Richie got his first guitar when he was just 12 years old. Throughout his career as a guitarist, Richie has displayed an impressive knack for feeling out a guitar solo to the point that it not only follows the key of the song, but the chord progression as well.
Sambora was a guitarist for the band "Message", and with that band put out an independent record titled "Lessons" which was copyrighted in 1982 and produced and arranged by Dean Fasano and Richie Sambora in Woodbridge, New Jersey. It was re-released in 1995 under the name Message, and in 2000 as Lessons. He was later in a band, Mercy, which was signed to Led Zeppelin-owned record label Swan Song Records, and then Duke Williams & the Extremes, who were signed to Capricorn Records. Sambora was also in an improvisational club band called Richie Sambora & Friends. He was part-owner of a club in New Jersey, and at age 19 owned his own independent label Dream Disc Records. Sambora's first professional tour was as an opening act for Joe Cocker in the early 1980s. Shortly before joining Bon Jovi in 1983, Sambora unsuccessfully auditioned for Kiss, to be Ace Frehley's replacement.
His technique displays remarkable variety - his soloing in "Wanted Dead or Alive" is laden with artificial harmonics, whereas his riffing for "Livin' on a Prayer" makes extensive use of palm muting. Developing his guitar technique in an era laden with wild soloing inspired by Eddie Van Halen, Richie developed a unique style of speed and precision but it took him a few attempts to impress Jon Bon Jovi. When Jon first saw Richie play he didn't think he was good enough: however he soon changed his opinion after working with Richie. Richie was also one of the first 80's mainstream guitarists to make use of the talk-box. Talk-box was also used by other guitarists, notably Slash from Guns N' Roses, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, and Peter Frampton. The talk-box can be heard clearly in "Livin' on a Prayer" and "It's My Life".
In 2004, Sanctuary Records released a self-titled album which had been recorded in 1978 by Shark Frenzy, documenting Sambora's first recorded material. The mix tapes had been damaged in a flood and it had taken band member Bruce Foster to remaster them for them to be released so many years later.
Outside of Bon Jovi, Richie has released three solo albums and numerous songs for movie soundtracks (Banger Sisters, On The Line). He also made a cameo in the movie "On The Line".
His first solo outing was "Stranger In This Town", a blues-influenced album that was received well by many critics and guitar affectionados. Eric Clapton made an appearance on the album but it did not fare too well commercially. Richie later admitted that this was due to the fact that he was writing songs from an artistic point, rather than writing a radio oriented album. However, the album did establish Richie as a top rate guitarist, revealing a different side of him that was not widely recognizable during Bon Jovi's 80's heyday. His blues influences would later be present on some of Bon Jovi records as well, notably on 1995's "These Days".
"Undiscovered Soul" was Richie's second solo album, released in 1998. The album was produced by Don Was.
He has appeared in several movie and TV cameos, notably the film 'On The Line' as 'The Mick', and the 'Chris Isaak' show as himself. Recent ventures have seen him compose television theme tunes for both Entertainment Tonight and The Insider. He is a shareholder of the Philadelphia Soul, an Arena Football League football team.
Over the years, Richie has been an ardent fundraiser for many charities, such as Dream Street, the Steve Young Foundation and Michael J Fox's Parkinson's charity.
Answer
Richie Sambora Lyrics
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Rode fiery chargers through the clouds
That answer scared me into tears
And all the grownups laughed out loud
Now the years roll on, tired voices have all gone
Now they ride their thunder through the heavens
Embracing oceans sweep us home again
Come along with me, come along with me
Seek the truth, you shall not find another lie
They say for every living thing
There's a guide up in the sky
That helps you pass from world to world
So you never really die
Then with scythe and cloak
Death comes waltzing to your side
As the visions pass you ask
If there was meaning to your life
As you strain to hear the answer, spirits sing, and devils fiddle
As he bends to whisper in your hear, he leaves you one more riddle
Oh, the answer lies beyond the pain
All the questions in our minds, we surely ask in vain
Come along with me, come along with me
Seek the truth, and you shall find another life
And now my life is like a storm
Growing stronger every day
Like the unrelenting wind
That comes to blow our lives away
So I live each day like I know it's my last
If there is no future there must be no past
Now I know the answers never meant a thing
And with each instant that I breathe
I feel the joy that life can bring
Come along with me, come along with me
Seek the truth, you shall not find another lie
Come along with me, come along with me
Seek the truth, you shall not find another lie
The song "The Answer" by Richie Sambora starts off with a vivid imagery of lightning flashing and angels riding fiery chargers through the clouds. This is followed by the singer feeling scared and crying, while the grownups around him laugh at his reaction to the answer. As the years roll on, the singer reflects on the fact that the voices of the grownups are now tired and gone, and envisions them riding on thunder through the heavens. The song then explores the idea of a guide in the sky that helps living things pass from world to world, so that they never really die. Death is then personified as coming with scythe and cloak, while spirits sing and devils fiddle.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of seeking truth and discovering new life, beyond the pain of the questions in our minds. The singer encourages the listener to come along with him on this journey of seeking truth, where the answers are not just lies. In the final verse, the singer reflects on the storm-like quality of his own life, and embraces each day like it's his last. He concludes that the answer to life and its meaning has never really meant anything, and the joy of living in the present is what truly matters.
Line by Line Meaning
The lightning flashed as angels
A vivid description of a supernatural event occurring in the sky
Rode fiery chargers through the clouds
Angels riding horses that appear to be on fire
That answer scared me into tears
A profound realization that brought great emotional response
And all the grownups laughed out loud
The adults found the child's reaction amusing or insignificant
Now the years roll on, tired voices have all gone
Time has passed and the people who were once present are no longer there
Now they ride their thunder through the heavens
The supernatural event from earlier is still taking place in the sky
There's a world in every drop of rain
A small thing holds great beauty and meaning
Embracing oceans sweep us home again
The vastness of the ocean can make us feel at home
Come along with me, come along with me
Invitation to join someone on a journey
Seek the truth, you shall not find another lie
A plea to find true meaning
They say for every living thing
A common belief or saying
There's a guide up in the sky
A supernatural being who oversees life and death
That helps you pass from world to world
A guide to help navigate the afterlife
So you never really die
The continuation of life in some form after physical death
Then with scythe and cloak
A description of the grim reaper
Death comes waltzing to your side
Personification of death as a dancer
As the visions pass you ask
Reflection during one's final moments
If there was meaning to your life
Contemplation of one's life purpose
As you strain to hear the answer, spirits sing, and devils fiddle
Imagery of a supernatural chorus
As he bends to whisper in your hear, he leaves you one more riddle
Death leaving a final mystery to ponder
Oh, the answer lies beyond the pain
True meaning is found beyond struggles and suffering
All the questions in our minds, we surely ask in vain
Human questioning may not reveal ultimate truth
And now my life is like a storm
Life is tumultuous and unpredictable
Growing stronger every day
Becoming more resilient and able to handle life's challenges
Like the unrelenting wind
An unstoppable force
That comes to blow our lives away
Life is fleeting and can be easily disrupted
So I live each day like I know it's my last
Living in the present moment and making the most of life
If there is no future there must be no past
The value of focusing on the present moment
Now I know the answers never meant a thing
Prior understandings were not truly significant
And with each instant that I breathe
Appreciating the gift of life
I feel the joy that life can bring
Acknowledging the good in life
Seek the truth, you shall not find another lie
Continuing the quest for true meaning
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dierks Bentley, Jay Clementi, Radney M. Foster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind