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.
When I
Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ancient footprints are everywhere.
You can almost think that you're seein' double
On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs.
Got to hurry on back to my hotel room,
Where I've got me a date with pretty little girl from Greece
She promised she'd be there with me
Oh, the hours we've spent inside the Coliseum,
Dodging lions and wastin' time.
Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see 'em,
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb.
Train wheels runnin' through the back of my memory,
When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese.
Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody
When I paint my masterpiece.
Sailin' 'round the world in a dirty gondola.
Oh, to be back in the land of Coca-Cola!
Well I left Rome and landed in Brussels,
On a plane ride so bumpy that I almost cried.
Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin' muscles,
Everyone was there to greet me when I stepped inside.
Newspapermen eating candy
Had to be held down by big police.
But someday, everything is gonna be different
When I paint that masterpiece.
The lyrics of Thunder's song "When I Paint My Masterpiece" are a vivid illustration of an artist's journey in search of fulfillment in the form of a painting. The song begins with a description of the streets of Rome that are filled with rubble and ancient footprints, and the singer's feelings of seeing double on a cold dark night on the Spanish Stairs. The song implies that the journey towards fulfilling one's dreams is fraught with difficulties and obstacles that must be overcome.
The singer hurries back to the hotel room where he has a date with a pretty girl from Greece, who has promised she will be with him when he paints his masterpiece. The imagery of the girl from Greece could be symbolic of the inspiration a person needs for their creation. The hours spent inside the Coliseum dodging lions and wasting time represent the struggles and hardships that must be endured on the path to creative fulfillment. The singer describes watching mighty kings of the jungle and finding it hard to see them, enhancing the idea that even great struggles can be difficult to endure.
The singer mentions the train wheels running through the back of his memory when he ran on a hilltop following a pack of wild geese. This could be interpreted as the relentless pursuit of artistic expression, driven by a sense of instinct and passion. The song concludes with the singer sailing around the world in a dirty gondola and longing to be back in the land of Coca-Cola. This could represent the longing for familiarity and comfort that one feels on a difficult journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble
Rome has been through tough times, as evidenced by the debris and fragments lining its streets.
Ancient footprints are everywhere.
The historical richness of Rome is palpable, with remnants of its ancient past scattered throughout.
You can almost think that you're seein' double
The multitude of artifacts and ruins in Rome can make one feel as though they are experiencing deja vu or hallucinating.
On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs.
The setting of the artist's experience in Rome was particularly atmospheric, with darkness and coldness heightening the senses.
Got to hurry on back to my hotel room,
The artist is anxious to return back to their hotel, implying they may not feel completely safe or at home in Rome.
Where I've got me a date with pretty little girl from Greece
The singer has made plans with someone they find attractive and special enough to mention.
She promised she'd be there with me
The girl from Greece made a commitment to spend time with the singer.
When I paint my masterpiece.
Painting is a metaphor for the artist's creative endeavors or accomplishments, which they hope to achieve with the help of the girl from Greece.
Oh, the hours we've spent inside the Coliseum,
The artist and their companion have spent significant time exploring this famous landmark in Rome.
Dodging lions and wastin' time.
The danger and mundane nature of the artist's experience in the Coliseum led to a less-than-ideal experience.
Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see 'em,
The singer is not fond of animals, even if they are depicted as powerful and majestic.
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb.
Exploring Rome and other landmarks has taken significant effort and energy out of the artist.
Train wheels runnin' through the back of my memory,
The singer is reminded of a past experience involving trains.
When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese.
The singer recalls a fond memory of interacting with nature.
Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody
The singer holds out hope for a future that is free of the difficulties of the present and past.
When I paint my masterpiece.
The artist's creative endeavors or accomplishments will signify the smoothed-out future they hope to experience.
Sailin' 'round the world in a dirty gondola.
The artist is reminiscing about a past tour of Venice in a less-than-pleasant boat.
Oh, to be back in the land of Coca-Cola!
The singer misses the familiarity and comforts of home.
Well I left Rome and landed in Brussels,
The singer has moved on from their experience in Rome and transitioned to a new location.
On a plane ride so bumpy that I almost cried.
The artist's transition to Brussels was plagued by travel troubles and discomfort.
Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin' muscles,
The artist is describing the interesting people they have encountered in Brussels, ranging from religious figures to athletic young women.
Everyone was there to greet me when I stepped inside.
The artist has received a warm welcome to Brussels.
Newspapermen eating candy
The singer observes something curious in the behavior of others.
Had to be held down by big police.
The behavior of the newspapermen was disruptive and had to be quelled by law enforcement.
But someday, everything is gonna be different
The singer remains optimistic for a better future.
When I paint that masterpiece.
The singer's accomplishments will ultimately shape their future and fulfill their creative potential.
Lyrics © AUDIAM, INC
Written by: BOB DYLAN, DYLAN BOB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SevenFunFacts
1:00 Me attacking flying cockroach.
1:04 Me trying to kill cockroach when it fell on floor.
1:11 Me when he not dead and started to climb my leg.
@randomico7632
haaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
@jadenchen8921
Lol
@liamliam3138
RX Stormborn greatest comment ever I'm serious
@absolutememe7509
🤣🤣
@user-qi4mg5no4k
XXXXXXDDDDDDDDDD LOLOLOLOLOL WTF!!!
@chicken
Its March 2024, let's see how many legends are listening to this incredible song💙
@frostmonster
Mr Chicken ❤
@antiprime4665
its garbage
@interdev
IMAGINE DRAGONS HAVE HIDDEN TALENT! KEEP IT HIDDEN 🗣️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