sad sounding. Uh. But when they got in
the studio, they rocked it up with their producer Bob
While it was Bob Rock was the engineer and Bruce
Fairburn was the producer, and they turned it into a masterpiece.
(06:34):
So you know, I've also had extraordinary luck, you know,
because it, you know, does take luck, you know, not
just effort and talent. And I guess I was meant
to do all of this because maybe there's a role
for me in the world to bring people hope.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
What was it like working with that shy flower by
the name of Joan Jett.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, you know, first of all, she's so her presence,
you know, it's amazing strength and integrity. And we got
together and you know, Kenny, her manager, called me and said,
I want you to write with Tony, you know, and
so so I did it, and I'm not sure she
(07:18):
was that comfortable. And then I had the title again
called I Hate myself for Loving you, and she said, no,
I don't sing the word love. I said, but you do.
And I love rock and roll, I said, She said,
I wear it out. I'm not saying the word love,
but you know, I said, but you also say the
word hate, you know, I hate myself for loving you.
(07:39):
And you know, I finally, you know, wore her down
and talked her into it, and it's become like her
second biggest hit, you know, after I Love rock and Roll.
And it's also a Sunday night football theme. And on
top of that, Dolly Parton just recorded it for her
Rockstar album featuring Joan Jet. So that song just keep keeps,
(08:01):
you know, the gift that keepsun given.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
And then since I'm based in Boston, I got to
bring up those bad boys from Boston Aerosmith, who you've
done some amazing work with.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
What was that like, well there again, I mean they
didn't want to write with me. I was forced on
them by their A and R guy, John Kladner, brilliant,
legendary guy. And you know, they flew me to Boston
and then the car picked me up and brought me
this big like airplane hangar kind of rehearsal space that
(08:33):
they were working on. There was a stage built and
there were like one hundred guitars on the ground level,
you know, just like all in stands ready to go, Sparky, Tiger, Zebra,
you know, you know, Fenders, Gibson's, every kind of guitar ever,
just in case. Joe had a kind of hanker in
for like a different sound. Right, So when I walked in,
(08:55):
I didn't even say a word, but Stephen grabbed me
and like we went to like the side of the stage,
and they were working on this loop, this backwards guitar
loop that went like and then Stephen started singing cruise
and all the lad is and then they stopped and
they said, what do you think of that? And I said,
I think that's bad, you know, point blank. And I
(09:18):
said I don't think man Heron would put that on
the B side of the worst record, which I said
to be funny, and they didn't laugh. And Joe crossed
his arms and kind of leaned way back and looked
at me sideways. And then Stephen, you know, who's more
like a people pleaser kind of guy, and he said, well,
when I first started singing the riff, I was singing, dude,
(09:38):
looks like a lady. I said, stop right there. That's
a hit title. And just said, well, we are there
what that means. And you know, we don't want to
insult the gay community. I said, dude, I'm gay, not insulted.
And I dragged them into you know, that stairline, and
what had happened was that Stephen how he came up
(09:59):
with that title. They've gone into a bar on the
shore with the roadies and all that, and sitting at
this lonely you know, a way off in the corner
at this empty bar was his vision of loveliness with
a big platinum mullet, porcelain skin, black nails and bangles
and a curvy, you know figure. And all of a
(10:23):
sudden she turns around and it's Vince Neil with Motley Crue,
and Stephens said, dude, looks like a lady. Do look second, lady,
Do look second, lady. And then it's stuck. And that's
where where hoo came came from. And I said, Okay,
that's the story we're going to tell. And they went along,
you know, Jerry, reluctantly. But it's turned into one of
(10:45):
the classics for them. And so I'm very very you know,
honored that. You know, that song has stood the test
of time, and it was ahead of its time because
the second verse goes, neither Georgeill looked by its cover?
Oh who you're going by your lover? How ahead of
its time was that?
Speaker 4 (11:05):
It's amazing?
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Oh my god, I love it.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
You spent a couple of years with Bob Crwe, who
is known for so many strings of hits, from Frankie
Valley Work to Four Seasons. He's another one we could
go on and on with about his catalogue. What lessons
did you learn about the art of songwriting from Bob Crue?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Well before I met Bob Krue, you know, because I
was a singer. I'd sit at the piano, bang out
some chords and just mumble some stuff, you know, singing melodies,
and then hope that those mumbles sounded like words. And
then I'd kind of like a little bird, take a
little string and then kind of build a nest out
of it. But he wouldn't even let me touch the
piano unless we had a sired title and a concept.
(11:53):
And you know, we built everything that we wrote, thirty
eight songs that I wrote with him, Everything was built
towards paying off the title. That's the correct way. And
ever since I learned writing that way, I started having
nothing but success because you get right to the story.
