After moving from Denmark to New York in 1982, vocalist Mike Tramp (ex-Mabel and ex-Studs) met Brooklyn guitarist Vito Bratta (ex-Dreamer) and they decided to form a band. The two recruited drummer Nicki Capozzi and bassist Felix Robinson (formerly of Angel) and named the group 'Lion' before settling on 'White Lion'. Local success caused talk of releasing an album.
White Lion was signed by Elektra records in 1983, and they recorded their debut album, Fight To Survive, shortly afterwards. However, Elektra was unhappy with the final recording, and, after refusing to release the album, the label terminated the group's contract. This contributed to major turmoil in the group.
Both Capozzi and Robinson soon left the band. Nicki Capozzi was replaced by former Anthrax drummer Greg D'Angelo, and Felix Robinson was replaced by bassist Dave Spitz (brother of Anthrax guitarist Dan Spitz). Within a month of joining, however, Dave Spitz left to play bass with Black Sabbath and was replaced by James Lomenzo.
The album Fight To Survive was eventually picked up by RCA and released in Japan, a hotbed of international hard rock music at the time, in 1984. The small US independent label Grand Slamm records finally released Fight To Survive in the US on November 9, 1985. A few months later, Grand Slam records went bankrupt.
In early 1986 White Lion, with a fictitious "female" member, had a brief part in the Tom Hanks/Shelley Long movie The Money Pit.
The following year, Atlantic Records released White Lion's second album, Pride, which brought significant success for the band, especially the single "Wait", which climbed to 8th place on the U.S. charts and was popular among fans of heavier metal as well. "When the Children Cry" was an even bigger hit, reaching 3rd place on the charts. That year Atlantic Records also released Fight to Survive worldwide and White Lion toured with Frehley`s Comet, Kiss, AC/DC & Stryper.
In 1989 the album Big Game came out and was a still more successful, helping to solidify White Lion's place among the top tier of hard rock bands of that time. The band's cover of "Radar Love", a classic originally recorded by Golden Earring, was the hit single off of Big Game.
1991 brought Mane Attraction, which was their best album yet, according to Greg D'Angelo, containing the top tracks "Lights And Thunder" and a new version of "Broken Heart", which had been one of their first songs off of their debut album.
In 1992, Greg D'Angelo and James Lomenzo had enough of Tramp and Bratta's continuous fighting, so they left the band. Bassist Tommy T. Bone Caradonna and drummer Jimmy De Grasso replaced them briefly, but in autumn of the same year, White Lion disbanded.
Greg and James have played in different groups after White Lion. Vito Bratta concentrated on classic guitar playing and has not been involved with any bands since. Mike Tramp went on to form and front Freak Of Nature, a short-lived project spanning 1993-1994, with Danish friend Oliver Steffenson. In 1998 Mike released Capricorn, his first of four solo albums.
In 2005, Tramp's White Lion - an all-new, much younger line-up fronted by Mike Tramp - toured and recorded the live album Rockin' The USA. In 2008 they released Return Of The Pride under the original name, White Lion.
Due to legal issues between Tramp and Bratta, White Lion is currently on hiatus.
Cherokee
White Lion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You would search your destiny
But the white man came and took your land away
You were fire and you were flame
You were blood inside that (vein)
How he brought you fame the day he came to stay
I hear you howling through the night
The pride and sorrow curse the light
And wakes a vengeance in your heart
You were young but you were wise
You were smoke that always raised
How they put you down and spit upon your name
You were snow and you were rain
You would walk without a shame
But they changed your life and gave you all the blame
The sound of thunder breaks the arch
Ten thousand riders side by side
The time has come to end the fight
For their freedom, for their right
[Chorus]
Cherokee, riding free
You ride into the sky
Where your spirit lives forever
Cherokee, riding free
You ride into the sky
Where all your freedom lasts forever
The fire burns tonight
We all recall the fight
Where blood was shed without a reason
Two hundred years have passed since you stood ashore
And raped your land down to the core
[Chorus:Repeat x2]
The lyrics to White Lion's song Cherokee is a tribute to the Cherokee people and their history. The opening lines of the song talk about how the Cherokee people were once wild and free, and that they were constantly searching for their destiny. The arrival of white men caused them to lose their land and their freedom. The lyrics highlight the struggle of the Cherokee people who were once proud and fierce but were left with nothing once the white men took over their land.
The chorus of the song is a tribute to the spirit of the Cherokee people. The lyrics talk about how they ride free into the sky, where their spirit can live on forever. The music is filled with emotions, capturing the essence of the pain and struggle that the Cherokee people went through.
The sound of the song is rock music with a haunting melody. The lyrics give the song a sense of gravitas and depth, making it more than just a catchy tune. The lyrics are also relevant today as they highlight the ongoing issues of the indigenous people around the world. The song is a testament to the resilience and strength of the Cherokee people.
Line by Line Meaning
You were wild and you were free
You were untamed and unrestricted
You would search your destiny
You were on a quest to fulfill your purpose
But the white man came and took your land away
However, the European settlers colonized your territory and seized your property
You were fire and you were flame
You were passionate and intense
You were blood inside that (vein)
You were the life force running through the body
How he brought you fame the day he came to stay
The conqueror made the indigenous people famous by subduing them and occupying their territory
I hear you howling through the night
I sense your pain and suffering in the dark hours
The wind is cold the moons are fading
The environment is grim and unfavorable
The pride and sorrow curse the light
The duality of pride and sorrow cast a shadow over everything
And wakes a vengeance in your heart
And stirs up a desire for revenge in your soul
You were young but you were wise
You were inexperienced yet insightful
You were smoke that always raised
You were elusive and elusive
How they put you down and spit upon your name
How they belittled you and disparaged your identity
You were snow and you were rain
You were pure and refreshing
You would walk without a shame
You would move forward without guilt
But they changed your life and gave you all the blame
But they altered your existence and assigned you all the culpability
The sound of thunder breaks the arch
The loud noise of thunder shatters the bow-shaped structure
Ten thousand riders side by side
Thousands of horsemen stand together
The time has come to end the fight
It is now the moment to cease hostilities
For their freedom, for their right
For the cause of liberty and entitlement
You ride into the sky
You ascend to the heavens
Where your spirit lives forever
Where your soul abides eternally
The fire burns tonight
The flames blaze this evening
We all recall the fight
We all recollect the battle
Where blood was shed without a reason
Where blood was spilled without motive
Two hundred years have passed since you stood ashore
Two centuries have elapsed since you arrived on the coast
And raped your land down to the core
And violated your soil to the fullest extent possible
Cherokee, riding free
Cherokee people, traveling unrestrained
Where all your freedom lasts forever
Where your autonomy endures forever
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VITO BRATTA, MIKE TRAMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind