Whitesnake

HISTORY
LIVE.... IN THE HEART OF THE CITY
Released mainly to combat the ridiculous amount of bootlegs doing the rounds at the time (nothing changes - eh?) this live collection was made up of performances from two different tours. Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London (now the Labatt’s Apollo), it reads like a DC’s greatest hits. In fact all it misses to make it Greatest Hits Part 1 are Don’t Break My Heart Again, Child Of Babylon, Bloody Mary and Till The Day I Die, the majority of which would feature on the following Come An’ Get It album.

The track listing on the CD version is as follows:

(23rd/24th June 1980)
1. Come On
2. Sweet Talker
3. Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues
4. Love Hunter
5. Fool For Your Loving
6. Ain't Gonna Cry No More
7. Ready An' Willing
8. Take Me With You

(23rd November 1978)
9. Might Just Take Your Life
10. Lie Down
11. Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
12. Trouble
13. Mistreated

If anyone complained that Whitesnake’s Greatest Hits didn’t have old stuff on it then they obviously don’t own this record!! As well as the compulsory Whitesnake tracks there are a couple of Purple songs thrown in for good measure, namely the magnificent Mistreated (probably one of the greatest songs ever written) and Might Just Take Your Life. It is DC that truly shines on this release, the highlights for me being the brilliant vocals on Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City (always a live favourite with the Whitesnake Choir) and Ain’t Gonna Cry No More.

All the favourites are here, Fool For Your Loving, Ready An’ Willing, Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues, Lovehunter, Trouble etc....need I say anymore? The definitive early 'Snakes introduction. If you’re unsure of buying the old stuff and want a best of early 'Snake compilation, then this is the record for you. An absolute classic, early Whitesnake at their very best.

Picture by EMI

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This article was written by ASH.