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.
Wonderland
Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
Oh we're happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Gone away is the bluebird,
Here to stay is a new bird
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
When you're in town.
Later on, we'll conspire,
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid,
All the plans that we've made,
Walking in a winter wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman,
Until the other kiddies knock him down.
When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
The song "Winter Wonderland" by Thunder is a classic Christmas song that talks about the wonders of winter and the activities associated with it. The opening line, "Sleigh bells ring, are you listening," sets the tone for the song that is perfect for winter festivities. It talks about the beauty of winter, with snow glistening in the lane.
The verse mentions a new bird that has come to stay and is singing a song to go along while walking in a winter wonderland. The song paints a picture of a winter wonderland with snowmen, pretending that they are Parson Brown, and experiencing the joys of winter with friends and loved ones.
The song also talks about taking some time to reflect and dream about the future, sitting by the fire with family and loved ones. The final verse encourages frolicking and playing Eskimo style during the winter, which makes the song a perfect addition to any winter playlist.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
The jingling sounds of the sleigh bells and the serene surroundings demand our attention and make us listen.
In the lane, snow is glistening
The snow in the lane sparkles and shines like tiny diamonds, adding to the beauty of this winter wonderland.
A beautiful sight,
The whole world covered in snow is a magnificent sight that's hard to miss.
Oh we're happy tonight.
The joy and happiness of being in this magical winter wonderland fill our hearts and souls with contentment.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Strolling around in this winter wonderland becomes a memorable experience that we wish to cherish forever.
Gone away is the bluebird,
The bluebird, a symbol of happiness and sunshine, has left us, and we're left with winter's cold winds.
Here to stay is a new bird
However, a new bird has come to replace the bluebird, symbolizing hope and new opportunities.
He singing a song,
The new bird is singing a tune that brings us joy and fills us with warmth.
As we go along,
We walk along the lane, and the bird's melody is our guide, filling our hearts with cheer and optimism.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
The song keeps us company, and we continue walking, admiring the beauty of the winter wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
We take advantage of the snow-covered meadow to make a snowman, a beloved winter tradition that brings us closer to nature.
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
We imagine our snowman to be Parson Brown, a fictional character who is the officiant of marriages and can marry people.
He'll say: Are you married?
We pretend our snowman asked if we're married, as if he were a real parson performing a ceremony.
We'll say: No man,
We humorously reply to our imaginary snowman that we're not married.
But you can do the job
We tell the snowman that even though we're not married, he can perform the role of officiating our wedding.
When you're in town.
We invite our snowman to perform the marriage ceremony, suggesting that the ceremony will only occur if our snowman is around.
Later on, we'll conspire,
Later, we'll make secret plans and schemes like co-conspirators, just like people do by the fire in the winter season.
As we dream by the fire
When the snow gets too cold, we retreat along with our plans to escape the cold, by the warmth of the fire.
To face unafraid,
Together, we'll tackle the challenges and adversities that life may bring without fear or apprehension.
All the plans that we've made,
We created plans, having faith in each other, and no uncertainty will prevent us from succeeding.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
We resurface from the fire craving the refreshing chill of winter and continue walking around this stunning wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
We're determined to not let the cold weather affect our fun and games, so we make another snowman in the meadow.
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We become creative and pretend our snowman is a circus clown, giving him a personality and life of its own.
We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman,
We take delight in playing with our snowy companion, creating memories and enjoying the natural beauty around us.
Until the other kiddies knock him down.
The other children in the area could ruin our fun by accidentally or intentionally knocking down our snowman.
When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Experiencing the first snowfall of the year is quite exhilarating, adding to the excitement and adventure of the winter season.
Though your nose gets a chilling
The biting cold air of winter can also cause discomfort to our body parts, including the nose.
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
But even then, we will embrace the winter weather and play the way the Eskimos do; wild and uncontrolled, focusing on the joy that everyone derives from it.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
And so, we continue walking and reveling in the beauty of this winter wonderland until it's time to return to our lives.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Kanjian Music
Written by: Richard B. Smith, Felix Bernard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@steblair
Brings back so manny memories! This was the very first roller coaster I ever rode. I was 6 years old. I’m 34 years old today. I can’t wait to bring my kids on this ride.
@MrJasonArtz
Also my first roller-coaster, when I was 7. Great memories 😇😊
@the_guy_from_fortnite1
My 3rd, DONT RIDE CLOCKWERKS
@midrange18
This ride could use a make over. The lighting effects that could be used for this ride are endless.
@sam_scram
What about the choo choo in the beginning of the ride 😢
@mayariver
Sophia Dunkley yes
@tman1276
Ya
@HBoywasdocile
Not all workers do that
@sam_scram
@@HBoywasdocile that's verry disappointing 😧
@HBoywasdocile
@@sam_scram dont worry most do. But some forget