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/
Kittens Got Claws
Whitesnake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're the center of my universe
You got the world in your pocket,
My manhood in your purse
You ain't a bad girl, honey,
No matter what the neighbors say,
It's just that you were those skin-tight dresses
With your G-string tuned to "A"
Sweet, sweet, child of the street
Heaven sent, you're an angel dressed in black,
Cool, stiletto strut, you're a drop jaw cardiac
You're the genuine, feline, prettiest girl I've ever seen,
With your thief of hearts smile
You're a certified pleasure machine
Sweet, sweet, child of the street
Dressed to kill in diamonds and fur,
You get what you want
With your pussy cat purr
But, the kittens got claws,
She'll tear your heart out
The kittens got claws,
She'll scratch your back
The kittens got claws
She'll tease an' please you
The kittens got claws,
She's a heart attack
You treat me good,
Sometimes you treat me bad,
But, keep it up, honey,
You're the best time I've ever had
No matter what you put me through I must confess,
Oh, you got more style than a brand new X.J.S.
Sweet, sweet, child of the street
Dressed to kill in diamonds and fur,
You get what you want
With your pussy cat purr
But, the kittens got claws,
She'll tear your heart out
The kittens got claws,
She'll scratch your back
The kittens got claws,
She'll tease an' please you
The kittens got claws,
She's a heart attack
Walking down the street
You're the center of my universe
You got the world in your pocket,
My manhood in your purse
I know you ain't a bad girl, honey,
No matter what the neighbors say,
It's just that you were those skin-tight dresses
With your G-string tuned to "A"
Sweet, sweet, child of the street
Dressed to kill in diamonds and fur,
You get what you want
With your pussy cat purr
But, the kittens got claws,
She'll tear your heart out
The kittens got claws,
She'll scratch your back
The kittens got claws,
She'll tease an' please you
The kittens got claws,
She'll blow your stack
The kittens got claws,
She'll tear your heart out
The kittens got claws,
She'll scratch your back
The kittens got claws,
She'll tease an' please you
The kittens got claws,
She's a heart attack
You scratch my back, baby,
An' I'll scratch yours
The song "Kittens Got Claws" by Whitesnake is a celebration of a beautiful and alluring woman who is confident and uses her feminine wiles to get what she wants. The singer of the song is fascinated by the woman's beauty and her ability to manipulate him with her sensuality, but he also recognizes that she is not to be underestimated, as she has sharp claws that can cause him pain. Throughout the song, the singer celebrates the woman's beauty and sexual appeal, but also acknowledges the danger she poses to his heart.
The lyrics of "Kittens Got Claws" are filled with sexual imagery and metaphors that emphasize the power of the female body. The woman in the song is described as a "genuine, feline" creature who is "dressed to kill in diamonds and fur." The singer is drawn to her "pussy cat purr" and her ability to "tease and please" him, but he also recognizes that she is not to be trifled with. The repeated refrain of "the kittens got claws" serves as a reminder that the woman is both alluring and dangerous, and that giving in to her charms comes with a risk.
Overall, "Kittens Got Claws" is a celebration of feminine wiles and sexual power, but it also acknowledges the danger that can come with such allure. The song is a classic example of the glam rock genre, which celebrated excess and indulgence in all forms.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking down the street
As I walk down the street, my attention is focused solely on you
You're the center of my universe
In my world, you are the most important person
You got the world in your pocket,
You're confident and powerful, with control over what you desire
My manhood in your purse
You have a certain level of control over me and the way I feel
You ain't a bad girl, honey,
Despite your reputation, I know you're not a bad person
No matter what the neighbors say,
I don't care what others think or say about you
It's just that you were those skin-tight dresses
You wear those tight dresses that show off your figure
With your G-string tuned to "A"
Even your underwear is designed to be sexy and alluring
Sweet, sweet, child of the street
Despite your sensuality, you're like a sweet child innocently wandering the streets
Heaven sent, you're an angel dressed in black,
You're like a heavenly, angelic being but with a darker, more intense edge to you
Cool, stiletto strut, you're a drop jaw cardiac
As you walk with your head held high in your high heels, you effortlessly capture attention, leaving people breathless
You're the genuine, feline, prettiest girl I've ever seen,
Your beauty and grace remind me of that of a feline, and I can't find another girl as genuine and wonderful as you
With your thief of hearts smile
Your smile is so captivating and charming that it steals one's heart
You're a certified pleasure machine
You are an expert when it comes to providing pleasure and satisfaction
Dressed to kill in diamonds and fur,
You always dress to impress and attract attention, whether it's through diamonds and fur or other luxurious accessories
You get what you want with your pussy cat purr
You know how to use your femininity to get what you want, and people can't resist falling for you
But, the kittens got claws,
However, behind your charming demeanor lies a fierce and strong-willed personality
She'll tear your heart out
You're not afraid to break someone's heart if they cross you or act deceitfully
She'll scratch your back
You can be rough and passionate, and you don't shy away from satisfying your desires
She'll tease an' please you
You know how to tease and playfully tantalize someone while simultaneously giving them immense pleasure
She's a heart attack
Being with you is a thrilling and intense experience that feels like a cardiac arrest
You treat me good, sometimes you treat me bad,
You have your moments of being both good and bad to me, but I'm willing to tolerate it all because of how amazing you are
But, keep it up, honey,
Even though you can be difficult at times, I want you to continue being yourself
You're the best time I've ever had
Spending time with you is the best time I've ever had, and not even your bad behavior can change that
No matter what you put me through I must confess,
No matter how much you test me, I can't help but admit that I'm still drawn to you
Oh, you got more style than a brand new X.J.S.
You are incredibly stylish and fashionable, surpassing even the new Jaguar X.J.S. luxury sports car in elegance and beauty
You scratch my back, baby, An' I'll scratch yours
If you satisfy my desires, I'll gladly return the favor
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ADRIAAN VANDENBERG, DAVID COVERDALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
vince
on Slide It In
You talk too much
Never saying what's on your mind
It's written on your face
And in the words you hide behind
I know what you want
I can see what you're looking for
I know what you want from me
And I'm gonna give you more
I'm gonna slide it in, right to the top
Slide it in, I ain't never gonna stop
Slide it in, right to the top
I'm gonna slide it in, slide it in, slide it in, in baby
Sometimes you seem
Just like a stranger to me
But all the games you play
Make it so easy to see
You're looking for love
Though you try to deny
The things you put me through
Tell me what I've got to do to you
I'm gonna slide it in right to the top
Slide it in, I ain't never gonna stop
Slide it in, right to the top
I'm gonna slide it in, slide it in
You talk too much
Always treating me so unkind
I know what I've got to do
To get me some peace of mind
I'm gonna slide it in, right to the top
Slide it in, I ain't never gonna stop
Slide it in, right to the top
I'm gonna slide it in, slide it in
Slide it in, right to the top
Slide it in, I ain't never gonna stop
Slide it in, right to the top
I'm gonna slide it in, slide it in, slide it
Slide it in, slide it in
Right to the top, baby