Kelly Clarkson recently shared a harrowing experience on her show, revealing that a Jon Bon Jovi cover almost did her in. During a segment of “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Clarkson attempted to perform Bon Jovi’s “Blaze of Glory,” but it turned into a struggle that left her exasperated and, at one point, literally floored.
Clarkson is no stranger to covering iconic songs, often putting her own spin on them during her “Kellyoke” segments. However, this particular performance proved to be a significant challenge. The issue wasn’t with forgetting the lyrics or not recognizing the song; it was simply a matter of reading the lyrics correctly from the prompter. “It got so ridiculous, I had to let it go like Elsa for a minute,” Clarkson joked in a preview clip.
The show released a blooper reel ahead of the episode, showcasing Clarkson’s repeated attempts to get the lyrics right. She had to stop mid-song multiple times, each time correcting herself. “Oh man,” she lamented as the music paused for the first time. “My learning disability kicked in and I said ‘Let the boy like die a man.’ Yup. And it’s definitely not that!”
As the rehearsal continued, Clarkson’s frustration grew. In one clip, she muttered, “Ah f— me,” before screaming into the microphone. In another, she was in disbelief at herself for almost singing, “Let me fake my final stand.”
The situation reached a climax when Jon Bon Jovi himself made a surprise appearance on stage. Clarkson, overwhelmed, dropped to the floor at his feet. “Come on, girlfriend!” Bon Jovi said, hugging her and giving her a quick shoulder massage to keep her spirits up.
Despite the challenges, Clarkson eventually managed to pull off the performance, which aired on Wednesday’s episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” The blooper reel, however, remains a testament to the difficulties she faced and her determination to get it right.
This isn’t the first time Clarkson has had a memorable moment with Bon Jovi. During a previous “Kellyoke” segment, she covered Bon Jovi’s classic “It’s My Life,” adding her own high notes and backed by an epic light show. After the performance, Jon Bon Jovi joined the show’s virtual audience to discuss Clarkson’s rendition.
“So, be honest, and when I say be honest I mean lying is totally OK,” Clarkson said. “How did I do with your song?”
“I noticed that you had to change the key,” Bon Jovi, 58, responded. “It was in a girl key.”
“I know!” Clarkson replied. “I’m a first soprano, man. I always have to raise everything because I can’t go low, but I can go high.”
“God bless you for it,” Bon Jovi said. “But yeah, it was cool! Thank you for doing that.”
The two also delved into the meaning behind the song’s lyrics. Clarkson asked Bon Jovi about the line, “Frankie says I did it my way,” and its significance.
“There’s a lyric in there that’s ‘Frankie says I did it my way,’ that was from New Jersey’s most famous son, Frank Sinatra,” Bon Jovi explained. “I had just come home from doing a film in Malta and Rome called ‘U-571.’ It was a World War II picture with Matthew McConaughey. We come home, and we’re making the album, and we got together to write that, and I had to fight very hard for that lyric.”
“(Lead guitarist) Richie (Sambora) said to me, ‘What is Frankie and what does it matter?'” Bon Jovi continued. “And I said, ‘Well, because much like Frank, I’m going to make movies when I want, records when I want, and this is how I’m feeling.’ I won the argument simply because I had to sing the song every night.”
While that may have been the original intention, Bon Jovi noted that the song has since taken on a life of its own. “That’s what it stood for for me, but the magic was guys like (brother) Anthony (Bongiovi) and people around the world,” he said. “They said, ‘No, Frankie is me, Frankie’s my best friend, Frankie’s my brother,’ and that’s the magic of a great song. People make it their own.”
Clarkson’s experiences with Bon Jovi’s music highlight the challenges and rewards of covering iconic songs. Whether it’s nailing the high notes or struggling with the lyrics, her dedication to delivering a memorable performance is evident. And with Bon Jovi’s support, it’s clear that Clarkson’s efforts are appreciated by the rock legend himself.
