It was originally recorded by Tanya Tucker, but was never released until it appeared on her self-titled 1995 box set. Her version included a third verse which Brooks himself intended to use on his version but did not at the suggestion of producer Allen Reynolds. A modernized version was recorded by Jet Black Stare, but without the third verse. Metalcore band All That Remains released a cover of the song on April 28, 2017 on their 8th studio album, Madness.
The Thunder Rolls
Garth Brooks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not a soul in sight
The city's lookin' like a ghost town
On a moonless summer night
Raindrops on the windshield
There's a storm moving in
He's headin' back from somewhere
That he never should have been
And the thunder rolls
Every light is burnin'
In a house across town
She's pacin' by the telephone
In her faded flannel gown
Askin' for a miracle
hopin' she's not right
Prayin' it's the weather
That's kept him out all night
And the thunder rolls
Oh and the thunder rolls
thunder rolls
And the lightnin' strikes
Another love grows cold
On a sleepless night
As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls
She's waitin' by the window
When he pulls into the drive
She rushes out to hold him
Thankful he's alive
But on the wind and rain
A strange new perfume blows
And the lightnin' flashes in her eyes
And he knows that she knows
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls
thunder rolls
And the lightnin' strikes
Another love grows cold
On a sleepless night
As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls
"The Thunder Rolls" is a song by country music superstar Garth Brooks. It tells the story of a woman anxiously waiting at home for her husband to return in the middle of a thunderstorm, but as he finally arrives, she smells a strange new perfume on him, revealing that he's been unfaithful. The song captures the intense emotions of betrayal, heartbreak, and the devastating consequences of infidelity.
The opening verses set the eerie scene of a city in the middle of a storm, with raindrops on the windshield and every light on in the houses, except for the singer's. As she waits nervously for her partner to return, she hopes that the weather is the reason he has not yet come home. However, as the song progresses and he finally arrives, she realizes that he has been cheating on her, and the thunder becomes a metaphor for the turmoil in her heart.
The chorus of "The Thunder Rolls" repeats the phrase "And the thunder rolls" several times, emphasizing the relentless nature of the storm and the feelings of betrayal that the singer experiences. The song's powerful storytelling and haunting sound made it one of Brooks's most memorable hits, and a standout track of his career.
Line by Line Meaning
Three thirty in the morning
It's the middle of the night, when most people are sleeping.
Not a soul in sight
There's nobody around, it's completely deserted.
The city's lookin' like a ghost town
The city is so empty, it's like it's haunted by ghosts.
On a moonless summer night
It's summertime and there isn't even a moon in the sky.
Raindrops on the windshield
The windshield of the car has raindrops on it, indicating the storm coming.
There's a storm moving in
There's a thunderstorm on the way.
He's headin' back from somewhere
He's coming back from somewhere.
That he never should have been
He shouldn't have gone there in the first place.
And the thunder rolls
The sound of thunder can be heard, signaling the storm's arrival.
And the thunder rolls
The sound of thunder continues to be heard.
Every light is burnin'
All the lights are on.
In a house across town
In a house far away.
She's pacin' by the telephone
She's walking back and forth near the phone.
In her faded flannel gown
She's wearing a worn-out nightgown made of flannel fabric.
Askin' for a miracle
She's praying for something good to happen.
Hopin' she's not right
She's hoping that her fears are unfounded.
Prayin' it's the weather
She's hoping that the storm is the reason why he's delayed.
That's kept him out all night
The storm must have prevented him from coming home that night.
And the thunder rolls
The sound of thunder can be heard, adding to her anxiety.
Oh and the thunder rolls
The sound of thunder continues to be heard.
Thunder rolls
The sound of thunder can be heard again.
And the lightnin' strikes
A lightning bolt flashes across the sky, illuminating the area.
Another love grows cold
Their love is fading.
On a sleepless night
They can't sleep because of the storm and their worry.
As the storm blows on
The storm continues to rage.
Out of control
The situation is getting worse.
Deep in her heart
In her soul, she knows something's wrong.
The thunder rolls
The sound of thunder can still be heard, underscoring their trouble.
She's waitin' by the window
She's standing by the window, watching and waiting for him.
When he pulls into the drive
She sees him when he arrives home.
She rushes out to hold him
She runs out to embrace him, relieved that he's okay.
Thankful he's alive
She's grateful that he made it home safely.
But on the wind and rain
In the wind and rain, something is different.
A strange new perfume blows
She smells a perfume on him that she doesn't recognize.
And the lightnin' flashes in her eyes
The lightning illuminates their faces, making everything clear.
And he knows that she knows
He realizes that she's picked up on the scent of the other woman.
And the thunder rolls
The sound of thunder can still be heard, echoing the tension between them.
And the thunder rolls
The sound of thunder continues to be heard.
Thunder rolls
The sound of thunder can be heard again.
And the lightnin' strikes
A lightning bolt flashes across the sky, indicating the tension between them.
Another love grows cold
Their love is dying because of his infidelity.
On a sleepless night
They're both awake and can't sleep because of their issues.
As the storm blows on
The storm is still raging, reflecting their turbulent emotions.
Out of control
Their love is out of control and can't be repaired.
Deep in her heart
In her soul, she knows that their relationship is over.
The thunder rolls
The sound of thunder underscores their pain and heartbreak.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Patrick Alger, Garth Brooks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blue_ismymood
I recently decided to give a chance to country music and now THIS ONE IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS!!
@Ayookd293
Fuckin classic
@SamanthaAllen-sj1cd
It's about time I found the original song
@thesadistgod
I don't even listen to country music, but this was a favorite of my mom's and numerous road trips made it a favorite of mine too.
@MaciMTrainedChaser
"Deep in her heart, the thunder rolls." My spirit put in one sentence quite literally. I'm a female storm chaser
@okiesboss1796
Me too. Hubby and I chase together. Our friends think we are crazy.๐คช
@MaciMTrainedChaser
@@okiesboss1796 We are crazy ๐คฃ
@bussinnutsfuckinbutts5368
Goated profession
@darlenehibben5623
Sitting on my back porch listening to your song and the storms are in the back ground here in Claremore Oklahoma. What a moment...
@austinwalter871
Iโm from claremore I live there I love this song is great it gives me chills