I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw the photo Jon Bon Jovi recently shared on social media. It was a picture of his very first music contract from 1980, and the numbers were shockingly low. For his professional recording debut, the rock legend was paid exactly $180.
To make things even more amusing, the gig wasn’t for a rock anthem or a smoky bar performance. He was hired to sing on a holiday album called Christmas in the Stars, which was entirely Star Wars themed. Specifically, he lent his vocals to a track titled “R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
I found the backstory he shared just as entertaining as the song title. Apparently, the producer, Meco Monardo, needed someone who sounded like a young boy and simply asked Jon if he could sing. Jon, who was working as a janitor in the studio at the time, jumped at the chance.
He noted that he surrendered all royalty rights for that flat fee, meaning he never saw another dime from the record. Considering he is now selling out stadiums worldwide, I think he probably recovered from that financial loss just fine. It is wild to think that the voice behind “Livin’ on a Prayer” started out singing festive tunes to a droid.
