Slip of the Tongue is the eighth studio album by the British band Whitesnake, released in 1989. The album peaked at number 10 on both the UK Album Chart and US Billboard 200.[5][6] Three singles were released from the album: "Fool for Your Loving '89", "The Deeper the Love" and "Now You're Gone". All the singles hit the US Mainstream Rock Tracks Top 40, two of which, "The Deeper the Love" and "Fool for Your Loving" cracked the Top 5.[7] Slip of the Tongue has sold over one million copies in the US, reaching platinum status.[8]
Slip of the Tongue | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 7 November 1989 (US) 13 November 1989 (UK)[1] | |||
Recorded | 1988–1989 | |||
Studio | Record Plant, Los Angeles | |||
Genre | Glam metal[2][3] | |||
Length | 46:47 | |||
Label | Geffen (North America) CBS/Sony (Japan) EMI (Rest of the world) | |||
Producer |
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Whitesnake chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
![]() 20th Anniversary CD release | ||||
Singles from Slip of the Tongue | ||||
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"Fool for Your Loving" originally appeared on the album Ready an' Willing, but it was re-recorded for this album.
After the tour for the band's previous multi-platinum self-titled album, guitarist Vivian Campbell left the group due to musical differences. Even with Campbell's leaving, the writing process for a new Whitesnake album started at Lake Tahoe with singer David Coverdale and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg. Some material, including the title track, had already been written while on tour and some lyrics were finished by Coverdale in Bora Bora.
Adrian Vandenberg had planned to record for the album, but the worsening of an existing injury made it painful for him to play, requiring surgery.[9] For the recording, Coverdale chose ex-Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth guitarist Steve Vai. Coverdale was unfamiliar with Vai's work with Zappa or Roth, but had seen him in the 1986 film Crossroads, in which Vai had greatly impressed him. Adrian Vandenberg revealed in several interviews that he thinks Vai's flamboyant guitar playing was somewhat inappropriate, and that a more bluesy approach would have suited the album better.[10]
Most of the backing vocals are by Tommy Funderburk and Mr. Mister lead singer Richard Page; Coverdale's friend and former Deep Purple bandmate Glenn Hughes contributed backing vocals to three songs.[11] Once again, keyboardist Don Airey, along with session musicians Claude Gaudette and David Rosenthal, was brought in to do some keyboard parts, but just like with Hughes, much of his material didn't make the final cut of the album.
The album was finally released in late 1989. It reached number 10 on the US Billboard 200 chart,[6] going platinum.[8] Adrian Vandenberg was credited as a major co-songwriter, while Steve Vai was credited with "fulfilling all guitar responsibilities" on the album, and appeared in all the band's music videos.
Slip Of The Tongue 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition was released in May 2009 as a two disc remastered version with slightly modified running order and ten bonus tracks.
A 30th Anniversary Edition box set was issued in October 2019, including a newly remastered version of the album as well as other recordings and videos.[12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | (D)[14] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10[15] |
MusicHound Rock | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album was met with mixed reactions, with many saying the album's sound was too far from the original Whitesnake-sound. David Coverdale himself has also seen the album as one of the weakest in the band's catalogue, but has since found somewhat of an appreciation for it. He summed his feeling up by saying:
For a long time, I felt the album lacked a certain Whitesnake feel in the music, but, countless people thro' the years have assured me that they enjoyed and enjoy the album, nonetheless. So, now I happily accept it as a significant part of the Whitesnake catalogue and to be honest, I enjoy it more now than I did back then. It was an album plagued with challenges and obstacles for me, personally, from many avenues, but hey...nobody said being successful is supposed to be easy!
Metal Rules ranked the album #38 on their list of the Top 50 Glam Metal Albums.[2]
The world tour for the album was the biggest the band had undertaken yet, and included their third appearance and second headlining of the famous Monsters of Rock festival. After the tour Coverdale folded the band and took a break from the music business until late 1991 when he started to work with Jimmy Page, which resulted in the 1993 album Coverdale•Page.
All tracks are written by David Coverdale and Adrian Vandenberg, except where noted.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Slip of the Tongue" | 5:20 |
2. | "Cheap an' Nasty" | 3:28 |
3. | "Fool for Your Loving '89" (Coverdale, Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody) | 4:10 |
4. | "Now You're Gone" | 4:11 |
5. | "Kittens Got Claws" | 5:00 |
6. | "Wings of the Storm" | 5:00 |
7. | "The Deeper the Love" | 4:22 |
8. | "Judgment Day" | 5:15 |
9. | "Slow Poke Music" | 3:59 |
10. | "Sailing Ships" | 6:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
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11. | "Sweet Lady Luck" (Single B-side) | 4:37 |
12. | "Now You're Gone" (US Single Remix) | 4:07 |
13. | "Fool for Your Loving" (Vai Voltage Mix) | 4:17 |
14. | "Judgement Day" (from Live: In the Shadow of the Blues) | 5:38 |
15. | "Slip of the Tongue" (from Live at Donington 1990) | 5:41 |
16. | "Kittens Got Claws" (from Live at Donington 1990) | 4:58 |
Total length: | 76:05 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Fool for Your Loving '89" (Music video) | 4:27 |
2. | "Now You're Gone" (Music video) | 4:09 |
3. | "The Deeper the Love" (Music video) | 4:17 |
4. | "The Deeper the Love" (live, from Starkers in Tokyo) | 4:02 |
5. | "Sailing Ships" (live, from Starkers in Tokyo) | 4:06 |
6. | "Judgement Day" (from Live... In the Still of the Night) | 5:22 |
7. | "Slip of the Tongue" (from Live at Donington 1990) | 5:54 |
8. | "Kittens Got Claws" (from Live at Donington 1990) | 5:01 |
Total length: | 37:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Slip of the Tongue" | 5:21 |
2. | "Kitten's Got Claws" | 4:46 |
3. | "Cheap an' Nasty" | 3:27 |
4. | "Now You're Gone" | 4:10 |
5. | "The Deeper the Love" | 4:19 |
6. | "Judgment Day" | 5:16 |
7. | "Sailing Ships" | 5:58 |
8. | "Wings of the Storm" | 5:00 |
9. | "Slow Poke Music" | 3:57 |
10. | "Fool for Your Loving" | 4:10 |
11. | "Sweet Lady Luck" (Single B-Side) | 4:33 |
12. | "Now You're Gone" (Chris Lord-Alge Single Remix) | 4:06 |
13. | "Fool for Your Loving" (Vai Voltage Mix) | 4:18 |
14. | "Slip of the Tongue" (Alternate Intro & Breakdown) | 4:52 |
15. | "Cheap an' Nasty" (Alternate Solo & End) | 3:34 |
16. | "Judgment Day" (Alternate & Extended Solos) | 5:31 |
17. | "Fool for Your Loving" (Alternate AOR Mix with CHR Intro) | 4:11 |
Total length: | 74:49 |
Whitesnake
Additional musicians
Production
Album
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Singles
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Japan (RIAJ)[39] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[41] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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