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Rating:
On this site, you will find all the information regarding the colorful career of the White Snake. Therefore, I won’t go into detail about the various adventures of the reptile, the lineup changes, or Coverdale’s vicissitudes; it would bore you. I would like to limit myself to a brief comment about the most peculiar album of the entire career of Whitesnake: “Starkers in Tokyo.”
“Starkers in Tokyo” is an album born out of the sad necessity to appease the lucrative Japanese audience with a questionable commercial operation, not so much for its promotional nature, but for the squalid ways in which it was carried out (aseptic scenario, highly selective audience, setlist reduced to half an hour, etc..).
That being said, the mini-concert presents itself as a small gem in the group's fierce career or as the greatest act of vanity for a splendid voice… being accompanied only by the guitar. It is interesting to find Whitesnake in an acoustic guise, stripped of the baroque embellishments that adorned their most recent productions, in front of a fire, on a summer evening, perhaps at high altitude under a sky of sharp stars.
In purity, a decent guitarist (Adrian Vandenberg) and a very clear vocal talent (David Coverdale) enhance the noble heart of a career, sketch out the strong emotions of a life, recall the time spent, and rediscover songs like “Can't go on” and “Don't fade away” (from the last “Restless Heart”), “Is This Love?” “Too Many Tears” (from the epochal “1987”) reimagined as whispered little confessions to our ear or the ancient tale of Purple’s “Soldier of Fortune” with an interpretation as heartfelt as never before.
This is Coverdale, reflective and imbued with blues, giving space to the voice, to the vibrations, to his own emotions, only distantly recalling, with few strokes, the screams of the past. Ultimately, it turns out that this peculiar half-hour is more than enough for Coverdale to make the most intimate confession of a career, 30 minutes of classic rock in the best sense of the term, a half-hour that can appeal, perhaps especially, to those who are not accustomed to the usual style of the group, who will discover in David Coverdale a seductive voice among the most “warm” ever heard and songs with great verve and depth.
Despite the aforementioned negative premises and the restrictions imposed by Toshiba and EMI (organizers of the event), the duo, in my humble opinion, made the best of the opportunity presented, choosing a well-composed setlist and presenting themselves in good form for the appointment. This is a curious acoustic album that probably deserves something more, but given the whims of the record company, the most appropriate rating seems to be a 3 and nothing more.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Sailing Ships (04:39)
Sailing Ships
Do you remember
Standing on the shore,
Head in the clouds,
Your pockets filled with dreams
Bound for glory
On the seven seas of life,
But, the ocean is deeper than it seems
The wind was with you
When you left on the morning tide,
You set your sail for an island in the sun,
On the horizon, dark clouds up ahead,
For the storm has just begun
Take me with you,
Take me far away,
Lead me to the distant shore
Sail your ship across the water,
Spread your wings across the sky
Take the time to see
You're the one who holds the key,
Or sailing ships will pass you by
You cry for mercy,
When you think you've lost your way,
You drift alone, if all your hope is gone
So find the strength and you will see
You control, your destiny,
After all is said and done
So take me with you,
Take me far away,
An' lead me to the distant shore
Sail your ship across the water,
Spread your wings across the sky
Take the time to see
You're the one who holds the key,
Or sailing ships will pass,
Sailing ships will pass you,
Sailing ships will pass you by...
Take me with you,
Take me far away,
We'll ride the wind across the sky
Spread your wings and you will see
You control, your destiny,
So sailing ships don't pass you by
So take me with you,
Take me far away,
We'll ride the wind across the sky
Spread your wings and you will see
You control, your destiny,
So sailing ships don't pass,
So sailing ships don't pass you,
So sailing ships don't pass you by...
Baby, baby, baby, baby,
You'll find that you're the only one
Can sail your ship across the sky
02 Too Many Tears (04:13)
I used to be the man for you,
Did everything you wanted me to,
So, tell me, baby,
What did I do wrong...