What's the song about? What is it supposed to say?
(12:14):
What's the title? And he taught me to write titles
that had opposites, you know, like you give rib a
bad name, you know, love bad. I hate myself for
loving you. How can we be lovers if we can't
be friends? Heaven's on fire, you know, and you know
that's that's how you know he taught me to write
(12:37):
because just by looking at the title, they would draw
in the listener like say, oh, well that's that sounds
like it could be interesting, and then the song gets
gets heard and that's all it takes up the songs good.
Once it's an ear warm in somebody's head, then they
have to hear it over and over and over again.
And that's why I think that my songs have stood
the test of time, you know, because you know that's
(13:01):
the thing. You know, It's like there's techniques. And also
Bob Crue taught me to write the courses with tight rhymes,
like you know, not off rhymes, and he said, well,
maybe it's okay. Like during verses you can do kind
of like off rhymes, things that kind of sound alike
but they're not really rhymes. But when it comes to
(13:22):
the chorus, it's much easier for us stadium full of
people to know what's coming next to be able to
sing along too. And if it's not a tight rhyme,
they can't memorize it. So that's Those are some of
the secrets that I reveal in in my book Living
on a Prayer of Big songs, Big Life.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
We had the great Jimmy Webb on a previous episode
of the podcast. I'd like to get your reaction to
something he said. He said that improvisation is a bridge
to creativity. Your thoughts on that, well, first.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Of a, why I just spent the week and watch
Washington d C. With Jimmy Webb and his gorgeous wife
Laura Savini, and we were there lobbying, you know, for
songwriters because of AI and the dangers that are posed
to you know, all creators with AI, and you know,
we want to get in there, you know, before they
(14:19):
start laying down kind of compulsory rates and things like
that that we don't want. We want people come to
make us, offer us if they're going to use us,
use our music to create you know, their Frankenstein's with So,
you know, Jimmy Webb is like my idol. You know,
(14:39):
he's just the premiere you know, American songwriter. His songs
just live forever. And improvisation well he's a pianist, you know,
and so you know, I think that's important for him,
you know, But like I said, I learned the other
way around, you know, the opposite way, which is know
(14:59):
what to going to say and go out and say it,
and then everything falls into place after that. So we write,
we write kind of with opposite techniques.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, lastly, I want to say to you that we
have another podcast we produced which is called Music Saved Me,
and it's about the healing powers of music. Do you
believe music has supernatural healing powers?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Well? I do. I think that. You know, we're hardwired
to be comforted by music or excited by music since
the beginning of time. You know, you can just imagine,
you know, the old history, you know, stories being told
and then embellished upon and made very dramatic by whoever
(15:48):
was was singing it. And you know, because of that,
we're hardwired to respond, you know, to to music. And
you know, I think that there's other things that happened.
The lyric content can be healing as well. We've received
(16:08):
so many letters that told us that living on a
prayer got them through cancer, got them through you know,
the death of you know, a family member. And we
once got an extraordinary letter from a young man that
said he had had it. He decided he was going
to end his life. So he you know, drove his
(16:28):
car like crazy up to the bridge, trumped out of it,
let the engine running, the radios on and he was
leaning to like go jump off when Living on a
Prayer came on the radio and he said, oh wait,
that's my favorite song. So he said, okay, I'll just
go and listen to my favorite song and then that'll
be the end. So he gets back in the car.
By the time it got to the final modulated chorus,
(16:50):
the fifth in New York chorus, he drove home. And
you know, I think that's a beautiful story.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
I love it. I want to congratulate you on the book,
Desmond Child, and thank you for the many gifts that
you have given us.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Well, thank you so much. And if if I just
want to follow me does mean god Child on Instagram?
My links are there. And I even got a skin
line called you don't make a skin line because you know,
celebrities have to have a skin line, and so you
know the diet and Brad Kid has a skin line.
You know, I figured, you know, if he has a
(17:26):
skin line, I have to the only thing is that
you buy his skin line. You had that looking right, Brad.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Chrid, I thank you, my friend.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
But it's fine, it's fine. It's our natural product and
all that. And I always have lotions and potions because
I would sneak it to my mom's bedroom and open
off the little charge and smell them in the plant
and all the time of stuff there. I travel anywhere
without like like a suit sister around my lotions and potions.
Everybody makes fun of me. Thanks Desmond, thank you, thank
(18:03):
you for having me on. And I hope that fans
come and visit me and find out all about magnetic.
You're the best.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Thank you. We hope you enjoyed this episode of Taking
a Walk with the fascinating story of Desmond Child. Please
share this in other episodes of Taking a Walk with
your friends and follow Taking a Walk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart,
or wherever you get your podcasts. Leave us a review
as well. Thanks for listening to Taking a Walk.
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