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)
Thank You For the Love
John Sykes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No I've never felt like this before
You're the key that opens every door
Lying here with you by my side
There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be
And you
Yeah, you sheltered me when things went wrong
Lying here with you in my arms
There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be
You lifted me high
When I was down
You gave me the wings
So I could reach my higher ground
All that I need
Well, it's right here with you
And I thank you for the love you've given me
And I believe that long ago
Before the age of time
You and I we made a wish
For love to last forever
And the Angels came and made our wish come true
For one lifetime isn't long enough with you
And the Angels came to make our wish come true
You lifted me high
When I was down
You game me the wings
So I could reach my higher ground
All that I need
Well, it's right here with you
And I thank you for the love you've given me
In John Sykes's song "Thank You For the Love," the lyrics express gratitude towards a loved one for being an essential part of the singer's life. The lyrics show how the person has always been a source of strength and support throughout the ups and downs in life. The song begins with the singer admitting that they have never felt this way before, and the person they are with has the power to open every door, suggesting that the person is the singer's everything. The person lying next to the singer ensures that he or she feels safe, loved, and happy, stating that there is nowhere else they would rather be.
The lyrics go on to explain how the person has been the source of comfort and support when things go wrong, providing the singer with the strength and love needed to carry on. The second verse states how the person has lifted the singer when he or she was down, giving him or her wings to reach higher grounds, implying that the person is the source of inspiration for the singer. The singer expresses all that he or she needs is the person whom he or she is with, thanking them for the love they have given the singer. The final verse suggests that the wish for everlasting love has come true with the help of angels, implying that the bond between the two is beyond typical human limitations.
Overall, the song conveys emotion and expresses gratitude towards the person who has been of significant importance in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
No I've never felt like this before
I've never experienced this kind of emotional connection before.
You're the key that opens every door
You have been the solution to all my problems and have helped me overcome every obstacle.
Lying here with you by my side
Being next to you gives me a sense of comfort and security.
There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather be
Being with you is the only place where I feel complete and content.
Yeah, you sheltered me when things went wrong
You have always protected me in difficult situations.
You gave me strength and love to carry on
You have given me the courage and love to keep moving forward and not give up.
Lying here with you in my arms
Holding you close to me brings me joy and happiness.
You lifted me high
You helped me overcome my hardships and to achieve greater heights.
When I was down
During times of difficulty and sadness.
You gave me the wings
You gave me the ability and power to succeed.
So I could reach my higher ground
So that I could dream bigger and reach my full potential.
All that I need
Everything that is necessary for my happiness.
Well, it's right here with you
It is all here with you, by my side.
And I thank you for the love you've given me
I am expressing gratitude and appreciation for your love.
And I believe that long ago
I have a strong conviction that a long time ago,
Before the age of time
Before time began.
You and I we made a wish
You and I wished for something.
For love to last forever
We both wished for everlasting love.
And the Angels came and made our wish come true
Our wish was granted by heavenly beings.
For one lifetime isn't long enough with you
Spending only one lifetime with you is not enough for me.
Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Freya2021
Such a moving ballad..John's vocals is so full of sweetness and passion...and the lyrics is perfect! A true gem 💖
LH
Genial!
noisechip
Makes me think of my girlfriend.
Cem Bozkaya
ne biçim şarkı be
Pjs
ty