Crying in the Rain

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some righteous vibes as we spin "Crying in the Rain" by Whitesnake from their iconic 1987 album, Whitesnake! This track’s got a wild story behind it. Originally dropped on the 1982 album Saints & Sinners, the song was a bluesy, slow-burner with a killer guitar solo by Bernie Marsden. Fast forward to ’87, and frontman David Coverdale, pushed by A&R guru John Kalodner, decided to give it a turbo-charged makeover. The result? A faster, heavier, glam-metal banger that ditched the bluesy intro for a straight-up hard rock assault. Coverdale once spilled in an interview that guitarist John Sykes “hated blues,” which explains the shift to that in-your-face ’80s sound. The re-recorded version, sometimes called “Crying in the Rain ’87,” even got its own promo single and has been a staple in Whitesnake’s live sets ever since.

Here’s a juicy tidbit for you Zoo Freaks: the song’s lyrics, dripping with heartache, were inspired by Coverdale’s own divorce. Lines like “No one understands the heartache, no one feels the pain” hit hard, painting a picture of a man wrestling with emotional storms. The ’87 version got a major boost when it was featured on the Whitesnake album, which sold over 10 million copies in the US alone and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. Fun fact—posts on X from @ThisDayInMETAL have hyped up the song’s legacy, noting how both “Crying in the Rain” and “Here I Go Again” were re-recorded from Saints & Sinners to become monster hits. Oh, and if you’re craving live energy, the 30th anniversary edition of the Whitesnake album includes a live cut of “Crying in the Rain” from the 1987–88 tour, complete with a video bootleg!

Let’s rewind and talk about how Whitesnake slithered onto the scene. David Coverdale, the band’s heart and soul, kicked things off in 1978 after his stint as the golden-voiced frontman of Deep Purple. Born in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England, Coverdale was a music-obsessed kid who started singing in local bands before landing the Deep Purple gig in 1973. After Deep Purple imploded in ’76, Coverdale went solo, dropping a couple of albums before forming Whitesnake in London. The early lineup, featuring guitarists Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, bassist Neil Murray, and drummer Dave Dowle, leaned hard into blues-rock with a side of swagger. Their debut EP, Snakebite, hit in ’78, and by 1980, albums like Ready an’ Willing were climbing the UK charts, with singles like “Fool for Your Loving” breaking into the Top 40. By the mid-’80s, Coverdale steered the band toward a slicker, hard rock sound, and the 1987 Whitesnake album catapulted them to global stardom.

Zoo Freaks, you can keep up with Whitesnake on their official website, where you’ll find tour dates, merch, and news about their latest release, Into The Light: Revisited, Remixed and Remastered. Connect with the band on Facebook, Instagram, and X for behind-the-scenes goodies and updates. Wanna vibe with fellow fans? Check out the Whitesnake Fans Facebook group, where diehards share stories, rare pics, and love for the Snake. There’s also Whitesnake Flesh & Blood, a fan site packed with discography details and band history. So, crank up “Crying in the Rain,” let those tears fall, and keep it locked on THE ZOO for more rockin’ tunes!