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Desmond Child

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Desmond Child, born John Charles Barrett, is an American songwriter and producer. He was born in Miami in 1953. His mother was the Cuban songwriter Elena Casals. Only at the age of eighteen did he discover that his biological father was a Hungarian baron. In 1975 he started the pop rock band Desmond Child & Rouge, with three female singers. That band made two well-received but poorly selling albums and stopped in 1980.

Music and breakthrough

After that Child became mainly a writer for others. He co-wrote I Was Made for Lovin' You for Kiss, You Give Love a Bad Name and Livin' on a Prayer for Bon Jovi, Dude (Looks Like a Lady) and Crazy for Aerosmith, Poison for Alice Cooper and Livin' la Vida Loca for Ricky Martin. His strength lies in big, singalong choruses that give rock bands a poppy edge. In 1991 he had a minor hit of his own with Love on a Rooftop.

Influence

Child is a good example of an outside writer: he worked with a band on a song so that it became a hit. In the rock of the 1980s in particular, in which bands liked to present themselves as a distinctive group, he often stood invisibly behind the biggest successes. He also worked with Cher, Bonnie Tyler, Roxette and Kelly Clarkson. In 2008 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. Notice how the song builds up to the chorus and how that chorus, with the whole band singing along, is made so that a stadium can roar it back.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists