The song peaked at number #5 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks. It was released as a single in Germany, Australia and Japan. Shown is the cover of the German release of the "Thunderstruck" single. The song is said to be inspired by lead guitarist Angus Young's hair-raising experience when a plane he was on was struck by lightning. However, Angus Young was later to say that 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... It was really just a case of finding a good title. We came up with this thunder thing and it seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC=Power. That's the basic idea."
Contrary to popular belief, Young does not play Thunderstruck's main riff with one hand. Instead, he picks every fretted note and pulls off the open notes. Additionally in all AC/DC live videos, Angus can clearly be viewed picking every fretted note. The one-handed tapping technique can only be seen in the "Thunderstruck" music video.
The video which accompanied the single was filmed at London's Brixton Academy on 17 August, 1990. The audience members were given free T-Shirts with the words 'AC/DC - I was Thunderstruck' on the front and the date on the back, and these T-shirts were worn by the entire audience throughout the filming of the video.
The music video of Thunderstruck on YouTube, as of May 2009, has over 20.6 million views.
Thunderstruck
AC/DC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder
Thunder, thunder
I was caught
In the middle of a railroad track (thunder)
I looked 'round
And I knew there was no turning back (thunder)
And I thought, what could I do? (Thunder)
And I knew
There was no help, no help from you (thunder)
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, thunderstruck
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck
Ooh, thunderstruck, yeah
I was shaking at the knees
Could I come again, please? Oh
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck, thunderstruck
Yeah, yeah, yeah, said, yeah, it's alright, we're doin' fine
Yeah, it's alright, we're doin' fine, so fine
Thunderstruck, yeah, yeah, yeah
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
Thunderstruck, whoa, baby, baby
Thunderstruck, you've been thunderstruck
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
Thunderstruck, you've been thunderstruck
The song "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC is often regarded as one of the band's defining tracks, owing to its iconic staccato riff and hard-hitting lyrics. The song begins with the familiar rumble of thunder, which progresses into a relentless cascade of guitar riffs and pounding drums. The lyrics tell the story of a man who finds himself caught in the middle of a railway track, and knows that there is no turning back. He is left alone to face his fears, with no help from anyone, and can only rely on the pounding of his own heart and the sound of the drums to guide him through. The chorus features the repeated refrain "you've been thunderstruck," which seems to imply that the man has been struck by a bolt of lightning, or perhaps that he has been overcome by an overwhelming force of nature.
The second verse of the song takes a lighter tone, detailing the band's exploits on a road trip through Texas. They break all the rules, play all the fools, and meet some dancers who blow their minds. The verse is filled with references to the band's rock-and-roll lifestyle, including speeding down the highway and breaking the speed limit. The chorus returns, repeating the same refrain from earlier: "you've been thunderstruck." The song concludes with a final chorus, which sees the band declaring that everything is alright, and that they are doing just fine.
Overall, "Thunderstruck" is a song that encapsulates the raw power and energy of AC/DC at their best. The song's relentless guitar riff and pounding drums create a sense of urgency and excitement, while the lyrics tell a story of fearless determination in the face of adversity. Whether you're a longtime fan of AC/DC or simply appreciate great rock music, "Thunderstruck" is a song that is sure to get your heart racing.
Line by Line Meaning
Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder
An opening salvo of thunderous power sets the mood
Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunder
The sound of thunder continues to reverberate
Thunder, thunder
The sound of thunder fades away, but the feeling remains
I was caught
The artist is in a difficult situation
In the middle of a railroad track (thunder)
The artist finds himself in a dangerous, noisy spot
I looked 'round
The singer takes stock of his situation
And I knew there was no turning back (thunder)
The singer has no choice but to see it through
My mind raced
The artist is frantic and trying to figure out a way out
And I thought, what could I do? (Thunder)
The artist is questioning his options
And I knew
The artist realizes
There was no help, no help from you (thunder)
The singer can't rely on anyone else
Sound of the drums
The sound of the drums takes over
Beating in my heart
The singer feels the drums pulsing within him
The thunder of guns
The singer hears gunfire
Tore me apart
The situation is destroying the singer
You've been
You have experienced
Thunderstruck
An intense, overwhelming feeling
Rode down the highway
The singer left the railroad and took another route
Broke the limit, we hit the town
The singer and friends are driving recklessly and arrive in a lively place
Went through to Texas, yeah, Texas, and we had some fun
More details about the location and activities
We met some girls
The artist and company are socializing
Some dancers who gave a good time
The girls are entertaining
Broke all the rules
The singer and friends are living life on their own terms
Played all the fools
The artist and friends are acting silly and carefree
Yeah, yeah, they, they, they blew our minds
The girls had a big impact on the singer and friends
And I was shaking at the knees
The singer was stunned and overwhelmed
Could I come again, please?
