Album: Stranger in This Town
Other Versions: None
Era: N/A, Richie's work doesn't really have distinctive eras
Lyrics
This is a completely different approach. For a class, I had to analyze a song, and I chose "The Answer" because its depth and spiritual ties have always fascinated me. So instead of the usual analysis, here is a strictly lyrical, in-depth analysis of the meaning of the song as a piece of writing.
The Answer is about the search for religion throughout a lifetime, beginning with a child's questioning and inherent fear of the unknown, and culminating with an adult acceptance of religion and what that acceptance can bring to life.
Sambora uses language very effectively to hint that this song is not just about searching and questioning in general, but as it applies to religion specifically. Terms like "angels", "spirits", "devils", and the use of "heavens" in the second line of the couplet following the first stanza all add a religious atmosphere to the work. More subtle implications are also present - the angels in the first stanza are riding "fiery chargers through the clouds", in what is most likely a reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Bible's book of Revelations.
Not every religious reference in the poem is a Christian reference. In the fourth stanza, the author mentions "a guide up in the sky". The idea of spirit guides is a common Native American religious belief. The mention of "pass[ing] from world to world / So you never really die" references those Eastern religions that believe in reincarnation. The use of a broad range of religious beliefs in his writing demonstrates a searching throughout the whole of religion, not just the Christianity which is most common in the present-day United States.
The turning point in the poem is the fifth stanza. Sambora describes an encounter with death, complete with stereotypical "scythe and cloak". Whether he alludes to a near-death experience or a dream is left up to the reader. Regardless, the encounter leaves him confused - "he leaves you one more riddle". This confusion leads him to the realization that his faith has to be blind in order to exist. There are no answers on Earth for the questions he has, so he now has the choice to either keep questioning "in vain" or to turn to the childlike blind faith his view of religion requires.
Sambora never clearly states what his decision is, but continues to subtly show what is going on as he has the whole poem. In the next stanza, he writes "Come along with me, come along with me/Seek the truth, and you shall find another life". That choice of words shows that he is accepting Christianity. The "come along with me" alludes to Jesus' call to the fishermen James and John to join him and be his disciples, and "another life" refers to the idea that when you accept God the door is opened to eternal life. His use of language shows that he has chosen to accept Christianity, without him stating that outright.
The final two stanzas are the result of his decision to accept God. His life is "growing stronger every day", and he "feel[s] the joy that life can bring". Clearly Sambora feels his decision to accept Christianity, rather than continuing to question for the rest of his life, was the right one. The final four lines reinforce the feeling that he is happy with his decision. The repetition of "Come along with me", which as I stated before refers to Christ's call to the fishermen, with "you shall not find another lie", implying he feels he has found real truth in his religion, show this.
This is an interesting work because it is religious but not overly so. The casual listener/reader would pick up that it is a spiritual poem, but the references to Christianity are so subtle that it takes some concentrating to pick up on. As a songwriting tactic that not only shows great talent for using language in a subtle way, but a good knowledge of how to make a song appeal to a much broader audience. Sambora is one of my favorite songwriters, mostly because of this ability to say what he feels without being too pushy in his beliefs.
My Rating: 9/10
At some point, I will likely do a more normal entry about this song, although maybe not because I feel this one can stand on its own as a lyrical work, not much has to be said about the instrumentalism or this as a piece of music once the lyrics have been covered.
Edited 3/25/06: Added lyrics
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