In their early years, Whitesnake played in a hard-edged blues rock and heavy metal influenced style. By the mid-80s, the band had moved towards a more commercially friendly arena rock and pop metal ethos, garnering them major hits such as "Love Ain't No Stranger", "Now You're Gone", "Slide It In", "Still of the Night", and the iconic tune "Here I Go Again" (arguably their 'signature song'). They were named the 85th greatest hard rock band of all time by VH1.
Whitesnake were active primarily in the 80s, but they still tour, albeit with an entirely new line-up (bar Coverdale), to this day. Some of the most famous musicians who have joined the band for a time include Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, Rudy Sarzo, John Sykes, Adrian Vandenberg, Vivian Campbell, Tommy Aldridge, and Steve Vai.
The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple. This is not only because three past members of the band were once in Deep Purple but also because of their sound and influences. Later, the band took on a sound more in line with the hair metal style popular in the mid to late 80s, but they never truly left their heavy, blues rock roots behind
Formed in 1978 by David Coverdale after leaving Deep Purple, Whitesnake were originally a straightforwards heavy rock group with Jon Lord and Ian Paice from Deep Purple in the band. Despite a few album releases and constant touring, Whitesnake was unable to attain any significant commercial success in America, though becoming popular in the U.K., Europe, and Japan. Their critical reviews as well for their albums were somewhat mixed.
After acquaintance with Chris Cuttler, Fred Frith and most importantly, young guitarist John Sykes, David Coverdale decided to turn to a slicker, more commercially viable sound. Whitesnake made their first major splash in the States in 1984 with the album 'Slide It In', featuring the self-titled single as well as rock tracks "Slow An' Easy" and "Love Ain't No Stranger". All three of them gained major airplay and were eaten up by fans. Sykes was not involved in any of the song writing for 'Slide It In', though re-did some of Micky Moody's guitar work in the American remastering of the U.K. version of the album.
Three years later, thanks to radio-friendly, Zeppelin-ish songwriting and MTV friendly Tawny Kitaen's automobile acrobatics, Whitesnake became superstars with the album 'Whitesnake' (titled '1987' in Europe, and 'Serpens Albus' in Japan). Containing the U.S. smash hits "Here I Go Again", "Is This Love", "Still of the Night" and others, the album eventually sold over 10 million copies. Coverdale replaced the entire band for the subsequent tour, ditching Sykes for guitarists Adrian Vandenberg and Vivian Campbell. Also joining the band at this point were bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Tommy Aldridge.
Campbell left shortly after the tour (going on to replace Steve Clark in Def Leppard. Vandenberg, despite penning most of the material on the follow-up album, was unable to record due to a freak wrist injury. Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai was brought in to record all of the guitar parts for Slip of the Tongue, which was released in the spring of 1989. Despite going platinum, the album did not reach the stratospheric heights of Whitesnake (entitled 1987 in Europe, and Serpens Albus in Japan). With a divorce looming, and the alternative 'grunge' movement threatening to destroy the melodic rock movement, Coverdale dissolved Whitesnake.
In the late 90s, David Coverdale and Adrian Vandenberg finally recorded together again. Initially intended to be a Coverdale solo effort, the Whitesnake name was eventually attached (much like the Tony Iommi/Black Sabbath projects of the late 80s). The resulting products were a new studio album entitled Restless Heart, and the live acoustic set, Starkers In Tokyo.
In the early 2000's Coverdale relaunched Whitesnake fully with an entirely new lineup centred around guitarists Reb Beach and Doug Aldrich (previously of Winger and Lion/Dio). This Whitesnake embarked on tours across the globe, releasing the "Live In the Still of the Night" DVD and "Live... In the Shadow of the Blues" on CD in 2006. A new studio album, "Good to be Bad", was released in 2008 reaching the top 10 in the UK album charts.
Over the last few years Coverdale has been involved in a remastering project which has seen all albums from 1978's Trouble, to 1989's Slip of the Tongue reissued with bonus material.
Whitesnake released Forevermore, on March 25, 2011 in Europe, and on the 29th in North America. They have released a number of scheduled 2011 tour dates on their website, with six scheduled UK tour dates and other European dates. In February 2011, Whitesnake was announced as one of the headliners to play the annual Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, on Memorial Day weekend. A digital single for the song 'Love Will Set You Free' was released, along with a video for the song, on February 21.
The album Forevermore was released as a special edition 'Snakepack' through Classic Rock magazine on 25 March, a full 3 weeks before its commercial release. The fan pack includes the full, official new album Forevermore, a 132-page magazine, poster and pin badge. On 20 March 2011, Whitesnake announced that Brian Ruedy would play keyboards on the Forevermore World Tour.
The album did not chart highly upon its official release in the UK (number 33, possibly due to the copies released as part of the aforementioned Classic Rock Snakepack, which are not eligible for the charts). It did, however, show signs of Whitesnake's slow rebuild of support in the US with the album charting at number 49 - the band's highest charting album since the 80s.
Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach are Whitesnake longest standing guitar players, both being in the band 10 years by 2012.
Whitesnake are set to embark on their farewell tour in May 2022, beginning in the UK and Ireland with Foreigner and Europe. In July 2021, the group announced the addition of multi-instrumentalist Dino Jelusick to their ranks, turning Whitesnake into a septet for the first time. Later that November, Michael Devin parted ways with the band. He was replaced by Tanya O'Callaghan, marking the first female musician to join the band.
Website: http://www.whitesnake.com/
Dancing Girls
Whitesnake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't need no superstitious cures for my release
I'm flesh an' blood, skin an' bone
A little petticoat company can't get me stoned
So just gimme the night,
Skin it back to the bone,
Turn on the spotlight
C'mon, bring on the dancing girls,
Bring on the dancing girls,
Bring on the dancing girls
You can dance, dance,
Dance for me,
Dance for your daddy all night
I got a one track notion on a feminine squeeze,
A sackful of love an' a mindful of fantasies
A midnight rider on a stallion steam,
I got an old man's weakness hanging on a young man's dream
So just gimme the night,
Skin it back to the bone,
Turn on the spotlight
C'mon, bring on the dancing girls,
Bring on the dancing girls,
Bring on the dancing girls
You can dance, dance,
Dance for me,
Dance for your daddy all night
So just gimme the night,
Skin it back to the bone,
Turn on the spotlight
C'mon, bring on the dancing girls,
Bring on the dancing girls
The song "Dancing Girls" by Whitesnake is a high-energy rock anthem with a simple message: let loose and have a good time. The lyrics depict an unapologetic man who doesn't need the help of others to feel alive. He describes himself as "flesh an' blood, skin an' bone," and claims that no amount of superstition or medicine can make him feel any more alive than he already does. The singer has a "one track notion on a feminine squeeze" and dreams of a midnight ride on a stallion steed with "an old man's weakness hanging on a young man's dream."
The chorus of the song repeatedly commands the listener to "bring on the dancing girls," as the singer thirsts for the energy and excitement of seeing women dancing under the spotlight. He urges the dancers to "dance for [him] all night," as he revels in the thrill of the moment. Ultimately, "Dancing Girls" is a song about letting go of inhibitions and enjoying the thrill of the ride, whatever that may be.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't need a doctor, I don't need a priest,
I don't need anyone to heal me or forgive me for anything.
I don't need no superstitious cures for my release
I don't believe in any magical remedies to fix my problems.
I'm flesh an' blood, skin an' bone
I am a human with a physical body.
A little petticoat company can't get me stoned
A few attractive women can't intoxicate me or affect me in a negative way.
So just gimme the night,
Give me the night.
Skin it back to the bone,
Strip everything away and get to the core of things.
Turn on the spotlight
Illuminate and draw attention to me.
C'mon, bring on the dancing girls,
Bring out the female dancers.
You can dance, dance,
You can dance, dance.
Dance for me,
Dance for me.
Dance for your daddy all night
Dance for me all night long.
I got a one track notion on a feminine squeeze,
I have a strong desire for a woman.
A sackful of love an' a mindful of fantasies
I have a lot of love to give and plenty of wild, exciting thoughts.
A midnight rider on a stallion steam,
I am a bold adventurer, riding on the power of my passion.
I got an old man's weakness hanging on a young man's dream
I have some vulnerabilities, but I am still young and hopeful.
C'mon, bring on the dancing girls,
Bring out the female dancers.
Bring on the dancing girls
Bring out the female dancers.
So just gimme the night,
Give me the night.
Skin it back to the bone,
Strip everything away and get to the core of things.
Turn on the spotlight
Illuminate and draw attention to me.
C'mon, bring on the dancing girls,
Bring out the female dancers.
Bring on the dancing girls
Bring out the female dancers.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID COVERDALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christopher Reinheimer
This is one of my fave Snake songs of all. Jon just dominates sack full of love mind full of fantasies midnight rider Stallion steam , I got an old man's weakness living on a young man's dream. Who sings that now. No One.
Christopher Reinheimer
This is so thick . Jon Lord just unbelievable on this. The guitars incredible. Neil Murray so underrated.
Stephen Dennis
My .absolutely favourite album of whitesnake saints and sinners
Christopher Reinheimer
Jon just dominates this. Dave is great on this too. " a little petticoat company can get me stoned" fuck yeah.
Christopher Reinheimer
Everyone sings. Moody. I'll never let this die
Christopher Reinheimer
Ridiculous. My favorite off of this record.
1983 Vídeos
This guitar riff
Ovais N
Dirty
Ovais N
Insane Lord solo.
Christopher Reinheimer
About time someone else says something. RIP Jon.