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 Love You More Than Rock
Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its time to speak the truth
You better believe it baby
Cos I know I got the proof
Cos I, I didn't catch your name
And I know it sounds insane
But I got reason to believe I was meant for you
Huh
Cos I love you more than rock n roll
Trust me baby
I think I love you more than rock n roll
Mmm
Its the way that you move baby
Such a dirty grind
Got a glimpse of tattoo baby
But I knew that you wouldn't mind
Cos I know its gotta be
And I, I gotta make u see
That I love you more than rock n roll
All my life
I think I love you more than rock n roll
Sing it one more time
I think I love u more than rock n roll
More than rock n roll
From the depths of my soul baby
Mmmm
Yeaheeyeah
So there you go baby
Is my intentions clear
And now that you know baby
There aint nothin to fear
Cos I never thort I'd say
What I've said today
I guess it goes to show you
That im sincere
Yeah
Cos I love you more than rock n roll
Can u feel it
I think I love you more than rock n roll
Yeah mmm
I love you more than rock n roll
Yeah yeah yeah
I think I love you more than rock n roll
Uhh
Mmmm
Come on now
Mmmm
Trust me
I love you more than rock n roll
Think I love you more than rock n roll
I love you more than rock n roll
Think I love you more than rock n roll
I love you more than rock n roll
Think I love you more than rock n roll
I love you more than rock n roll
Think I love you more than rock n roll
I love you more than rock n roll
Think I love you more than rock n roll
I love you more than rock n roll
Think I love you more than rock n roll
The lyrics of Thunder's song "I Love You More Than Rock and Roll" are a declaration of love that goes beyond the extravagance usually associated with rock and roll. The singer starts by urging the person he's addressing to listen to him and acknowledging it may sound insane, but he believes he was meant for her. He believes he has proof and assures her she'd better believe him. What follows then is a lyrical description of the woman's alluring attributes - her dirty grind, her tattoo - and a declaration of his love for her that goes beyond his love for the rock and roll music. In his view, she's "got into his soul," and he wishes to make her see that he loves her even more than he loves rock and roll.
A close reading of the lyrics reveals the singer's genuine feelings, and the fact that he is willing to be vulnerable and express his love genuinely. While rock and roll music is often associated with grand gestures and over the top expressions of love, the singer of this song makes it clear that his love for the woman goes beyond any music genre, and he wants her to know that he is sincere. He recognizes that he has never said words like these before, but he's willing to do so now because of the depth of his feelings.
In conclusion, "I Love You More Than Rock and Roll" is a love song that goes beyond the standard tropes of rock and roll music. It's a declaration of love that's sincere and vulnerable, and it underscores the depth of the singer's feelings for the woman he addresses. The lyrics, therefore, invite a deeper reflection on the nature of love and how it can go beyond any genre of music or cultural phenomena.
Line by Line Meaning
Better listen to me, baby
Listen carefully to what I'm about to say
It's time to speak the truth
I need to be honest with you
You'd better believe it baby
What I'm about to say is true and you should believe it
I know I've got the proof
I have evidence to support what I'm saying
'Cos I didn't catch your name
I don't know your name
And I know it sounds insane
What I'm about to say may sound crazy
But I've got reason to believe
I have valid reasons to think this way
I was meant for you
I feel like we are meant to be together
Cos I love you more than rock 'n' roll
I have deep feelings for you that surpass my love for rock 'n' roll
Trust me baby
Believe in me
It's the way that you move, baby
I'm attracted to your dance moves
Such a dirty grind
Your dancing style is provocative
Got a glimpse of tattoo, baby
I noticed your tattoo briefly
But I knew you wouldn't mind
I am aware that you aren't bothered by me noticing your tattoo
And I, I got to make you see
I need to show you how strong my feelings are
On my life
I swear that what I'm saying is true
Say it one more time
Repeat my love confession again
Kinda gets in my soul, baby
Your presence affects me deeply
So there you go, baby is my intention clear?
I hope you understand what I'm trying to communicate
And now that you know, baby, there ain't nothing to fear
You don't need to be scared of my feelings for you now that you know about them
I never thought I'd say, what I've said today
I never imagined I would confess my love for you today
I guess it goes to show you that I'm sincere
This proves that my feelings for you are genuine
Can you feel it?
Do you sense my deep emotions for you?
Yeah yeah, yeah
Expressing joy and excitement
I love you more than rock 'n' roll
My affection for you outweighs everything, even my love for rock 'n' roll music
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Luke Morley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@antudas7519
Better listen to me, baby
It's time to speak the truth
You'd better believe it baby
I know I've got the proof
'Cos I didn't catch your name
And I know it sounds insane
But I've got reason to believe
I was meant for you
Cos I love you more than rock 'n' roll
Trust me baby
I think I love you more than rock 'n' roll
It's the way that you move, baby
Such a dirty grind
Got a glimpse of tattoo, baby
But I knew you wouldn't mind
'Cos I know it's got to be
And I, I got to make you see
That I love you more than rock 'n' roll
On my life
I think I love you more than rock 'n' roll
Say it one more time
I love you more than rock 'n' roll
Kinda gets in my soul, baby
So there you go, baby is my intention clear?
And now that you know, baby, there ain't nothing to fear
'Cos I never thought I'd say, what I've said today
I guess it goes to show you that I'm sincere
'Cos I love you more than rock 'n' roll
Can you feel it?
I think I love you more than rock 'n' roll
I love you more than rock 'n' roll
Yeah yeah, yeah
I love you more than rock 'n' roll
@donaldjohnson3000
one of my old time favorite bands,and had a lot of really great tracks,from dirty love to the new album.great voice,great guitars.
@davids1700
Agree 110%
@YoastKaBoom
Fantastic band. I love all their music.
@silviaplank2066
agree and phenomenal live
@kemric
most underrated band of the last 100 years!
@locky1971
Top band,top song,great live band,and danny`s vocals are one of the best in the buisness,keep it up boys..see you soon again i hope.
@silviaplank2066
Thunder is for me one of the best bands ever..i have no favorite songs.. they rock all💯❤🔥
@Lisa-rj4nx
Love this band! Should have been much bigger in the States
@58LP
excellent band!, first class live show every time, seen em many times,one of the best vocalist's in rock ever, can't understand why they never reached the top.
@EliasSigSauer
Thunder... unbelievable!!! god save the band!!!