Whitesnake - "Here I Go Again" (radio version)

[Jenesis]

I was listening to The Rock today for some sick reason, and when they finished bullshitting about Airborne being the "biggest band of the decade", a random song came on. It had a basic rock palm-muted chug intro, which reminded me of something from Mutt Lange-era Heart. Then the vocals kicked in and it wasn't the Nancy Wilson, it was David Coverdale singing "Here I Go Again". I was like ZOMGWTF? There were weedy keyboard stabs all through it like a Europe track, a rather boring solo by Dann Huff (source: The Internet) and even female backing vocals. Altogether bizarre.

As a fairly big Coverdale fan, I can't believe I've never heard this sad version before or even knew it existed. Anyone else heard it?

[thehenderson]

Airbourne: the band you've heard before

[Jenesis]

I have heard them, unfortunately.

The poor man's Rhino Bucket.

[Danger Mouse]

Ah yes I heard that on a classic rock station over here last week, I was similarly confused, no big fat guitars, the chorus was weedy as hell and the whole song had gone from great to boring...

[Zorran]

everytime i hear or hear of airbourne i get thoroughly confused. they have basically RIPPED OFF ac/dc. not influenced by. they sound exactly like ac/dc. yup okay no secret but how are they amazing or anything? if i made music that sounded exactly like someone else would i be heralded as awesome too? or is it just stupid music for stupid people and im overthinking it? rant over. i love whitesnake.

[twistedthoughts]

everytime i hear or hear of airbourne i get thoroughly confused. they have basically RIPPED OFF ac/dc. not influenced by. they sound exactly like ac/dc. yup okay no secret but how are they amazing or anything? if i made music that sounded exactly like someone else would i be heralded as awesome too? or is it just stupid music for stupid people and im overthinking it? rant over. i love whitesnake.

Airbourne undeniably rip AC/DC.

For me though, the test is this: would I like Airbourne if I had never ever heard of AC/DC? To be honest, the answer is a resounding yes. It may not be completely original, but it's still good music - and isn't that what's important?

As for Whitesnake - I've noticed this atrocity every time "Here I Go Again" is played on The Rock. I'm always like "WTF happened to the solo? Sounds like it belongs in 'We Built This City' or something."

[Gelato]

As a fairly big Coverdale fan, I can't believe I've never heard this sad version before or even knew it existed. Anyone else heard it?

You're talking about the version that came out in about 2002? Yeah, it's shite. The original is one of my favourite songs of all the times, but the new version is the musical equivalent of a falcon punch They play it at last once a week on The Rock.

I'm saddened to hear that Dan Huff plays the solo on it though, he's a much better guitar player than that solo would suggest. I fair wore the crap out of Giants' Last Of The Runaways record when it came out Although I vaguely remember that Huff played the solo on the radio version of Here I Go in the late-80's, so maybe the internet was confused.

[Danger Mouse]

As a fairly big Coverdale fan, I can't believe I've never heard this sad version before or even knew it existed. Anyone else heard it?

You're talking about the version that came out in about 2002? Yeah, it's shite. The original is one of my favourite songs of all the times, but the new version is the musical equivalent of a falcon punch They play it at last once a week on The Rock.

I'm saddened to hear that Dan Huff plays the solo on it though, he's a much better guitar player than that solo would suggest. I fair wore the crap out of Giants' Last Of The Runaways record when it came out Although I vaguely remember that Huff played the solo on the radio version of Here I Go in the late-80's, so maybe the internet was confused.

I've never heard the original bluesy version of it though, would really like to see where it came from. Quite why we need 3 versions of it is beyond me, it's not like Coverdale needs the money, what with having sold 400 million albums or something ulterly ridiculous like that...

Airbourne... I like them. They are a 2nd rate AC/DC, but then so have AC/DC been for the last 15 years or so. I gave up caring about being original when I stopped being an angsty teenager, now if it's good I like it. I'll even admit to liking Teenagers by My Chemical Romance, which is unoriginal emo rip-off shite... but it is a good song.

[Hot_Grits]

As a fairly big Coverdale fan, I can't believe I've never heard this sad version before or even knew it existed. Anyone else heard it?

You're talking about the version that came out in about 2002? Yeah, it's shite. The original is one of my favourite songs of all the times, but the new version is the musical equivalent of a falcon punch They play it at last once a week on The Rock.

I'm saddened to hear that Dan Huff plays the solo on it though, he's a much better guitar player than that solo would suggest. I fair wore the crap out of Giants' Last Of The Runaways record when it came out Although I vaguely remember that Huff played the solo on the radio version of Here I Go in the late-80's, so maybe the internet was confused.

Methinks Dan had more to do with the sound of that redone 'here i go again' than just the solo.

God, Giant. Foreigner with occasional outbursts of hysterical speed picking. And that ballad with the world record number of key modulations.

[thehenderson]

But I think it's a dumb thing to think to yourself, "Would I like this if I'd never heard AC/DC?", because you have heard AC/DC! If you want to put up make believe questions for consideration, then how about "Would Airbourne sound like that if they'd never heard AC/DC?". We could probably make up hypothetical questions all day...

[rocklander]

was the original the one where the line was "like a hobo, I was born to walk alone"?
if so, gimme the 1987 version... if for no other reason than it's the one I spent my teenage years listening to, and heard first.. 'heard first' is usually the benchmark for me, regardless of if it's actually 'the first'.

[rocklander]

We could probably make up hypothetical questions all day...

hypothetically.. yes.

[jeremyb]

I doubt airbourne will ever have the 2nd highest selling album of all time tho', Back In Black has sold 45 million or something crazy!!!

[Gelato]

God, Giant. Foreigner with occasional outbursts of hysterical speed picking. And that ballad with the world record number of key modulations.

To be fair, at the time I also thought it was OK to wear white pants and a white shirt together.

[twistedthoughts]

But I think it's a dumb thing to think to yourself, "Would I like this if I'd never heard AC/DC?", because you have heard AC/DC! If you want to put up make believe questions for consideration, then how about "Would Airbourne sound like that if they'd never heard AC/DC?". We could probably make up hypothetical questions all day...

Poor wording on my part.

The point I was trying to make is that I listen to a band without prejudice. If I like it, I like it. If I don't, I don't. I don't see any point in music snobbery or disliking a band because somebody else did it first.