Whitesnake Is Not Hair Metal (and Here Are 10 Underrated Cuts to Prove It)

Formed two years after singer David Coverdale left Deep Purple, British rockers Whitesnake began as a rollicking blues-rock band that developed a significantly harder sound over time. They hit their stride in the early to mid-1980s with the top-notch albums Saints & Sinners and Slide It In, which sounded much more like Purple than, say, Poison. But then came a massive MTV makeover fueled by bombastic videos best-known for featuring Coverdale’s future wife, Tawny Kitaen, draping herself over an assortment of luxury sedans.

The band’s hair metal phase was a profitable one, resulting in the multiplatinum LPs Whitesnake and Slip of the Tongue. Those releases made them megastars, but alienated many earlier fans (not to mention the longtime bandmates of Coverdale’s who got booted before filming of the iconic Whitesnake videos commenced). But after the ’80s heyday had subsided and Coverdale took an eight-year recording hiatus from the band (he did record with Jimmy Page during that time for the Coverdale/Page project), he eventually arrived at sonic ground halfway between his band’s two separate histories.

Check out these underrated Whitesnake rockers, which have little to do with Spandex or Aqua-Net and everything to do with swaggering riffs, searing vocals, and superb rock ‘n’ roll songs.

“Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick” (1978)

Found on their debut album, Trouble, this frisky instrumental is a solid showcase for Coverdale’s original incarnation of the band—guitarists Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, bassist Neil Murray, keyboardist Jon Lord (of Deep Purple fame), and drummer Dave Dowle. The rhythm section lays down strong grooves as Moody and Marsden harmonize and let loose with some raucous leads. Lord also shows off a little of his keys wizardry here.

“Lovehunter” (1979)

The title track from their sophomore album was part of their transition that imbued the traditional blues-rock strut of their first two releases (including the Snakebite EP) with more of a polished hard rock approach that really crystallized with Saints & Sinners in 1982. Gritty slide guitar work is contrasted by dulcet vocal harmonies; you can hear the group musically maturing on this album.

“Here I Go Again” and “Crying in the Rain” (1982)

Wait, why are these two well-known tracks (the former a No. 1 hit in America) on a list of underrated songs? It’s because the tracks that landed on the band’s mega-selling Whitesnake album were polished versions of much more muscular-sounding prior recordings. The ‘82 versions are bluesier and more soulful, and benefit from Jon Lord’s rich Hammond organ sounds. The pop-metal facelifts they were later given incorporated glossy production (“Here I Go Again”) and needless squealing guitar (“Crying in the Rain”) that did not suit them. The originals still reign supreme.

[RELATED: Behind the Meaning of the Song “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake]

“Dancing Girls” (1982)

Here’s that sexy, sleazy vibe that Whitesnake exceled at back in the day. Funky verses, a galloping chorus, and a disco-ish post-chorus groove all combine into a bawdy romp for a bad boys night on the town. Lord tosses in a top notch organ solo during the break—back when hard rock groups tended to have more keyboard breaks. His departure in 1984 for the high-profile Deep Purple reunion was a sad loss.

“Gambler” (1984)

One of the moodier songs in the Whitesnake catalog, “Gambler” fades in with ghostly keyboards before kicking off into a tempestuous rocker with a mid-tempo stomp. Coverdale ruminates on romantic solitude: No fame or fortune, no luck of the draw / When I dance with the Queen of Hearts / A jack of all trades, but a loser in love / It’s tearing my soul apart. He has always sung about love, lust, and longing with equal passion and emotion.

“I Need Your Love So Bad” (1984)

A B-side from Slide It In that was not included on the original release, this is a beautifully ethereal ballad consisting simply of Coverdale’s subdued, soulful singing and Lord’s airy organ work. The echo on the vocals makes you feel like Coverdale is standing in church, so much so that one could imagine a gospel choir performing it. Fun fact: This is an unusual cover of a song first recorded and co-written by R&B singer Little Willie John back in 1955.

“Sailing Ships” (1989) 

The Slip of the Tongue album closed with this elegant ballad in which guitar hero-for-hire Steve Vai spans delicate acoustic playing to restrained electric shredding. While this is the amped-up, late ‘80s version of the band that mostly quadrupled down on the slick sound of the day, this song about controlling one’s own destiny invokes their earlier days and also stands out for its colorful sonic tapestry and Coverdale’s heartfelt vocal performance.

“Restless Heart” (1997)

Restless heart, restless mind / I’m tired of wasting my precious time. So begins Whitesnake’s ninth album and their first in eight years. This moody anthem of frustration was co-written with guitarist Adrian Vandenberg who, despite having been part of the band since 1987, finally got the chance to shine as the lone guitarist on a Whitesnake record here. This opening cut should have been a single, but given that it arrived in the late ‘90s the label probably felt it was too ‘80s-sounding for the time. But it’s a killer track.

“Love Will Set You Free” (2011)

This spirited 2011 anthem from Forevermore emanates plenty of positive energy with bright guitar harmonies, a catchy chorus, and plenty of that Coverdale swagger. His lyrics may not be that bold or new here, but when he sings lines like, Something in your touch electrified me / Completing me in every single way, his passion and the band’s buoyant energy elevate the sonic festivities just like in the old days.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns