Fans Help Jon Bon Jovi Write New Song “Do What You Can”

JON BON JOVI, MUSICIAN: Look, it doesn’t matter if you’re the host of a CNN news program or a guy that sings in a rock `n’ roll band. We all can make a difference. By simply staying at home, you are effecting change directly. And so, please, everyone, do their part. And if something as small as staying home is your contribution to mankind, then please participate.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Well, no, that’s very powerfully put. And you have now done this song. It’s one of the ways you’re participating. You have also — as we know, you’re an activist and you do a lot to help people in need in your area. And you had this picture that you put out and asked people to do what you can. So, tell me a little bit about how that came about, the verse that you wrote, and what you have received from the fans who you’re asking to contribute.

BON JOVI: Thank you. As I said, we’re all in this together. And, as a songwriter, I thought of that title. The next day, I thought, there’s a song. And so I sat down and I wrote the song in its entirety, all the verses, the bridge. I was finished. But I thought to myself, everyone is experiencing this differently and have a verse to contribute. So, I put it out on social media and said, here’s a verse, here’s the chorus, tell me your story. Let us make this our story. And we have gotten thousands and thousands of people sending in verses or poetry or a letter, a video for the musicians who can play with me. And it’s become this viral sensation, because everybody has the same story to tell. We’re living through this together.

AMANPOUR: Is there anything that strikes you is particularly poignant or particularly resilient from some of the verses that you’re getting?

BON JOVI: I think it’s very similar here, stateside especially. But there’s a shout-out and a spotlight on, of course, doctors, nurses, truckers, grocery store clerks, people who are living this life. And because the news cycle is 24/7, and everyone’s got their TV news on, we’re also making sure that we say thank you to the teacher, and to the moms and dads who are doing their best, and to the kids who are sitting home and being patient. So I’m getting a lot of those stories about people’s lives.

AMANPOUR: Jon Bon Jovi, I don’t know whether you have been struck on whether it compares to other disasters, but we have seen a lot of music come out of this, whether it’s musicians like yourself doing something new and getting contributions, whether it’s orchestras who are all separated and playing via Zoom, whether it’s already sort of rock `n’ rollers who are doing like — quote, unquote — “free concerts” online. What do you think is it about this and about music that kind of collide and come together?

BON JOVI: You know, in truth, music is the great healer. And at times like this, it brings people together, and there aren’t any borders or political affiliations.