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.
The Wind Cries Mary
Richie Sambora Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can hear happiness staggering on down the street
Footprints dressed in red and the wind whispers mary
A broom is drearily sweeping up the broken pieces of yesterdays life
Somewhere a queen is weeping somewhere a king has no wife
And the wind it cries mary
And shine their emptiness down on my bed
The tiny island sails downstream cause the life that lived is is dead
And the wind screams mary
Will the wind ever remember the names it has blown in the past
And with this crutch it's old age and it's wisdom
It whispers no this will be the last
And the wind cries mary
In Richie Sambora's song “The Wind Cries Mary,” he paints a bleak picture of the world around him. The first verse sets the tone with the image of clowns going to bed and happiness struggling down the street. The second verse continues the melancholy theme as we hear of a broom sweeping up the broken pieces of yesterday’s life, a queen weeping, and a king without his wife. The third verse brings it all together with a sense of finality as the traffic lights turn off, a tiny island sails downstream because “the life that lived is dead,” and the wind screams Mary.
The song is a haunting reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of change. The sense of loss and regret that permeates the lyrics is palpable, and the image of the wind crying Mary adds an additional layer of melancholy. The repetition of the phrase “and the wind cries Mary” throughout the song serves to emphasize the universality of the message and the idea that we all face the same struggles and challenges in life.
Overall, “The Wind Cries Mary” is a powerful and thought-provoking song that speaks to the human experience in a way that few others can. The bittersweet melody and poignant lyrics make it a classic that has stood the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
After all the jacks are in their boxes and the clowns have all gone to bed
Once everything is settled and calm, you can find happiness in unexpected places
You can hear happiness staggering on down the street
Sometimes happiness is hard to find and when we do, it feels unstable or fleeting
Footprints dressed in red and the wind whispers mary
Red footprints indicate a dark past and the wind brings back memories of a lost love named Mary
A broom is drearily sweeping up the broken pieces of yesterdays life
Someone is trying to move on from a painful past, but it's not an easy process
Somewhere a queen is weeping somewhere a king has no wife
Even those in power can experience heartache and loneliness
And the wind it cries mary
The memory of Mary and lost love is present and overwhelming
The traffic lights they turn of blue tomorrow
The future is uncertain and unpredictable
And shine their emptiness down on my bed
The feeling of emptiness and loneliness is all-consuming
The tiny island sails downstream cause the life that lived is is dead
The past is drifting away and there's nothing to hold onto
And the wind screams mary
The memories of Mary and lost love are becoming stronger and more painful
Will the wind ever remember the names it has blown in the past
Will the past be forgotten completely or is it engraved in memory?
And with this crutch it's old age and it's wisdom
As we grow older, we use our experiences and memories as crutches to help us move forward
It whispers no this will be the last
Even though memories can be painful and overwhelming, they will always hold a special place in our hearts
And the wind cries mary
The memories of Mary and lost love are still present, but they are becoming easier to bear
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.