I told you what you wanted to know,
Precious secrets never spoken before.
All I'm asking,
Where did I go wrong...
Some things are better left unsaid,
But, all I do is cry instead,
Now, I've cried me a river,
Thinking how it used to be...
And there've been too many tears falling,
And there've been too many hearts
Breaking in two.
Remember what we had together,
Believing it would last forever.
So, tell me, baby,
Where did I go wrong...
Everything I had was yours,
More than I have ever given before,
So, won't you tell me
Did I hurt you so bad...
I guess I'm fooling myself,
'Cause I want you and no one else.
And I can't understand
Why you're doing these things to me...
And there've been too many tears falling,
And there've been too many hearts
Breaking in two...
Remember what we had together,
Believing it would last forever.
So, tell me, baby,
Where did I go wrong, where did I go wrong...
(SOLO)
Now my heart is breaking,
My whole world is shaking,
'Cause I can't understand
Why you're doing these things to me...
There've been too many tears falling,
And there've been too many hearts
Breaking in two...
Remember what we had together,
Believing it would last forever...
So, tell me, baby,
Where did I go wrong...
Where did I go wrong...
Mmmm
Where did I go wrong...
Mmmm
Where did I go wrong...
08 Is This Love (03:10)
I should have known better
Than to let you go alone
It's times like these I can't make it on my own
Wasted days and sleeplees nights
And I can't wait to see you again
I find I spend my time waiting on your call
How can I tell you babe,
my back's against the wall
I need you by my side to tell me it's all right
'Cause I don't think I can take anymore
(chorus)
Is this love that I'm feeling
Is this the love that I've been searching for
Is this love or am I dreaming
This must be love
'Cause it's really got a hold on me
A hold on me
I can't stop this feeling
I've been this way before
But with you I've found the key
to open any door
I can feel my love for you growing stronger
day by day
And I can't wait to see you again
So I can hold you in my arms
(chorus)
Is this love that I'm feeling
Is this the love that I've been searching for
*Is this love or am I dreaming
Is this the love that I've been searching for
*repeat
09 Here I Go Again (04:46)
I don't know where I'm going
But I sure know where I've been
Hanging on the promises and songs of yesterday
And I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time
Here I go again, Here I go again
Though I keep searching for an answer
I never seem to find what I'm looking for
Oh Lord I pray you give me strength to carry on
'Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Going down the only road I've ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
But I've made up my mind
I ain't wastin' no more time
I'm just another heart in need of rescue
Waiting on love's sweet charity
And I'm gonna hold on for the rest of my days
'Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Going down the only road I've ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
And I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time
But here I go again
Here I go again
Here I go again
Here I go
(guitar solo)
'Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Going down the only road I've ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
But I've made up my mind
I ain't wastin' no more time
And here I go again on my own
Going down the only road I've ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
'Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Going down the only road I've ever known...
(fade)
10 Soldier of Fortune (04:24)
(Blackmore/Coverdale)
I have often told you stories
About the way
I lived the life of a drifter
Waiting for the day
When I'd take your hand
And sing you songs
Then maybe you would say
Come lay with me love me
And I would surely stay
But I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
Echo in the distance
Like the sound
Of a windmill goin' 'round
I guess I'll always be...
A soldier of fortune
Many times I've been a traveller
I looked for something new
In days of old
When nights were cold
I wandered without you
But those days I thougt my eyes
Had seen you standing near
Though blindness is confusing
It shows that you're not here
Now I feel I'm growing older
And the songs that I have sung
Echo in the distance
Like the sound
Of a windmill goin' 'round
I guess I'll always be...
A soldier of fortune
Yes, I can hear the sound
Of a windmill goin' 'round
I guess I'll always be
A soldier of fortune
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Other reviews
By Sasquatch
A good song remains such in any version presented.
Ultimately, it’s a showcase of Coverdale’s voice and little more - a missed opportunity, what a pity...
