Musicians Danny Bowes, Harry James, and Luke Morley worked together in the 80s-era [tab]blues outfit Terraplane. After experiencing what Morley has called "a 'eureka' moment", the guys devised a high-energy British rock project directly inspired by the likes of Bad Company, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin. The aptly named Thunder spent a year or so in constant touring and gradually built a positive reputation that helped its debut album, named Backstreet Symphony, reach a wide audience. Released 4 April 1990 by EMI / Geffen, it became an international success. The album didn't just get RIAA certified as 'Gold' but earned them a spot on BBC's 'Top of the Pops', playing their hard-edged version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" to a global audience. A well-received performance at Castle Donington's 'Monsters of Rock' event before gigantic crowds brought it home to the guys how far they'd broken through.
After touring with female-fronted rockers Heart and other artists with the same style, the guys prepared the second album, which they ominously titled Laughing on Judgement Day. Despite their deliberately 'retro' sound quite unlike the alternative and post-punk trends of the time (or, in fact, precisely because of their sticking to their guns), their sophomore album achieved even more success. Released on 24 August 1992, it proved an even bigger hit in the U.K. than their debut, reaching the number two slot on the nation's top albums chart. Its singles include "Everybody Wants Her" and "Low Life in High Places", the titles alone showing Thunder's interest in classic rock n' roll hedonism.
Bassist "Snake" Luckhurst left the band citing 'personal differences', a move that wasn't just Thunder's first line-up change but a sign of future turmoil to come. He got replaced by Swedish musician Mikael Höglund, and the band went on to record their third album, 1995's Behind Closed Doors, before facing a dilemma with their label. Finding that "most of the people who'd been there at the beginning of our tenure had moved on", as Morley put it, as well as that talk of a contract extension had terms that they simply couldn't accept, Thunder jumped from EMI.
Despite being championed by U.S. contemporaries such as Aerosmith and Guns n' Roses, the guys still faced a tough time making a lasting impact 'across the pond'. Though focused on pumping out more and more material, Morley later remarked that the mid-90s found Thunder "suffering from 'hamster in the wheel' syndrome". Mikael Höglund was unavailable for recording the band's fourth album, called The Thrill of it All, and so the 1996 release had bass duty left with Morley. For the subsequent tour, the band recruited bassist Chris Childs, who stayed with the band to record their fifth album. Although Giving the Game Away, released in 1999, earned a positive fan response, it had become totally clear how Thunder had disconnected from a record industry whose connected network of radio stations, TV networks, and music magazines dismissed the guys' sort of melodic hard rock as either endangered or extinct.
In Autumn of that year, the group announced an upcoming split, and their final tour concluded in May 2000. Still, Thunder's interest in new technology and the continuing camaraderie felt among the band's members meant that they didn't drop off the radar. After being given a slot in the 2002 'Monsters of Rock' shows, Thunder decided to return in 2003 with a new album, titled Shooting at the Sun, which the guys released on their own record label. Fully embracing the internet's ability to unite hard rock fans across the globe, 2005 resulted in the band's seventh album, aptly titled The Magnificent Seventh! by the guys. It earned praise from many critics, with musicOMH writer Neil Daniels remarking that the "terrific return to form" seemed like "a hard-hitting giant but with fists of steel and cast iron balls".
Feeling vindicated, the group's album managed to produce a return to the top 40 singles charts and spawned a bunch of live performances. After two well-received tours in 2006, with many gigs completely selling out, and two gleeful experiences in Japan, the band captured that live feel in the DVD Thunder Go Mad in Japan. The release included a documentary piece following the band's situation setting everything up and trying to sort out all of the traveling. That year additionally saw the guys releasing their eight studio album, titled Robert Johnson's Tombstone, which featured nods to the musicians' early history before Thunder's very formation. Receiving acclaim from critics and fans alike, some even claimed that the album was Thunder's best studio release yet. A U.K. tour took place at the end of November 2006, with the band extending things into shows in Europe as well.
