The lyric “If we make it or...” is completed by “not” in Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.”
Released in 1986, the song was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. Its verses introduce Tommy and Gina, a working-class couple facing financial pressure, while the chorus turns their struggle into a message of endurance.
The track became Bon Jovi’s second number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. It is especially known for its talk-box guitar effect, associated with Richie Sambora, and for its dramatic upward key change near the end.
The song’s central phrase is sometimes quoted independently as motivational advice. In context, however, the lyric emphasizes solidarity between two people whose circumstances are uncertain. The short answer “not” completes the contrast between success and failure.