"Slip of the Tongue" is the eighth studio album by the British hard rock band Whitesnake, released on November 7, 1989, in the US by Geffen Records and on November 13 in the UK by EMI. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number 10 on both the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. It was certified platinum in the US, having sold over one million copies, and produced three singles: "Fool for Your Loving '89," "The Deeper the Love," and "Now You're Gone." All three singles reached the Top 40 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, with two of them cracking the Top 5.
The album marked a significant change in the band's lineup and sound. Guitarist Vivian Campbell left the band due to musical differences, and his departure was partly attributed to tensions within the group, including a personal conflict between Campbell's wife and David Coverdale's fiancée. Coverdale and Adrian Vandenberg, who was the band's primary guitarist, took charge of the songwriting for the album, with Vandenberg contributing significantly to the writing process. However, due to a severe injury, Vandenberg was unable to play guitar during the recording. Coverdale enlisted Steve Vai, known for his work with Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth, to handle all the guitar parts. While Vandenberg was credited as a co-writer, Vai's flashy, virtuosic guitar playing added a new dimension to Whitesnake's sound, which some of the band members, especially Vandenberg, felt was out of sync with their blues-rock roots.
The album's production included contributions from several musicians, including Tommy Funderburk and Richard Page on backing vocals, and former Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes, who provided vocals on three tracks. Keyboardist Don Airey and session musicians Claude Gaudette and David Rosenthal were also involved, though much of their material was left out of the final mix.
Slip of the Tongue was released later than initially expected, and despite its commercial success in some territories, it was seen as a disappointment compared to the band's previous albums, especially in the US, where it sold fewer copies than its predecessor. The album was certified gold in the UK within days of its release and achieved platinum status in the US shortly afterward.
The band promoted Slip of the Tongue with a massive world tour, including a headline performance at the 1990 Monsters of Rock festival at Donington Park. The performance was later released as Live at Donington 1990. The tour ended in September 1990, after which Coverdale disbanded Whitesnake for a few years, before eventually reuniting with Jimmy Page in 1991 for their collaboration Coverdale•Page.
The album was reissued in 2009 to commemorate its 20th anniversary, featuring a remastered version with bonus tracks, and again in 2019, with a new remastered version and additional recordings.
