Stormbringer was song that David Coverdale originally performed as the lead singer of Deep Purple. In 2015, it was one of the many Deep Purple songs that Coverdale covered with Whitesnake, which explains why the video has a purplish hue.
The video was directed by Tyler Bourns, who is also credited as being a camera operator for the 2014 video for Newsted’s As the Crow Flies.
Enjoy!
Happy Birthday, David Coverdale! I already did the very memorable 1987 version on Kitaen’s birthday. For Coverdale’s birthday I figured it was appropriate to look at the 1982 version. I never knew this version existed. It’s instantly forgettable for sure, but it’s not bad at all. The style of both the song and the music video is quite different from the 1987 version
Aside from the opening bit with Coverdale alone, the rest is a just a well-filmed concert performance. Despite the appearance, Wikipedia seems to indicate that it was indeed still lip-synced. There isn’t a whole lot to talk about here visually. I know it’s simple, but I love that everything appears to be drenched in colorful light. I also like that the band appears to be playing in tight quarters during the majority of the performance. It gives it less of a “We are playing to the back row” and more a “Welcome to the club. Here’s Whitesnake singing Here I Go Again!”
It also is a metal video of its time. The 1987 version is drenched in the 1980s. You could almost hear the director say, “Cut! Accept, you’re next. Europe, you come up right after they are done. We’ll film the scenes with Tawny later.” Here you can imagine that this concert hall is just a short drive from that snow surrounded studio where Rush is in the music video for Limelight. Both of which look like pre-MTV music videos. An even better example is that it looks like the music video from 1978 for Toto’s Hold The Line.
Mainly what I want to say with all these words is that this video is probably only known because EMI decided to post it on YouTube back in 2009, and it too captures the same power and enthusiasm in Coverdale’s performance as the 1987 version does. However, in this version it feels personal for him whereas the 1987 version he is great, but aloof and kind of just having a ball.
As for the song alone, they do say “hobo” instead of “drifter”. I don’t really notice any other lyrical changes. The way they perform the song again plays to the way the video was shot this time. It starts off expansive like the video. Then it gets tight and tough like the close quarters performance belted out with blood and sweat by Coverdale.
Which version do I like better? The 1987 video hands down is the better music video. However, I do like both versions of the song. I like to go hiking when weather and my health permit. This version I can hear as I am powering up hills. The other I can picture playing as I go for a long drive to clear my head when times are tough.
Happy Birthday, Tawny Kitaen! You took what would have been a high-spirited, but quickly forgettable “put the band onstage and focus on the lead singer” video, and made it one of the most memorable music videos of the decade.
She didn’t have to do much either. The bits in the car are probably the least focused on, but I have always loved the part when she grabs lead singer David Coverdale and rips him over the front seat. I really love that because she doesn’t do it easily either. She grabs him and yanks him right over the seat. You can even see her reach to grab his leg to get him completely into the backseat just before it cuts away.
Lisa being our resident lover of dance, of course loves the hood dancing part. Who doesn’t? I remember last year when someone tweeted a screenshot of it and said something about her being their second biggest crush in the 1980s. I don’t recall if they even included her Twitter handle, but she responded asking basically: “My God! Who was #1?”
Thank you, Tawny Kitaen. Not only for the video, but insuring that no one would forget what is a really good song. A song that could have been forgotten if they hadn’t made this version, and only stuck with the 1982 music video. All it took was adding dancing a little on two car hoods, hanging out a car window, and ripping Coverdale over a carseat. We’ll talk about the 1982 version next month because Kitaen and Coverdale were kind enough to have birthdays in August and September respectively.
“An’ I’ve made up my mind, I ain’t wasting no more time
but here I go again, here I go again.”
Previous entry to our 27 Days of Old School I mentioned something about how hard rock and metal music videos were mostly the realm of hair metal bands. Videos all about loud, over-the-top costumes and personalities. bands such as Motley Crue and Poison just to name a few. Other bands would mimic the long, over-teased and hairsprayed look which gave hair metal it’s name. Coming in at #22 is a rock band from England that took on the look of your typical hair metal band, but had some deep roots in old school blues rock.
“Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake is a great song of the 80’s and part of it was due to an even more awesome video which included a young Tawny Kitaen, white lingerie and the frontman’s Jaguar XJ. Yes, the car used in the video is David Coverdale’s own car. Kitaen would later marry David which just took the whole thing full circle.
While Whitesnake and Coverdale made sure to take advantage of the hair metal look of the 80’s he definitely channeled Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant more than he did Vince Neil or Bret Michaels. And for that the world was and continues to be grateful.
Through the Shattered Lens 