Bon Jovi Tours

Stranger In This Town

Released on September 03, 1991

Recorded at A&M Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA

Tracklist:

01. Rest In Peace - Richie Sambora, David Bryan - 3:47

02. Church Of Desire - Richie Sambora - 6:07

03. Stranger In This Town - Richie Sambora, David Bryan - 6:15

04. Ballad Of Youth - Richie Sambora, Tom Morolda - 3:52

05. One Light Burning - Richie Sambora, Bruce Foster, Tom Morolda - 5:48

06. Mr. Bluesman - Richie Sambora - 5:14

07. Rosie - Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Desmon Child, Diane Warren - 4:49

08. River Of Love - Richie Sambora - 5:06

09. Father Time - Richie Sambora, Desmond Child - 6:05

10. The Answer - Richie Sambora, Bruce Foster - 5:07

Personnel:
Richie Sambora - Lead vocals / Acoustic guitar / Electric guitar
David Bryan - Keyboards
Tony Levin - Bass guitar / Stick

Tico Torres - Drums

Additional personnel
Eric Clapton - Guitar solo on Mr. BLuesman

Randy Jackson - Bass guitar on One Light Burning

Engineers
Brian Scheuble
Rob Jacobs

Producer
Neil Dorfsman
Richie Sambora

Chartpositions

 Chartname                                                       Peak position                                    Weeks in chart

Singles

The Videos

Trivia

• Richie Sambora's first solo album while Bon Jovi were on hiatus after the end of the New Jersey tour. However, Tico Torres and David Bryan joined him in the studio and live.

• In contrast to the Bon Jovi albums, Richie focussed on a much more blues-oriented sound. Thus the album failed to chart a successful single. Richie later reflected on the album: "Maybe I should, in hindsight, have been more radio-minded. I totally was throwing down from a soulful, artistic kind of place."
  

• Bob Rock, Bruce Fairbairn's former assistant, was supposed to produce Richie's album. But he opted to produce Metallica's Black Album instead. So Neil Dorfsman, who worked with the Dire Straits, Sting or Paul McCartney before, finally produced Stranger In This Town.

• For Ballad of Youth and One Light Burning Richie reunited with his former bandmates Tom Marolda and Bruce Foster with whom he played in a band called Shark Frenzy long before he joined Bon Jovi.

• Eric Clapton makes a guest appearance on Mr. Bluesman and plays the solo. Actually Richie wrote Mr. Bluesman about his guitar idol Eric Clapton. Richie flew over to London to meet with Clapton in the studio and have him play his parts for the song. He later on recalled how they became friends on that occasion. Eric Clapton later told:
  “Richie really put me on the spot. It was a nightmare. I got a very sweet, dedicated letter from him, and I was deeply touched, my ego was pumped up. I thought, ‘Of course, I have to do this.’ I never actually listened to the song; I never acquainted myself with it. I just went in on this little fantasy about how easy it was going to be. And then Richie came to London with the tape, and I showed up at the studio. He gave me a gift, which was a massive 12-string Taylor guitar with my name on it. It was magnificent. Then he put the tape on, and I realized instantly that I was completely out of my depth. The song wasn’t what I expected it to be, and I had to sit down and go down to the bottom of my socks and pull up whatever I had to make it work. It took hours, and I sweated buckets. He was sitting there, watching me go through this. It was the kind of thing you would like to go off and do in private, because you’re going to make all your worst mistakes right there in front of everybody. So, there goes your reputation out the window. Reality comes in the door.” (Source: https://www.whereseric.com/the-vault/song-information/songs-about-eric-clapton)
  

• Rosie first was written and recorded for New Jersey but didn't make the album. So Richie used it for his solo album. This is the only song on the album co-written by Jon.

• The Answer is another collaboration with Bruce Foster. Richie started to write the song at the age of 19 but finished it about 12 years later. The song was written on piano and later on transcribed for guitar.

• Other songs from that era are: If I Can't Have Your Love, Maybelline, Broken Promises,  Prisoner Of Love and Discipline.

Live

• Richie played 12 shows in North America and Canada. 3 odd dates in Germany were announced but cancelled due to low tickets sales. If those 3 shows sold better there probably would have been more European dates.
  

• The whole album was done live. Though after the tour was finished only Stranger In This Town and The Answer appeared on future setlist. Other songs were only rarely done acoustic as fan requests.

• Ballad of Youth got requested a couple of times in 1998. Richie admitted during the shows that it was too high for him to sing, but did one verse + chorus twice as an introduction to I'll Be There For You in Australia.

• Mr. Bluesman was played acoustic in Melbourne during Richie's Undiscovered Soul tour in 1998.

• Rosie appeared twice again in 1998 and 2012. It was played partly acoustic after fans requested the song.

• Father Time was played once again in Tokyo 1998.