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In 1981, David Coverdale of the British group Whitesnake was going through a divorce and wrote a song (with group guitarist Bernie Marsden) about the heartbreak and loneliness he was experiencing.
"Here I Go Again" was released as a single from Whitesnake's 1982 album, "Saints and Sinners," but only in the UK, where it stalled at #34 on the charts.
Five years later, Whitesnake was still a band, but only David remained in the lineup. For their self-titled 1987 album, he decided to re-record "Here I Go Again," and this time, it was also released in North America, where it went to #1 in both the US and Canada!
But it wasn't the album version that topped the charts!
Whitesnake's record label, Geffen, wanted a single that was more "radio friendly," so the group went back into the studio and recorded it yet again--and THAT was the chart topper.
Unfortunately, at that point, people who heard the song almost universally thought it was an inspiring song about facing your challenges head-on. (Not entirely wrong, but not quite right, either.)
And more more thing: David changed the word "hobo" in the song to "drifter," to avoid listeners who might mis-hear it as "homo."
So what we have today is three different versions of a "Great Song of the 80s: "Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake. I've provided all three below. Which one do you think is best?
1988 Single chart topping version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBpzTX5JCLs
1987/88 Album version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyF8RHM1OCg
Original 1982/83 version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSlSaGcc0QM
Tomorrow: Donny's Backwards Comeback.
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