Chordplay - The Chords Of Bon Jovi

Hey everyone! Here's the next episode of Chordplay with The Chords Of Bon Jovi. I've had some requests to feature some of Bon Jovi's timeless music and the legendary guitar style of Richie Sambora, so without further ado - let's dive in!
This episode features chord-based and rhythm guitar examples pulled from three classic Bon Jovi albums, which also happen to be their first three releases - the self-titled debut, 7800 Fahrenheit, and Slippery When Wet. The songs featured in this episode include great guitar parts from deep cuts and B-sides such as 'Secret Dreams,' 'Get Ready,' 'Roulette,' 'Always Run To You,' 'Tokyo Road,' and 'Let It Rock,' to name a few.
Needless to say, if you're a Bon Jovi fan, a fan of 1980s rock, or maybe just a player searching for some new chord ideas and inspiration coming from an absolutely legendary rock group - this lesson is totally for you! Give this episode a view, leave some comments/feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!

[@JuddOakes]

Richies Stranger in this Town was a great album too. I saw them with Skid Row as well at Old Ochard Beach for the New Jersey tour and it was awesome. It was my first Concert.

[@danny7578]

Love Richie’s playing man that slippery to New Jersey era his sound was amazing

[@fenwickbabbitt9859]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! I'm a huge Richie Sambora fan ......I even have one of those Kramer RS Star originals from that era. You did a great job and picked great deep cuts!!!

[@rccampbell460]

Tokyo road is such a cool song. I love when they opened the show with it.

[@aceohare007]

Sambora getting some love! Always loved Richie's playing, criminally underrated.

[@robertrios8300]

Thanks for the video I'm a big Bon Jovi fan. And I love the early stuff. I'm going home after work to learn what you just played. Thank

[@easter_sunday]

Richie Sambora was the man back in those days. Amazing solos, killer riffs, and he harmonized with Jon Bon Jovi on top of it! Thanks for this lesson, Sensei Dave! I hope we get a couple more Richie Sambora videos in the not-so-distant future!

[@chuckrock5445]

I think the songs Ritchie and John wrote were proof that genius lies in melodys that stick with you and create emotion. ritchie is my favorite of all time, and the songs of BJ are the soundtrack to my youth. As a guitar player, I appreciate how he constructed chords, riffs, and notes to create a timelessness to his guitar. He could shred, but the melody is what stands the test test of time,

[@bradprince8731]

Another great video. You are the man when it comes to giving props to great guitar SONGS, and not just playing, especially in the 80s.

[@dougstubbs4351]

Hey what up man hope all is well with you and your neck of the woods I agree with you 100% Richie sambora is Richie and John made a very good songwriting team big influence on me even before I had a real electric guitar also I think tico Torres is a very overlooked drummer

[@tallpaul1020]

Richie is great, saw him a few times. He definitely seems to love that slurry vibrato and great tremolo. Thx Dave. Keep up the great work 🎸

[@sixstringer3783]

Your right David there's just something special about the early stuff great times for music in general I appreciate those records even more these days 👏👍🤘

[@dominicsofield393]

Great lesson. I haven’t heard some of those tunes in years. The 80’s rule

[@guitarbytes]

Great choice of riffs. I'd forgotten how good some of Ritchie's riffs are. Secret Dreams next section was also very tasty.

[@darkman237]

Glad you can stay in tune! My Squire would go out after a single try.

[@darrenm01]

Richie and Jon were an iconic duo in the ‘80s. Had some rocking tunes, but also wrote a couple rock anthems on Slippery. I was saddened to hear how they split up after growing up and being friends for decades.

[@super-v900email8]

Had both of those cassettes thanks to Columbia House mail order. It must have been 85' because I bought Slippery when it came out. My favorite off Runaway is Shot through the heart, but Tim Pierces solo on Runaway is so rock'n roll. 7800f Is probably my top album from them and then Have a nice day, Slippery, then New Jersey. Slippery when wet was another level though for them from those first 2 albums. They are still just a great music/song writing band. Thanks

[@j1shot2]

Tim Pierce apparently played on Runaway I'm pretty sure on the song but can't honestly say whether he played anything else on the album

[@steveeckert8396]

That was the only one that ended up on the album. Jon actually offered Tim the guitar position. He turned it down. I believe he was touring with Rick Springfied. There's more than one video of him talking about it. Roy Bitten from Springsteen's band did the keyboard's.

[@Tom-wm4gy]

Richie is Awesome! Can you please do a Chordplay-lesson about the solo album from Richie "Stranger in this town", please? Thanks a lot for this tutorial...!

[@nickkara468]

Bon jovi was my first concert in '86 in australia.loved richie and made me stupid deaf fir 2 days!!

[@umuttanokutan4235]

It's Get Ready from the first album

[@lukemanning5618]

Love the focus on RS. But needs a second episode at least to do him justice. More from Slippery and New Jersey would be great

[@coalfacechris1336]

Thanks David. You're correct about the debut and especially 7800f being underrated. The first two albums have some heavy stuff on them. SWW is my least favorite out of the three.

[@MrMan_47]

Richie wasn't the original guitarist in Bon Jovi. Snake Sabo was the first. Sambora heard the band play and told Jon, "I am going to be your guitar player" and the rest is history.

[@judgeholden4208]

SAMBORA FROM NEW JERSEY/SLIPPERY ERA WAS WORLDCLASS GUITAR PLAYING AND WRITING - STILL STANDS UP AND DISTINGUISHABLE FROM OTHER MAINTSTREAM ROCK

[@robertoponte]

Can you do Black 'n blue please?

[@garyeggleton1142]

do you guys know that Tim Pierce played the solo on runaway?

[@fabghassem]

✨🎸✨

[@midiman5045]

The crazy part for me is that Tim Pierce, played lead Guitar on Run away on the album. So is Richie that good he could not come up with a great lead guitar part? Nobody played Lead guitar for Eddie Van Halen.

[@danevgyorgy9563]

When Jon recorded Runaway, the band Bon Jovi hasn't even existed yet. The year was 1982 when he asked a couple of session musicians like Tim Pierce to play on the tune. Neither Richie nor David Bryan, Tico Torres and Alec John Such played on that song. They formed the band with Jon a year later.

[@midiman5045]

@@danevgyorgy9563 Thanks for the info.

[@jasonpitts8395]

I never liked Bon Jovi but I like Late Night Lessons.

[@prowlman]

Phil X does a better Richie Sambora than Richie does.

[@GPLP335]

Amazing as always, thank you!!