Bon Jovi frontman Jon Bon Jovi wrote this song during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. During that time, the vast majority of Americans were living in various degrees of quarantine and isolation. Fear and uncertainty dominated the zeitgeist. Bon Jovi felt it was his duty as a musician to record a song about it. He started things off with an Instagram post on March 19 showing him doing dishes at JBJ Soul Kitchen, a New Jersey restaurant he owns. The caption of the post read, "When you can't do what you do, you do what you can." The implication was that he couldn't perform live because of the lockdown so he helped out at his restaurant instead. After that, he recorded himself playing the first verse and the chorus of this song. He then asked his fans to share their pandemic experiences on social media with the hashtag #DoWhatYouCan.
The song is full of images of life from the pandemic, with the chorus urging us to do the best we can for ourselves and for each other during difficult times. When you can't do what you do, you do what you can This ain't my prayer, it's just a thought I'm wanting to send Round here we bend but don't break, down here we all understand When you can't do what you do, you do what you can
Jon Bon Jovi first performed the finalized version of this song on April 22, 2020, for the Jersey4Jersey benefit special, which also featured Bruce Springsteen, Halsey, Tony Bennett, SZA, and Fountains of Wayne all performing from their homes. Bon Jovi (the band) added their instrumental parts later, also from their homes.
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