The singer wants to experience the feeling again
Yeah, them ladies were too kind
The artist is grateful for the girls' hospitality
You've been
You have experienced
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
The intense feeling is returning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck
The singer acknowledges the power of the feeling
Ooh, thunderstruck, yeah
The feeling is overwhelming
I was shaking at the knees
The artist is still recovering from the experience
Could I come again, please? Oh
The artist wants to repeat the experience
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
The intense feeling is returning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck, thunderstruck
The artist is feeling the power again
Yeah, yeah, yeah, said, yeah, it's alright, we're doin' fine
The singer is asserting that he's doing well
Yeah, it's alright, we're doin' fine, fine, fine
The singer repeats that he's doing well
Thunderstruck, yeah, yeah, yeah
The singer is still feeling the power
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
The intense feeling is still present
Thunderstruck, whoa, baby, baby
The intensity remains
Thunderstruck, you've been thunderstruck
The singer wants the listener to feel the power too
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
The intense feeling persists
Thunderstruck, you've been thunderstruck
The artist is telling the listener that they have also experienced the feeling
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Angus McKinnon Young, Malcolm Mitchell Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@quintin1904
Movies that make use of Thunderstruck:
“Deadpool 2”
“Daddy’s Home 1&2”
“Slash 2”
“Planes: Fire and Rescue”
“Delivery Man”
“Battleship”
“Iron Man 2”
“The Longest Yard”
“Thunderstruck”
“Varsity Blues”
As you can tell, studios love Thunderstruck
@celisrivera
(thunder) (x10)
i was caught
in the middle of a railroad track (thunder)
[...of a lightning attack]
i looked round
and i knew there was no turning back (thunder)
my mind raced
and i thought what could i do (thunder)
and i knew
there was no help, no help from you (thunder)
Sound of the drums
beatin' 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 down 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
I was shakin' at the knees
could i come again please?
yeah the ladies were too kind
you've been - thunderstruck, thunderstruck
yeah yeah yeah, thunderstruck
Yeah
oh, thunderstruck, yeah
Now we're shaking at the knees
could i come again please?
Thunderstruck, thunderstruck
yeah yeah yeah, thunderstruck
thunderstruck, yeah, yeah, yeah
Said yeah, it's alright
we're doing fine
yeah, it's alright
we're doing fine
(so fine)
Thunderstruck, yeah, yeah, yeah,
tunderstruck, thunderstruck, thunderstruck
whoa baby, baby, thunderstruck
you've been thunderstruck, thunderstruck
thunderstruck, thunderstruck, thunderstruck
you've been thunderstruck
@user-ft1gc1xd2v
I’m Japanese high school student. l have studied English and I saw the word “thunderstruck “ .Since I didn’t know that word,I looked up “thunderstruck “ to know what that means and I have met this song for the first time. Thanks to this nice song,I will never forget the mean of word “thunderstruck “.
Sorry for my poor English... .
@mariafrancescavinci7196
Yay! Hope it helps you with your learning! I personally have to thank music and tv series for my nice english, so continue down this road!
@th4s3nbyxx10
sei un grande solo per il tuo sforso
@n0turd3aler61
Your English is great
@justorange9320
bro that's awesome! ACDC for life! :-D
@Seigi_37
あなたの英語はほんとにほんとに全然大丈夫ですよ！
@stevenorosz664
I could listen to the first 50 seconds of this song forever and never get bored of it.
@wisegal2105
Yes!!!
@isax3036
+Steven Orosz ABSOLUTELY..been w/ >90.000 as I'm several times ? THE DC' are so HORNY !
@CelloMasterNE
+Steven Orosz same here