𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗼𝗻 — 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 (1987)

intothewellsabyss
Jun 21, 2023
4 min read

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

35 years ago this week, the “Lady of the Valley” said to us, “Don’t Give Up” “When the Children Cry”. “Let’s All Join Our Hands” on those “Lonely Nights”, ‘cause “All You Need is Rock N’ Roll!

On June 21, 1987, White Lion released their second full-length solo studio album “Pride” via Atlantic Records. The album featured the two top ten hits "Wait" and "When the Children Cry".

It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and remained in the Billboard Top 200 for a full year, selling two million copies in the US alone.

Background:

The recording process of the album took six weeks and the album was produced by Michael Wagener. The album's first single, "Wait", was released on June 1, 1987, but did not make waves until MTV began airing the music video in January 1988, seven months after its release, pushing the single to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. In August 1988, more than a year after the album's release, the second single "Tell Me" also featuring a music video hit #58. “Pride's” third single, a gentle acoustic ballad titled "When the Children Cry", made it all the way to #3, again with heavy MTV rotation of the music video. The album peaked at #11 on the album charts. “Pride” would remain on the top 200 Billboard album charts for a full year.

The success of "When the Children Cry" would eventually push sales of “Pride” over the two million mark in the US, achieving double platinum status. In addition, guitarist Vito Bratta was recognized for his instrumental talents by racking up Best New Guitarist awards with both Guitar World magazine and Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazine.

When they were going to record the drums, Vito played the solo to the song "wait" as a backing track at the same time, which they would play again later but the producer was so pleased that they kept that recording as he was unsure that Vito could do better. Michael Wagener has told in interviews that he got goosebumps when he heard Vito play the solo that time. They also had to borrow an older Fender stratocaster that once belonged to Jimi Hendrix to record another solo on the record.

In 1986, they first recorded a few songs in Frankfurt, in the same studio as "Fight to Survive". But on returning home, they chose to ignore these songs and instead record a brand new record instead in Los Angeles. These demo songs can be found on "Pride take one ´86" and the later “Anthology” album.

In an interview with drummer Greg D`angelo, he says that the first demo songs had the same raw sound as the first record, but they took a chance on recording and releasing the record with the new, slightly more commercial sound and it turned out to be perfect.

The Pride Tour:

“The Pride Tour” started in June 1987, as White Lion opened for Frehley's Comet. The next year and a half was filled with constant touring, opening for such bands as Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne. KISS in December 1987. In January 1988 White Lion landed the opening slot for AC/DC on their “Blow Up Your Video” American tour. They'd end the tour opening for Stryper in the summer of 1988.

While touring with AC/DC, the “Pride” album and "Wait" single finally charted, due in no small part to MTV airing the "Wait" music video in regular rotation – nearly seven months after the single's release. In February 1988, a show "Live at the Ritz" in New York City was filmed for an MTV concert special and was released on VHS along with another full concert video titled "One Night in Tokyo".

In the spring of 1989, “The Pride Tour” finally ended.

Critical Reception:

In his review for AllMusic, Steve Huey wrote;

“Pride” was White Lion's breakthrough album, thanks to the Top Ten hits "Wait" and the gentle ballad "When the Children Cry," but the rest of the album is also well-constructed Pop-Metal, with little of the over-the-top, testosterone-heavy posturing of their peers, as well as a low sleaze factor. In addition to the socially conscious "Children," there are positive-vibes anthems like "Don't Give Up" and "All Join Our Hands," and you wouldn't catch Bret Michaels or Axl Rose bowing on their knees before the "Lady of the Valley." Of course, nice-guy attitudes won't be as major a selling point for many hard rock listeners as Vito Bratta's showy Eddie Van Halen imitations. Although these border on obsessive at times, Bratta's interesting acoustic guitar work keeps the sound varied, and he displays a welcome penchant for melodicism. All in all, one of the more overlooked '80s Pop-Metal bands.”

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “Pride” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/pride/1092722093

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Wait”: https://youtu.be/k23W7--8DgQ

Click this link to watch the official music video for “When the Children Cry”: https://youtu.be/6tatKFXlYiY

Click this link to watch the official music video for “Tell Me”: https://youtu.be/atwUCIuNWjc

Click this link to follow the White Lion Fan-page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Whitelionfan/

Click this link to follow Mike Tramp on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeTrampOfficial

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells