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.
Hide Your Love Away
Richie Sambora Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn my face to the wall
If she's gone I can't go on
Feelin' two-foot small
How could she say to me
Love will find a way
Gather round all you clowns
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
How can I even try
I can never win
Hearing them, seeing them
In the state I'm in
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Hey you've got to hide your love away
The first stanza is a vivid description of the singer's mental state. He is standing with his head in his hand and turning his face to the wall. He is in a state of utter despair since his love has left him, and he feels very small and helpless. The second stanza is a dialogue between the singer and his beloved. She has told him that love will find a way, but he is skeptical and asks the clowns around him to confirm her assurance. The chorus indicates the singer's dilemma. He feels that he cannot try any longer, as he can never win, being so defeated and ashamed. He repeats the lines of the chorus, emphasizing the imperative that his love must be hidden away.
The song is a clear adaptation of the Beatles' 1965 song "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." Richie Sambora retained the melody and the chords but rewrote the lyrics. The imagery of clowns in the song may have been inspired by the Smokey Robinson & the Miracles song "Tears of a Clown." The song was meant to be part of the album "Undiscovered Soul," but Jon Bon Jovi, Richie's bandmate, suggested that it be released as a single, with a music video featuring Sophie Monk. The music video was directed by Nancy Bardawil, and it was shot in Los Angeles.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I stand head in hand
I am standing here with my head in my hand, feeling helpless and sad.
Turn my face to the wall
I am avoiding looking at anything and turning away from the outside world.
If she's gone I can't go on
If the person I love is no longer around, I feel like I cannot continue living.
Feelin' two-foot small
Feeling incredibly small and insignificant, compared to the world around me.
How could she say to me
I can't believe that the person I love could tell me that love will find a way, when it doesn't seem like it will.
Love will find a way
Popular saying that love can overcome any obstacle or problem.
Gather round all you clowns
I am calling out to all the foolish and silly people around me.
Let me hear you say
I want you to repeat after me out loud.
Hey you've got to hide your love away
You need to keep your love hidden, even if it hurts.
How can I even try
I don't see how I can even attempt to move on or find love again.
I can never win
It seems like I will never be successful in love, no matter what I do.
Hearing them, seeing them
Listening to and seeing other people in love.
In the state I'm in
Given my current emotional and mental state.
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Again, you should keep your love hidden, even when it is difficult.
Hey you've got to hide your love away
Continuing to emphasize the need to keep love hidden, even in the face of pain and heartbreak.
Hey you've got to hide your love away
The refrain is repeated one final time to bring the song to a close.
Contributed by Noah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
paulibonjovi
Wish he would do it more often... pure agic!!!
paulibonjovi
pure magic!! <3