His most well known playing is on the 1987 Whitesnake self titled album, also known simply as 1987. For the Whitesnake record John Sykes used two Mesa Boogie Coliseum heads and his favorite Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar.
Sykes fell victim to Whitesnake's revolving door; he was fired near the end of the 1987 recording sessions, but managed to record all his parts, save for the solo on "Here I Go Again" which was added later by Adrian Vandenberg.
This was Whitesnake's most successful recording, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. Songs like "Still of the Night", "Is This Love", "Give Me All Your Love", and particularly "Here I Go Again" were all hits, with the album reaching #2 on the Billboard Top 200.
Hoping to capitalize upon the success of 1987, Geffen Records signed Sykes to form a new band. After auditioning several vocalists (including Tony Martin and Ray Gillen), Sykes was encouraged to handle vocal duties himself. With fretless bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice, Blue Murder was formed.
Their self titled debut did moderately well, with "Valley of the Kings" receiving substantial airplay on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, the follow-up Nothing But Trouble received no promotion from Geffen and died quickly. A live recording, Screaming Blue Murder, was to be the band's final release.
Sykes has since recorded several solo albums, including Loveland, 20th Century, and Nuclear Cowboy. His latest album is a new live recording titled Bad Boy Live, which covers a large swath of his career, from the Thin Lizzy days through his most recent solo efforts.
In 1999, John Sykes' solo song "Cautionary Warning" was used in the anime series Black Heaven. The footage accompanying the song was rotoscoped from one of Sykes' concerts, which was a very striking statement for use in previews. Sykes' involvement in the series was the key feature of Pioneer USA's marketing.
In 2006, he got his own signature Gibson Les Paul Custom which was modeled after his favorite guitar, and has used it when touring with Thin Lizzy all around the UK and Ireland.
After over a decade fronting the reformed Thin Lizzy, John announced his departure from the band in June 2009.
Solo albums
As Sykes - Out of My Tree (1995)
As John Sykes - Loveland (1997)
As Sykes - 20th Century (1997)
As Sykes - Nuclear Cowboy (2000)
As John Sykes - Bad Boy Live! (2004)
As John Sykes - Sy-Ops (2021)
Hold the Line
John Sykes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Across a stormy sea tonight
I'm a soldier of fortune
I'm a warrior of the night
Will you wait for me, my darling
Should I make it back to shore
Will God call before I see you
Will you love me evermore
Hold the line
Until I make it back to you
Hold the line
Until the sun comes shining through
I must have prayed a million times or more
Cast my mind through all the memories
From a long long time ago
Oh no
Are you really letting go
Do you see the full Moon rising
Do you dream throughout the night
Of the days I used to hold you
We made love throughout the night
Will you wait for me, my darling
Should I make it back to shore
Will God call before I see you
Will you love me evermore
Hold the line
Until I make it back to you
Hold the line
Until the sun comes shining through
I must have prayed a million times before
On my mind are all the memories
Of a long long time ago
Oh no
Are you really letting go
The lyrics to John Sykes's song "Hold the Line" express the desires and concerns of a lover separated from their significant other. The singer is a soldier of fortune, a warrior of the night who is seeking love and comfort from afar. Through intense imagery of a stormy sea and a rising full moon, the singer begs their lover to hold on until they can return. The fears and anxieties that come with distance and separation are evident in the lyrics, with the singer questioning if their lover will wait for them, if they will ever see each other again, and if their love will endure the time and distance.
The chorus, "Hold the line/Until I make it back to you/Hold the line/Until the sun comes shining through," emphasizes the importance of staying connected and holding onto hope, even in the darkest of times. The singer has prayed a million times or more, casting their mind back through all the memories of their time together, and is worried that their love might be slipping away.
Throughout the song, Sykes skillfully weaves together rich imagery, heartfelt emotion, and powerful vocals, creating a moving ode to the power of love to overcome any distance or obstacle.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you hear my love is calling
I am expressing my deep love for you and hoping you can hear it.
Across a stormy sea tonight
Despite the challenging and difficult circumstances, my love for you still persists.
I'm a soldier of fortune
I am a brave and daring person who is ready to engage in any situation to get what I want.
I'm a warrior of the night
I am strong and confident in the face of darkness and adversity, and I will continue fighting for our love.
Will you wait for me, my darling
I am wondering if you will remain loyal and committed to our love while I am away.
Should I make it back to shore
I am acknowledging the risks and uncertainties that come with my journey and questioning whether I will return.
Will God call before I see you
I am concerned that something may happen to me that will prevent me from reuniting with you, even if I survive the mission.
Will you love me evermore
I am questioning whether our love will remain strong and passionate even after we have overcome these obstacles.
Hold the line
I am urging you to remain steadfast and firm in your love and commitment to me, regardless of the challenges we face.
Until I make it back to you
I am emphasizing the importance of me returning to you and our love being reunited.
Until the sun comes shining through
I am expressing my hope and optimism for a bright and joyful future for us once we are finally reunited.
I must have prayed a million times or more
I have been fervently and consistently praying for our love and my safe return.
Cast my mind through all the memories
I am reminiscing about all the good times we have shared together and hoping to keep those memories alive.
From a long long time ago
Even though those memories may be from a distant past, they will always hold a special place in my heart.
Oh no
I am expressing worry or concern about the possibility of losing our love or not being able to return to you.
Are you really letting go
I am questioning whether you have given up on our love or are moving on without me.
Do you see the full Moon rising
I am wondering if you are witnessing the same things that I am, and whether we are both being reminded of our love.
Do you dream throughout the night
I am wondering if you still think about me and our love, and if it is still taking up a significant portion of your thoughts.
Of the days I used to hold you
I am reminiscing about the happy and intimate moments we shared together in the past.
We made love throughout the night
I am highlighting the intensity and passion of our love, even in the midst of challenging times.
Contributed by Juliana T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Capitão WEB
Talento e bom gosto.
Talent and good taste.
Charlotte
Beautiful! ❤❤❤
Freya2021
Awesome 💕
Alfredo Cristovam de Souza
as musicas tristes me confortam..
Love story
🙏❤️👍
Kerrilee Lawrence
💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
Kerrilee Lawrence
🕊️🌿⛵💗🙏💗⛵🌿🕊️