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.
You're Not Alone
Richie Sambora Lyrics
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I will be always love you
You can be a thousand thought always
I'll be thinking of you
No matter where you try to hide
You will always gonna find me
Right where I belong
Been here beside you all along
Like some ancient star
Forever we'll remain
Even if the sky should ever fall from grace
If I die or fade away
In the end you'll always know
You're not alone
You can chance you face to someone else
Still I won't forget you
When you're feeling lost inside yourself
I will come and get you
These days the only saviour you can find
Is something you believe in
Deep inside your heart
You might believe in me
Like some ancient star
Forever we'll remain
Even if our love would ever fall from grace
If I die or fade away
In your life you'll always know
I know you got your fears and doubts
They're weighing on your mind
But something's gonna save you
You're gonna see the truth inside
I'll be right beside you
When the world tears you apart
On your back like a shadow
No matter where you are
Like some ancient star
Forever we'll remain
Even if the sky should ever fall from grace
If I die or fade away
In the end you'll always know
You're not alone
You're not alone
In Richie Sambora's song "You're Not Alone," the singer reassures his lover that no matter where they are or what they're going through, he will always be there for them. He acknowledges that they may be distant, physically or emotionally, but he will continue to love and think of them regardless. Sambora's lyrics suggest that the love between the two is everlasting and will persist even if the world around them falls apart. Throughout the song, he insists that his presence will never wane and he will be with his love to help them through their darkest moments.
While the song is simple melodically, the lyrics of "You're Not Alone" highlight the powerful bond between two people. The line "Like some ancient star, forever we'll remain" reinforces the idea that true love endures and can outlast time itself. Furthermore, Sambora communicates the importance of faith in something greater than oneself as a source of solace, as he tells his lover that the only savior they need is something they truly believe in, whether that be him or something within themselves.
In summary, "You're Not Alone" is a reminder of the endless strength, love and support that can come from a committed relationship, while acknowledging that there may be times when they feel the loneliest. The song's themes of persistence and faith are universal and can apply to any situation in life where we may need a reminder of the importance of staying true to what we believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
You can be a million miles away
Even if you're far away from me, my love for you will remain the same
I will be always love you
My love for you is everlasting and will never fade away
You can be a thousand thought always
Even if you're constantly on my mind and I'm thinking about you a lot
I'll be thinking of you
You'll always be on my mind no matter what
No matter where you try to hide
Even if you try to run away, you'll never be able to escape from my love
You will always gonna find me
I'll always be there for you no matter what happens
Right where I belong
I'm meant to be with you and nowhere else
Been here beside you all along
I've been by your side through thick and thin
Like some ancient star
Our love is timeless and will last forever
Forever we'll remain
Our love will endure the test of time
Even if the sky should ever fall from grace
Even if the world comes crashing down, we'll still be together
If I die or fade away
Even if I'm no longer here, my love for you will continue to exist
In the end you'll always know
You can always count on me and my love for you
You can chance you face to someone else
Even if you decide to move on and love someone else
Still I won't forget you
I'll always remember you and our time together no matter what
When you're feeling lost inside yourself
During the times when you feel alone and lost in your own thoughts
I will come and get you
I'll be there for you to support and comfort you
These days the only saviour you can find
In today's world, the only thing that can save and comfort you
Is something you believe in
Is something you have faith in, such as our love
Deep inside your heart
In the depths of your heart and soul
You might believe in me
You might have faith in me and my love for you
I know you got your fears and doubts
I understand that you have your own worries and uncertainties
They're weighing on your mind
They're preoccupying your thoughts and causing you stress
But something's gonna save you
But there will come a time when something, such as my love for you, will make everything better
You're gonna see the truth inside
You'll come to realize and see the truth, beauty, and strength within yourself
I'll be right beside you
I'll be there with you every step of the way
When the world tears you apart
During the times when life gets tough and challenges you
On your back like a shadow
I'll always be there following and supporting you no matter what
No matter where you are
My love for you transcends distance and location
You're not alone
You can always count on me and my love for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEREMY THOMAS, JORDAN MOHILOWSKI, LUCIO RUBINO, RON MC CLELLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind