The Jovi Revolution

Bon Jovi knows something about going down in a blaze in glory, but their new "Stand By Me" duet with Iranian pop star Andy Madadian is about the glories of standing up.

Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Madadian joined producers Don Was and John Shanks in the studio last week to record the Ben E. King classic as a tribute to the Iranian people who are in such turmoil right now. In a recorded video message, Was encourages people to share the song with everyone they know.

"It's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people," remarked the famed producer, "to give voice to the sentiment that all people of the world stand together."

Was later told Billboard.com that the idea stemmed from a conversation with Madadian about "whether there was something we could do just to send out a little message of solidarity, remembering the '60s, believing music can change things."

As fate would have it, Was and Madadian went to the studio to record "Stand By Me," and Bon Jovi, Sambora and Shanks were outside having lunch. Was told them what they were doing, and the Jersey rockers signed on immediately. Bon Jovi even sang part of the first verse in Farsi! While the two singers did their thing, the music line-up included Sambora on guitar, Was on bass, Patrick Leonard on keys and Jeff Rothchild hitting the drums.

Is the song having an impact? Well, it so infuriated the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that he announced today that he officially deleted all Bon Jovi tracks from his iPod "forever."

"I did not merely uncheck the tracks," said the Ayatollah, "I deleted them permanently."

That'll show 'em, Oh Supreme One!

Photo courtesy of Sheryl Nields.