Slide It In

The Zoo Crew is spinning the sultry, hard-hitting track Slide It In by Whitesnake, from their pivotal 1984 album of the same name, and the Zoo Freaks are surely feeling the vibe. This song, a lascivious rocker penned by frontman David Coverdale, is a masterclass in tongue-in-cheek innuendo, fitting perfectly with the band’s snake motif—a phallic symbol they leaned into with gusto. In a 2009 interview with the London freesheet Metro, Coverdale cheekily noted that media folks claimed they’d “lost their virginity” to the strains of Slide It In, adding that it’s “very good for pole dancing.” The song’s provocative edge is amplified by its cover art, featuring a model with a snake draped around her shoulders, descending toward her cleavage. Coverdale shared a wild story about the shoot: the 17-year-old model, Franzeska, fainted from the python’s movement, and the final photo was cropped to hide her rolling eyes, preserving the sultry aesthetic. Songfacts points out that while the song wasn’t a single, it became the album’s title track, cementing its status as a fan favorite. Posts on X from Coverdale, like his 2019 tweet celebrating the album’s 35th anniversary, show his enduring pride in this era, calling it “Sweet Jaysus...35 Years Ago???”

The Slide It In album marked a turning point for Whitesnake, blending their blues-rock roots with a glossier, metal-leaning sound to crack the American market. The album exists in two versions: the European mix, with a rawer edge, and the U.S. remix, ordered by Geffen’s John Kalodner to punch up the guitars and drums for stateside appeal. This remix, featuring John Sykes on guitar and Neil Murray re-recording bass, hit #40 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum, per Wikipedia. The song’s bluesy swagger, driven by Cozy Powell’s gut-punching drums and Coverdale’s soaring vocals, made it a staple. X posts from accounts like ThisDayInMETAL highlight its chart success, noting it was Whitesnake’s fourth top-10 UK album, peaking at #9. The track’s playful, suggestive lyrics, compared to a “Carry On film” by music journalist Malcolm Dome, reflect Coverdale’s knack for humor, though he’s admitted they’re a product of a less “politically correct” era.

Whitesnake was born from David Coverdale’s post-Deep Purple journey, a saga of grit and reinvention. After Deep Purple’s 1976 breakup, Coverdale, who’d joined the band in 1973 as a relatively unknown singer from Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England, launched his solo career with the 1977 album White Snake. By 1978, he formed Whitesnake as a backing band, but it quickly evolved into a full-fledged entity, per Wikipedia. The early lineup, including guitarists Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, bassist Neil Murray, and drummer Dave Dowle, leaned heavily into blues-rock, drawing from Coverdale’s Deep Purple days. Their debut EP, Snakebite, hit #61 on the UK Singles Chart, and albums like Trouble (1978) and Lovehunter (1979) built a loyal following in the UK, Europe, and Japan. Coverdale’s charisma and powerful vocals, honed during his Deep Purple stint on albums like Burn, became the band’s cornerstone. By the time Slide It In dropped, Whitesnake was poised for U.S. success, thanks to Geffen’s backing and Coverdale’s relocation to America to chase that dream.

Zoo Freaks can keep up with Whitesnake through their vibrant online presence. The band’s official website offers tour dates, merch, and news, while their Facebook page shares live clips and fan engagement posts. On Instagram, they post throwback photos and tour updates, and Coverdale’s X account is a treasure trove of personal reflections and fan interactions. Fans can also dive into communities like the Whitesnake Fans Facebook group, where enthusiasts swap stories, memorabilia, and concert experiences. For deeper dives, fan sites like Whitesnake Flesh & Blood offer discographies, rare photos, and updates on the band’s latest projects, keeping the Zoo Freaks’ love for Whitesnake’s slithering legacy alive.