THUNDERSTRUCK
Angus Young, Malcolm Young
The lead single from the album The Razors Edge. Chart: #5, Mainstream Rock.
Time - 4:52. Flip Side: "Fire Your Guns". Released in U.S.A. September 10, 1990.
Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland and/or Little Mountain Sound Studios, Vancouver, BC, Canada, January 1990. Produced by Bruce Fairbairn. Engineered by Mike Fraser.
AC/DC had been in slow deline for much of the 1980's. They hadn't had a top 10 mainstream rock track since "For Those About to Rock" in 1982. This track and The Razors Edge album put them at the top of their game again. Since coming out on digital, it has sold over a million digital copies. Previus to this, Brian Johnson wrote lyrics to the songs. Because he was out of the picture early on because of divorce proceedings, the Young brothers wrote the lyrics for this song and all others on the album. This has continued to this day, and Johnson has said that he was relieved that he did not have to write anymore. Inspired by getting hit by lightning in the air, the title actually came from a childhood toy. - Larry -
Brian Johnson - lead vocals |
Mike Fraser"Angus’s picking part makes that song build like no other. I remember being so pumped up while recording his parts that we were just about as sweaty as he was. It’s magic. It’s got this great sort of build. It’s almost like it’s holding back, holding back, the whole way, but you know it’s going to pay off. It just gets you going right away, pumped up. It whips you into a frenzy. It doesn’t pay off too early and the whole song is just this build. It’s awesome." |
Angus Young
"I was in an airplane over East Germany, and the plane got struck by lightning. I thought my number was up. The stewardess said we were struck by lightning and I said, 'No, we were struck by thunder, because it boomed'"
Angus Young - 2003:2003 The Razors Edge liner notes
"It started off from a little trick I had on guitar. I played it to Mal and he said 'Oh, I've got a good rhythm idea that will sit well in the back.' We built the song up from that. We fiddled about with it for a few months before everything fell into place. Lyrically, it was really just a case of finding a good title ... We came up with this thunder thing, based on our favorite childhood toy ThunderStreak, and it seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC = Power. That's the basic idea."
YOU TUBE STUDIO TRACK OFFICIAL VIDEO YOU TUBE LYRIC VIDEO YOU TUBE LIVE, River Plate Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder I was caught In the middle of a railroad track I looked round And I knew there was no turning back My mind raced And I thought what could I do And I knew There was no help, no help from you Sound of the drums Beating in my heart The thunder of guns Tore me apart You've been Thunderstruck Rode down the highway Broke the limit, we hit the town Went through to Texas, yeah Texas, and we had some fun We met some girls Some dancers who gave a good time Broke all the rules Played all the fools Yeah yeah they, they, they blew our minds And I was shaking at the knees Could I come again please Yeah them ladies were too kind You've been Thunderstruck I was shaking at the knees Could I come again please Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck It's alright, we're doin' fine It's alright, we're doin' fine, fine, fine Thunderstruck, yeah, yeah, yeah Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck Thunderstruck, baby, baby Thunderstruck, you've been Thunderstruck Thunderstruck, Thunderstruck You've been Thunderstruck