Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 3708
Date: 11/05/1988
Debut: 92
Peak: 3
Weeks: 23
Genre: Hard Rock, Glam Rock
Pop Bits: This NYC-based band's second album, Pride, would reach #11 and go platinum thanks to its breakthrough lead single, the #8 "Wait." A second single, "Tell Me," didn't do much to further promote the LP when it stopped at #58. However, things would turn around in a big way with this third single. The power ballad got off to a slow start, but it kept gaining in popularity and eventually found its way to #3 on the Pop chart (#7 Rock). The hit sparked sales of the album and by May of '89 it would reach the double-platinum mark. A fourth single, "All You Need Is Rock 'N' Roll," would be released, but it would fail to reach the charts.
ReduxReview: This sentimental and somewhat political track was different from the typical power ballad fare pushed out by glam bands. Lead singer and co-writer Mike Tramp had something to say and it all came out in this song. Even though the lyrics were a bit on the treacly side, it was all quite effective with the finger picking guitar, the quietly dramatic arrangement, and Tramp's emotive vocal. It took a little while, but it caught on and became a hit and a big lighter-waving moment at their concerts.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: White Lion's Pride album was produced by Michael Wagener. The German producer/engineer began his career behind the board in the early 70s. When the 80s arrived, his career began to take off in a bigger way after he produced the debut album by Dokken. He then worked with other hard rock/metal band including Great White, Skid Row, Stryper, Warrant, and of course White Lion. He would also produce two albums by the Finnish hard rock/metal band Lordi. Lordi was headed up by lead singer/songwriter Mr Lordi (Tomi Petteri Putaansuu). The band first began to form around 1992 and not long after, Mr Lordi got the idea to have all members of the group perform as monsters. They would don specially made masks and costumes mainly designed by Mr Lordi and would incorporate horror elements and effects in their shows. The 90s were tough for Lordi as they weren't finding their way to bigger success and an album they recorded never saw the light of day due to label issues. They finally got a break in 2002 when they were signed to BMG. Their first single, "Would You Love a Monsterman?," would hit #1 in Finland with their debut album Get Heavy reaching #3. The band was finally off and running. Then in 2006, something unusual happened that garnered the band more worldwide exposure. They entered their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah" into the Eurovision Song Contest and it ended up winning. The win was the first for an act from Finland and the first hard rock/metal song to win. The track was featured on their third album The Arockalypse, which would top the Finnish chart. It would also go Top 10 in several other countries and would even reach #17 on the US Heatseekers chart. Since Lordi's 2006 Eurovision win, no other band or rock act would win the contest until 2021 when German rock band Måneskin took home the trophy with their song "Zitti e buoni."
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