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/
Slip Of The Tongue
Whitesnake Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl you'd shame the devil with the look that's in your eyes
I know what's on your mind and I can't run away
If I don't give you what you want there's gonna be some hell to pay
Creeping up behind me, knocking at my door
I'd never be too blind to see just what you're looking for
You roll me over, make me moan
[Chorus]
Anytime, anyplace, I'm just the fool who puts a smile on your face
A slave to love and keep you young
All it takes and no mistakes is just a slip of the tongue
And if I want a little love I gotta take a little pain
Make me think a thousand times before I kiss again
I'm waiting on your, every day and every night
If I don't try to satisfy there's gonna be a fist fight
[Chorus]
The sun is slowly rising and I'm sinking to my knees
I'm dying just to close my eyes, I'm begging, darlin' please
I hear you calling and I'm crawling cross the floor
I give you everything I got and still you ask for more
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Whitesnake's song Slip Of The Tongue describe a steamy and passionate encounter between two people. The song opens with the singer acknowledging the intense attraction between him and his lover, but also feeling trapped, unable to resist temptation. He knows exactly what his lover desires and feels like there will be consequences if he doesn't give her what she wants. The chorus then reveals that he's willing to be a slave to her love, and that all she needs is "just a slip of the tongue" to keep him under her spell.
The second verse sees the singer admitting that he knows he'll have to endure pain if he wants to experience the pleasure of his lover. He's completely devoted to her and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her happy, even if it means fighting to stay together. The final verse suggests that at the end of this passionate night, the singer is exhausted and spent. He's begging for just a moment's respite, but his lover is insatiable and demanding. The chorus repeats, emphasizing that he's powerless to resist her, and that a mere slip of the tongue is all it takes to keep him under her control.
Overall, the lyrics to Slip Of The Tongue are a sensual and intense exploration of the power dynamics between two people in the throes of passion. The singer is both a willing participant in this steamy encounter and a prisoner of his own desire for his lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometime after midnight, the heat begins to rise
As the night progresses, the sexual tension between us intensifies
Girl you'd shame the devil with the look that's in your eyes
Your intense gaze is full of lust and seduction
I know what's on your mind and I can't run away
I understand that you want me and I cannot resist
If I don't give you what you want there's gonna be some hell to pay
If I refuse your advances, you will be angry and upset
Creeping up behind me, knocking at my door
Your desire for me is always present and persistent
I'd never be too blind to see just what you're looking for
I am well aware of your intentions and what you want from me
You roll me over, make me moan
You take control and pleasure me completely
Ooh, such a velvet touch, you'd melt a heart of stone
Your touch is gentle and seductive, capable of breaking down even the strongest of barriers
[Chorus]
No matter what, I'm always willing to please you with just a slip of the tongue
And if I want a little love I gotta take a little pain
I must be willing to endure some discomfort in order to experience your love
Make me think a thousand times before I kiss again
I am so infatuated with you that even something as simple as a kiss requires great consideration
I'm waiting on your, every day and every night
I am always available and eager to fulfill your desires
If I don't try to satisfy there's gonna be a fist fight
If I cannot satisfy you, I fear that you will become physically aggressive
The sun is slowly rising and I'm sinking to my knees
As the night comes to an end, I am overwhelmed and exhausted from your advances
I'm dying just to close my eyes, I'm begging, darlin' please
I am desperate for rest and begging you to allow me to sleep
I hear you calling and I'm crawling cross the floor
I am submitting to your every demand and crawling towards you
I give you everything I got and still you ask for more
I have already given you all that I have, yet you continue to demand more from me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, 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