Soldier of Fortune (Deep Purple song)


"Soldier of Fortune" is a blues rock ballad written by Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale 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, and Black Majesty, and has been covered in concert by Blackmore's Night.
The Opeth cover was included as a bonus track in the "Special Edition" release of Ghost Reveries 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 and noting Mikael Åkerfeldt's "unexpectedly soulful vocals."

Releases

"Soldier of Fortune" has been released on several albums since Stormbringer: