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.
You Can't Live Your Life In A Day
Thunder Lyrics
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He told me how his life was gonna change
All the reaching for the skies
And dreams unrealised
Had left him alone with his pain
And he just couldn't face it again
I said didn't you believe in tomorrow ?
'cause today's just a scene in the play
But you can't live your life in a day
Fifteen years old and on the outside
You got your face against the window looking in
Old enough to see, but too young to be free
In a grown up world loaded with sin
And your folks they don't get your frustration
'cause they can't recall feeling that way
So you fight, and you hate, but you'll just have to wait
'cause you can't live your life in a day
It always seems like life went so fast when it's gone
But when you're waiting for something,
It drags on and on
You can't take no comfort
When everyone says
You'll look back and laugh at today
I said you believe in tomorrow ?
'Cause today's just one scene in the play
You might get some bad breaks and you'll male your mistakes
But you can't live your life in a day
'Cause tomorrow will always be coming
It's the one thing they can't take away
And you'll lose and you'll win
And you'll do it again
But you can't live your life in a day
No you can't live your life in a day
No you can't live your life in a day
The song "You Can't Live Your Life In A Day" by Thunder is about the importance of looking forward and not living too much in the present or the past. The lyrics describe two different situations where people struggle with this concept. In the first verse, the singer's friend is feeling overwhelmed by the weight of his past failures and dreams that were never realized. The singer offers him the advice that he needs to find hope in tomorrow, as today is just one part of the story – and to understand that setbacks and mistakes are natural, just as they are a part of everyone's story.
In the second verse, the song speaks to the experience of being a teenager and feeling held back by the restrictions of adulthood. The singer acknowledges that it's frustrating for the young person to feel as though their parents don't understand where they are coming from, but reminds them to keep looking to the future, as no matter how long it takes, it is inevitable that tomorrow will come. The chorus of the song reinforces the main message: you can't live your life in a single day. There will always be more days to come, and it's important to look forward.
Many people can relate to the message of the song, as it's easy to feel bogged down by mistakes or trapped by the present. However, Thunder asserts that it's important to have hope for the future, and to remember that every day is just one small part of the larger story. The song is set to a driving rock beat, making it a powerful anthem for anyone who needs a reminder to keep pushing forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Talking to a friend of mine this morning
I spoke with my friend this morning
He told me how his life was gonna change
He shared that his life was going to change
All the reaching for the skies
Striving for greatness
And dreams unrealised
Unfulfilled aspirations
Had left him alone with his pain
Caused him emotional anguish
And he just couldn't face it again
He was afraid to confront it again
I said didn't you believe in tomorrow ?
I questioned if he had hope for the future
'cause today's just a scene in the play
Today is just one part of the bigger picture
You might get some bad breaks and you'll make your mistakes
You will encounter obstacles and make errors
But you can't live your life in a day
You can't rush or expect instant results
Fifteen years old and on the outside
Being young and feeling excluded
You got your face against the window looking in
Feeling like an outsider looking in on adult life
Old enough to see, but too young to be free
Mature enough to recognize life's complexities, but not yet independent
In a grown up world loaded with sin
Existence in an imperfect, adult world
And your folks they don't get your frustration
Your parents fail to understand your struggle
'cause they can't recall feeling that way
They lack empathy because they can't remember their own youth
So you fight, and you hate, but you'll just have to wait
You may struggle and resent your current situation, but patience is necessary
'cause you can't live your life in a day
You must learn to be patient and accept the process
It always seems like life went so fast when it's gone
Life appears to fly by once it's over
But when you're waiting for something,
Time drags on when anticipating something
It drags on and on
The waiting seems endless
You can't take no comfort
You can't find solace
When everyone says
Even when everyone else tries to console you
You'll look back and laugh at today
In the future, you may find humor in today's struggles
I said you believe in tomorrow ?
I asked if you had faith in the future
'Cause today's just one scene in the play
Today is just a part of the broader narrative
You might get some bad breaks and you'll male your mistakes
You may experience setbacks and errors
But you can't live your life in a day
You can't rush or expect immediate success
'Cause tomorrow will always be coming
The future is always on its way
It's the one thing they can't take away
The future is something that can't be lost
And you'll lose and you'll win
You'll experience both defeat and success
And you'll do it again
You'll continue to try and fail and try again
But you can't live your life in a day
Patience is necessary to achieve success
No you can't live your life in a day
You can't rush or force the process
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LUKE MORLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind