Bon Jovi Says Richie Sambora Was Against Famous Line in Band’s Iconic Song, Shares Opinion on Gene Simmons

The singer also talks about “sexy-cool” Rihanna.

During an appearance on Mavericks With Ari Melber, Jon Bon Jovi talked about the band’s monumental 2000 song “It’s My Life,” confirming that guitarist Richie Sambora was at first against the line mentioning Frank Sinatra.You can check out “It’s My Life” on the “Crush” album here via Amazon.When the interviewer brought up the “bit of trivia,” saying “Richie Sambora tried to talk you out of invoking Frank Sinatra, a line that people have loved forever. How do you know when to listen and edit and when to say, ‘No, I got this’?”, Jon replied (transcribed by UG):

“Oh, if I was talking about flying purple people eaters and a collaborator on a song said, ‘I don’t like it’ – if you had a great argument, the eraser comes out, no problem.

“But in the case of ‘It’s My Life’ and the line ‘like Frankie said, ‘I did it my way” – when I was asked by my dear friend and collaborator, ‘What do you mean by that?’, I said, ‘Well, Sinatra was a role model, Sinatra made movies and he made records simultaneously. That’s what I’m doing. He’s involved in social cause with politics. That’s what I do.’

“So I felt that lyric, and then my ultimate argument was, ‘I’m the one that has to sing it’ – the argument was over, and he said, ‘OK, I get it.’

“The beautiful thing is the audience, their response was, ‘Frankie’s just my friend, my brother, my collaborator in life’ – they didn’t have to make it about Sinatra in my situation.

“And that’s the beauty of a song – when it goes beyond time or even language or borders. In my case, we were able to play these songs around the globe.”

What do people get wrong about you?

“‘Rockstar, must be shallow.'”

What do they get right?

“‘Rockstar’s not shallow.’ [Laughs]”

Who is someone who influenced you most?

“Different people for different reasons at different times. Whether it was the man who ultimately was my daughter’s godfather, but he happened by job description to be my lawyer; the neighbor across the street who put a guitar in my hand and yelled at me until I came back the second and third time…

“The great songwriters who got it right and stayed true to who they were; guys like Bob Kraft in sports ownership who have been great mentors and dear friends, Larry Tanenbaum who owns the Raptors and their Maple Leafs – in my sports world, those two guys have been great influences.”

In a word or in a sentence – Bruce Springsteen?

“Friend.”

Rihanna?

“Sexy-cool, and underlying the word ‘cool.’ I love that Rihanna, what I know of her, she is a free spirit who is a real artist, because she’s doing what she does, and it’s the truth.”

And Rihanna is one of the collaboration performances you did do that people liked.

“Oh, she jumped on stage with us once at an MTV show. She was a big fan and wanted to sing ‘Livin’ on a Prayer.’ That wasn’t a record, she came out on the show. It’s great.”

Gene Simmons?

“An old friend I don’t see or talk to very often, but he took us on our first tour of Europe.”

Steven Tyler.

“Great showman, wonderful singer.”

Any songs from the catalog that you perform less or that you’re sort of over?

“No, you can’t say that. I mean, I have to know that on the day of my passing I will be lucky enough to be one of the three guys that wrote ‘Livin’ on a Prayer.’ That will be mentioned in my obituary, and how lucky am I to be able to say that?

“So, to ever think that I’d go on a stage and not want to sing it would be dumb; it just wouldn’t be nice, it wouldn’t be great because the song deserves it.”

The Bon Jovi material that you feel most excited to play right now or the next time you’re out on tour?

“Oh, you know, all of it. I don’t mind playing the hits, but of course, you’re excited to want to play the songs on your newest album because they’re the newest album.”

Failure to you is…?

“Selling my soul for money or an audience, giving something of myself that I wouldn’t feel good about.”

Success is…?

“Being truly proud of what you leave behind in this world.”

Check out the new Bon Jovi album “2020” here via Amazon.