The anthem of 1987: Remembering “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake

It was our unofficial anthem.

The year was 1987, and “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake climbed the charts as we got to know our way around Edmonton. It was our first September away from home, and we were settling in on Tenth Kelsey, our floor in student residence at the University of Alberta.

Radio days
Starting in 1986, was a period when heavy metal, hair bands were leaving behind black t-shirts, leather, and studs, and becoming more mainstream. It started really, with Bon Jovi and their breakout album “Slippery When Wet”. Poison would come along with their album “Look What the Cat Dragged In”, Cinderella released their single “Nobody’s Fool”, and Europe had “The Final Countdown” and “Carrie”. KISS had preceded heavy metal, was part of it, then surpassed it.

Through all of this, in the summer of 1987, came Whitesnake.

We started hearing this song on the radio. It started slow as a ballad, then picked up speed, and was just really good.

It was called “Here I Go Again”.

Kick ass
Oddly, not one but two versions began to appear on the radio. As the song entered the charts, and began to appear on countdown shows, hosts began to explain why. It was my friend Chris Vining who heard an interview with David Coverdale. He was the lead singer of Whitesnake and described the lesser-known version as “kick-ass”. It was also the one he liked better.

The "kick-ass" version starts more upbeat. However, the one that started slow and brooding, is the song that everybody recognizes.

It began to climb the charts, just as we were leaving home, headed to Edmonton and our first year of university.

September to remember
Once we moved in to res, we started to meet people on our floor. One of the events designed for students to mix and mingle was the dance, held in the Lister cafeteria. More than 400 people could fit into that room, and we did.

Mix in some alcohol and loud music, and it was a great way to meet people.

About a week into school, our floor was getting ready to go down to the dance, when a replay of the “Coca Cola Countdown” on MuchMusic was on. Suddenly, “Here I Go Again” came on and we started singing along. I accompanied the song with some heartfelt air guitar. By the end of the song, everyone in the lounge was just bellowing "Here I Go Again".

Afterwards, I ran into Bob Thompson, a guy from Stettler who was the boyfriend of one of the girls on our floor. He was actually keeping some beer cold for me in his girlfriend’s fridge, and I asked him for it and. While he fished it out, he told me he was a music fan, and noticed me leading the charge on “Here I Go Again”.

He told me he loved Whitesnake, and told me all about the band. They had roots in other bands, such as Deep Purple. He was a guitar player and told me about John Sykes, Adrian Vandenberg and Vivian Campbell, although Campbell did not play on “Here I Go Again”.

We went down to the dance and, after working up a decent sweat, “Here I Go Again” started. Again, 10K started belting the words out at the top of our lungs, and we were accompanied by a good chunk of the dance floor.

It was so cool.

I remember when we went back to our floor that night, Vining and I and whoever was with us, were still singing that song.

That scene repeated itself several times in a September to remember.

Top of the charts
Eventually, “Here I Go Again” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 countdown, in addition to the “Coca Cola Countdown”. I could not tell you exactly where I heard that, likely on “Entertainment Tonight” or Casey Kasem’s Coast to Coast.

I mentioned at dinner one night in the cafeteria that I would love to have that issue of Billboard. I had never actually held a copy in my hand. I had only heard about it on TV.

At that point, Shannon Richards, who lived on our floor, said she worked at a drugstore in Grande Prairie with a massive magazine selection – including Billboard. She was going home that weekend, and said she’d bring me back Billboard magazine.

She was true to her word, returning that Sunday night with Billboard, and did not accept my money. I will never forget that. When I pulled the magazine out of its paper bag, I immediately flipped to the charts. It turns out, the trip to Canada for American magazines was longer than I anticipated. This issue was a week behind, so “Here I Go Again” was still at number two, behind some Whitney Houston song I think.

Still, I got my first issue of Billboard magazine, held it in my hands, and felt part of something bigger.

Christmas present
“Here I Go Again” would have a good run on the charts, on the radio, and MuchMusic but, like any song, it just ran its course.

That Christmas, Vining and I went home for a couple weeks. We re-connected with some of our high-school friends, and had the added bonus of Chris’ first real girlfriend coming for a visit.

We all went to our friend Dave’s place one night, and I remember it well. I got there first, and was playing pool with Dave and his brother when Vining and his girlfriend showed up.

He came running up to me and gave me a big hug. She handed me a package.

“Merry Christmas,” she said.

I thanked her and tore it open. It was the album “Whitesnake” with the single, “Here I Go Again”.

That tape still sits in my tape case in my garage.

Video hit
There are many gaps in my video watching experience in the 1980s, but “Here I Go Again” is not one of them. The highlight is the drop-dead gorgeous woman dancing on the hood of a car, hugging and kissing David Coverdale, and even nibbling on his ear.

That woman was Tawny Kitaen, and she was Coverdale’s real-life girlfriend.

I would see her again, years later.

The old comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati” was being updated, with virtually a new cast. Playing the deejay “Mona After Midnight” in the “New WKRP in Cincinnati” was none other than Tawny Kitaen.

Parting thoughts
“Here I Go Again” will always hold a special place in my heart. I know all the words, and can sing along anytime I hear it on the radio or at Karaoke night.

Yet, when I hear the song, it conjures up this interesting mix of memories. The year 1987 was divided up virtually into three years – the end of Grade 12, summer, and the beginning of university.

“Here I Go Again” straddles all three.

It knits together one of the biggest periods of transition in my life.

And it is still a kick-ass song.