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.
If God Was A Woman
Richie Sambora Lyrics
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With long blond hair
Would you kneel at her altar
And offer her prayer
Could she be your addiction
Could she make you sin
If God was a woman
And you were her man
Would you be impressed
If she showed up in high heels
And a pretty red dress
Would you make a donation
Or would you draw the line
Would you yield to temptation
Or savor her wine
If God was a woman
She'd come like an angel
Or a devil in disguise
When she left in the morning
Would you lose your religion
Of kiss your faith goodbye, goodbye
If God was a woman
If God was a woman
Tell me who could we blame
Would she make Jesus righteous
Or completely insame
Of God was a woman
Would she kiss and tell
Would we wind up in heaven
Or would we all burn in hell
If God was a woman
She'd come like an angel
Or the devil in disguise, oh yeah
And if she left in the morning
Would you lose your religion
Or kiss your faith goodbye, goodbye
If God was a woman
And you were her man, yeah
If God was a woman
Would she come like an angel
Or the devil in disguise, oh yeah
When she left in the morning
Would you lose your religion
Would you kiss your faith goodbye, goodbye
If God was a woman
If God was a woman
If God was a woman
If God was a woman
We'd all burn in hell
If God was
Woman, woman, woman, woman
If God was a woman
Tell me who would we blame
If God was a woman
If God was a woman
She'd drive us insane, yeah
Richie Sambora's song "If God Was A Woman" puts forward a provocative idea of what would happen if God was female. The lyrics paint a picture of an alternate world where God is a woman with long blonde hair who wears high heels and pretty red dresses. Sambora's lyrics are suggestive and suggest that if God was a woman, she could become a temptation for men, and some may sin for her. The song questions whether a female God would satisfy the needs of men, or create chaos and confusion.
The song raises questions about gender roles and how they affect our views on God. The notion of God being a woman proposes a new view of God that is feminine and nurturing. However, it also raises the question of how this new perspective would be received in society. The song suggests that some men would find it hard to reconcile their feelings for a female God.
Line by Line Meaning
If God was a woman
What if God was a woman?
With long blond hair
What if she had long blonde hair?
Would you kneel at her altar
Would you pray to her?
And offer her prayer
Would you dedicate yourself to her?
Could she be your addiction
Would you become addicted to her?
Could she make you sin
Would she make you do wrong?
If God was a woman
What if God was female?
And you were her man
What if you were her partner?
Would you be impressed
Would you be wowed by her?
If she showed up in high heels
What if she dressed up in heels?
And a pretty red dress
What if she wore a red dress?
Would you make a donation
Would you give her your money?
Or would you draw the line
Would you refuse her requests?
Would you yield to temptation
Would you give in to her seduction?
Or savor her wine
Or enjoy her company?
She'd come like an angel
She'd appear like an angel.
Or a devil in disguise
Or she would try to deceive us.
When she left in the morning
After she leaves in the morning
Would you lose your religion
Would you question your faith?
Or kiss your faith goodbye, goodbye
Or abandon it completely?
Tell me who could we blame
Who could we hold responsible?
Would she make Jesus righteous
Would she judge Jesus favorably?
Or completely insane
Or make him crazy?
Would she kiss and tell
Would she reveal our secrets?
Would we wind up in heaven
Would we be saved?
Or would we all burn in hell
Or doomed to suffer eternal damnation?
She'd drive us insane, yeah
She would drive us crazy.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BRYAN, RICHARD S SAMBORA, RICHIE SUPA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind