Recorded August 1974 (1974-08) Writer(s) David Coverdale | Length 03:13 Composer(s) Ritchie Blackmore | |
Released December 1974 (1974-12) Label EMI/Purple (UK)
Warner Bros. (US) | ||
"Soldier of Fortune" is a blues rock ballad written by David Coverdale and Ritchie Blackmore and originally released on Deep Purple's 1974 album Stormbringer. Though Deep Purple has never released the song as a single and it has never placed on the record charts, it has developed a cult following over the years, and cover versions have been released by Whitesnake, Opeth, Black Majesty.
Contents
The Opeth cover was included as a bonus track in the "Special Edition" release of Ghost Reveries (2006) and was subsequently released as a single in March 2007, which is available from iTunes. Roadrunner Records lists Opeth's version among their 13 wildest covers, calling it a faithful cover while adding Mikael Åkerfeldt's "unexpectedly soulful vocals."
Releases
"Soldier of Fortune" has been released on several albums since Stormbringer, both by Deep Purple and by other bands.