Vai has been described as a "highly individualistic player" and part of a generation of "heavy rock and metal virtuosi who came to the fore in the 1980s". He released his first solo album Flex-Able in 1984, while his most successful release, Passion and Warfare (1990), was described as "the richest and best hard rock guitar-virtuoso album of the '80s". He was voted the "10th Greatest Guitarist" by Guitar World magazine, and has sold over 15 million records.
Discography
Flex-Able (1984)
Passion and Warfare (1990)
Sex & Religion (1993)
Fire Garden (1996)
Flex-Able Leftovers (1998)
The Ultra Zone (1999)
Real Illusions: Reflections (2005)
The Story of Light (2012)
Modern Primitive (2016)
Inviolate (2022)
The Riddle
Steve Vai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's make love again...
Is that a proposition?
Now let's make love.
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic from which it stands
Under God
Individual, which liberty and justice for all.
With liberty and justice for all
With liberty and justice for all
With liberty and justice for all
With liberty and justice for all
Which liberty and justice for all.
The lyrics to "The Riddle" by Steve Vai are intriguing and mysterious. The opening lines of "Let's make love... Let's make love again... Is that a proposition? Now let's make love" suggest a sexual encounter between two people. However, the remainder of the song shifts into a reciting of the American Pledge of Allegiance. This abrupt change in tone and subject matter is confusing, leaving the listener to question the meaning behind the lyrics.
It is possible that Vai is trying to make a statement about the juxtaposition of love and politics. Perhaps he is emphasizing that the act of making love is just as important as pledging allegiance to one's country. By placing the two concepts in close proximity to each other, he forces the listener to consider the significance of each.
The repeated lines of "With liberty and justice for all" at the end of the song serve to drive this point home. Vai may be suggesting that love, politics, and justice for all are all interconnected and equally important. Overall, the lyrics to "The Riddle" are thought-provoking, leaving the listener to draw their own conclusions about the message.
Line by Line Meaning
So let's make love...
Suggesting to engage in a romantic act...
Let's make love again...
Reiterating the desire to engage in a romantic act...
Is that a proposition?
Questioning whether the suggestion was intended as a romantic proposition...
Now let's make love.
Urging to proceed with the romantic act...
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Declaring loyalty to the flag of the United States...
Of the United States of America
Identifying the country to which allegiance is pledged...
And to the Republic from which it stands
Extending allegiance to the government that the flag represents...
One nation,
Emphasizing the unity of the country...
Under God
Acknowledging a higher power's presence and influence on the nation...
Individual, which liberty and justice for all.
Endorsing equal rights and fairness for every person in the country...
With liberty and justice for all
Reiterating the importance of equal rights and fairness for every person in the country...
With liberty and justice for all
Further emphasizing the importance of equal rights and fairness for every person in the country...
With liberty and justice for all
Repeating the crucial message of equal rights and fairness for every person in the country...
Which liberty and justice for all.
Stressing the need for equal rights and fairness for every person in the country...
Contributed by Dylan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.