The 2000s represented not only a period of frequent touring but also increasing musical activities by the guys outside of the band. Thunder's career renaissance continued with a 2008 studio album, which the guys simply titled Bang!, and the group's appearance with Def Leppard and Whitesnake at multiple gigs that same year. The group had found itself coming up to its twenty-year anniversary. Although not experiencing the same kind of personal conflicts or debates about musical direction that many of their contemporaries had, Thunder still appeared to have reached a kind of inflection point. In early 2009, the guys announced plans to split for the second time. Final tours and festival appearances occurred throughout the rest of the year. A well-received compilation album, called simply The Very Best of Thunder, came out as well that year.
Luke Morley stressed "only a fool would say never" when it came to talk of getting back together at some point. Still, he'd gotten focused on other endeavors and particularly dedicated himself to working on The Union, an outfit formed with musician Peter Shoulder (formerly of Winterville). Featuring a blues and soul drenched sound, that band has achieved significant critical acclaim. Other ex-Thunder members perused similar projects. Drummer Gary "Harry" James, for example, played with progressive rockers Magnum (including on their popular 2011 release The Visitation).
Thunder briefly reunited for the 'High Voltage Festival', held in Victoria Park, in 2011. Though expressing their reluctance to formally get back together, the guys agreed to future shows together, including a December performance at Nottingham's 'Rock City' venue. They intermittently took to the stage as the 2010s went on yet remained committed to their alternate projects.
In 2015, however, Thunder announced a full return with an upcoming studio album of new material. A tongue-in-cheek collective statement cited "a rather silly amount of knob-twiddling and string-pulling" as the final inspiration. The release of Wonder Days earned a warm response from critics and fans alike (the fellows at Classic Rock magazine, for example, naming it one of the year's 11 best albums), and multiple gigs got announced to preform the new material. 2017's Rip It Up was also well-received (the record's #3 spot on the U.K. Albums Chart was the highest the band reached for over two decades). This was followed with an acoustic selection, Please Remain Seated, after which the band promised to return to the "full throttle sound of Thunder" for the next studio record.
Delayed due to the pandemic situation, that full throttle new album was released in March 2021, All The Right Noises.
UK rockers Thunder will be releasing a new double album titled Dopamine on April 29, 2022.
Official Website: http://www.thunderonline.com/
2) - Thunder was additionally used by an obscure funk-based Southern rock band from the U.S. Their 1974 self-tiled album picked up some attention but failed to break through commercially. It's hard to find information about the group, but a bit is known given how it served as a stepping stone in the career of popular Texan singer-songwriter and guitarist John Nitzinger. The 1974 album is described on Discogs.com here.
3) - Thunder is the name of a defunct Pagan Black Metal band from Poland, formed in 1994.
4) - Thunder is the name of a German heavy metal band, that released 'All I Want' in 1984.
I'm Dreaming Again
Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was everything, part of who I am, my one big regret
Cos it's over now, but a part of me's still waiting
Though I couldn't tell you why
When I feel the touch of your hand, but there's no-one around
I know that I'm dreaming
When I wake up to find it's only me and the night
Oh whoa.
I see your face in a crowded place, time after time
and I take it hard, cos it's just my heart playing tricks on my mind
Cos it's over now
But there no use complaining
I've only got myself to blame
When I get the feeling you're near, but there's nobody here
I know that I'm dreaming
And when you call out my name, like a ghost in my brain
I know that I'm dreaming again
Oh, whoa
Cos it's over now, and there ain't no use complaining
I've only got myself to blame
When I feel the touch of your hand, but there's no-one around
I know that I'm dreaming
When I wake up to find it's only me and the night
I know that I'm dreaming again
I know that I'm dreaming
When you call out my name, like a ghost in my brain
I know that I'm dreaming again
I must be dreaming
I feel you cal out my name
Thunder's song "I'm Dreaming Again" tells a story of a man who is haunted by the memory of a woman who was once his everything. The first verse introduces the woman that the singer can't forget, and how she has become a part of who he is, but also his biggest regret. Even though it's over between them, he still finds himself waiting for her, without being able to express why. The chorus establishes the theme of the song, with the singer realizing that he's dreaming whenever he feels her presence next to him, but wakes up to the reality that she's not there.
