Everything to Know About Whitesnake's 'Here I Go Again': Lyrics, Meaning & Legacy
By Sophia Al-Mansoor
Q1: Who wrote Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again"?
A1: The song was written by Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale and former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden. Both share equal songwriting credits across all releases of the track.
Q2: Why did David Coverdale change the word 'hobo' to 'drifter'?
A2: Coverdale modified the line for the 1987 version out of concern that American listeners might mishear the word "hobo" as a slur or misunderstand the British usage of the word. He felt "drifter" communicated personal isolation much more cleanly to a broad international audience.
Q3: Who played the guitar solo on the 1987 hit version?
A3: Adrian Vandenberg played the melodic guitar solo on the 1987 album cut. For the shorter "Radio Remix" version that dominated Top 40 stations, studio session ace Dann Huff recorded guitar parts.
Q4: Did the band in the famous music video actually record the song?
A4: Largely no. The rhythm tracks were recorded by guitarist John Sykes, bassist Neil Murray, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar. Coverdale fired those musicians before release, hiring Adrian Vandenberg, Vivian Campbell, Rudy Sarzo, and Tommy Aldridge to appear in the music video.
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