The second verse further explores the man's situation, as he sees her face in a crowded place, and has a difficult time accepting that it's only his heart playing tricks on his mind. He acknowledges that it's over now and there's no use in complaining, but takes the responsibility of blaming himself for still holding on to her. The bridge expresses a defeatist attitude as the singer once again feels her touch but realizes she's not there, and when he hears her calling his name, it's like a ghost in his brain. The final chorus summarizes the song's message, with the singer accepting that he's dreaming again and feeling her call out his name.
Overall, "I'm Dreaming Again" is a powerful song that showcases the way a past love can linger in someone's mind and torment them relentlessly. It's a relatable theme that has been present in many classic love songs, and Thunder do a great job of expressing the emotions through their lyrics and melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold water eyes, blue as cartoon skies I can't forget
I vividly remember her eyes, as crystal clear and bright as the blue skies in cartoons.
She was everything, part of who I am, my one big regret
She meant the world to me, a part of my identity that I can't let go of, despite the pain it brings.
Cos it's over now, but a part of me's still waiting
Our relationship has ended, but a part of me still hopes for a reunion.
Though I couldn't tell you why
I don't understand the reason for my longing, but it's deeply ingrained in my heart.
When I feel the touch of your hand, but there's no-one around
In my dreams, I sense your touch, even though you're not physically there.
I know that I'm dreaming
I am aware that my experience is only a dream, not reality.
When I wake up to find it's only me and the night
Upon waking up, I realize that the dream was only a figment of my imagination, and I am alone with the darkness of the night.
Oh whoa.
An expression of feeling overwhelmed or lost in thought.
I see your face in a crowded place, time after time
I keep imagining seeing you in a crowd, repeatedly and to the point of obsession.
and I take it hard, cos it's just my heart playing tricks on my mind
It hurts me deeply because I know it's only my heart deceiving me, and I can't help it.
But there no use complaining
There's no point in complaining about the situation.
I've only got myself to blame
I am responsible for my own feelings and actions, and I must accept that fact.
When I get the feeling you're near, but there's nobody here
I have a sensation of your presence, even though you're not physically present.
And when you call out my name, like a ghost in my brain
In my dream, you call out my name, haunting my thoughts.
Oh, whoa
An expression of feeling overwhelmed or lost in thought.
Cos it's over now, and there ain't no use complaining
Our relationship is over, and there's no point in complaining about what can't be undone.
When I feel the touch of your hand, but there's no-one around
In my dreams, I experience the sensation of your touch, even though you're not physically present.
I know that I'm dreaming
I recognize that my experience is only a dream and not reality.
When I wake up to find it's only me and the night
Upon waking up, I realize that the dream was only a figment of my imagination, and I am alone with the darkness of the night.
I know that I'm dreaming
I am aware that my experience is only a dream, not reality.
When you call out my name, like a ghost in my brain
In my dreams, I hear you call out my name, like a ghostly presence in my thoughts.
I know that I'm dreaming again
I recognize that my experience is repeating, and I am still lost in a dream world instead of reality.
I must be dreaming
I am certain that my experience is only a dream.
I feel you call out my name
In my dream, I sense your voice saying my name.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LUKE MORLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
beerymon
one the greatest british rock bands ever ....
gitarduden
awesom ballad! these guys still got it! they should be more famous..
Valgoodkarma Moonbeam Scantlebury
I have played this song non stop since 8.30 am today. ffs this band is amazing.
MarkoRollo
This song is so flipping true, I feel like I lived it, she even had 'cold water eyes'
Rafa Csj
I love this one... WTF, I love this album, it's great!!!
paula Johnson
Thunder Rockz.... Awesome lyrics...
Kathy
I know the guys of Thunder... totally awesome and very sweet! The last time i met Thunder was on the 31st July. And in October i see them again..yeahhh I love it to play this song on guitar!
Kevin OSullivan
Thunder Rocks! :)
Axel Rosenberg
No doubt about it: Thunder ARE still famous (again). New album in 2015!
This song is dedicated to Petra G. in germany----dreaming again
Andy Macleod
Wow, just sums these guys up!!!!!