Lightning Strikes (Aerosmith song)

Last updated
"Lightning Strikes"
Song by Aerosmith
from the album Rock in a Hard Place
ReleasedAugust 27, 1982
Recorded1981
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal
Length4:26
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Lightning Strikes" is a song by the American hard rock band Aerosmith from their 1982 album Rock in a Hard Place . It is notable as Aerosmith's only charting song from the lineup without guitarist Joe Perry, who was replaced by Jimmy Crespo after he left the band in 1979.

Contents

The song was written by Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo and Richie Supa, a friend and collaborator of the band. Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford recorded his parts before leaving the band.

The song reached #21 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Music video

The band created one of their earliest actual music videos for MTV and other networks with this song. The music video was directed by Arnold Levine. [1] It flashes back and forth between the band performing in what appears to be a studio or small venue and then out on the streets, where the band members flash angry looks, and wield baseball bats, chains, knives, and other weapons, suggesting a fight is about to take place. The song also features fake lightning strikes during the transitions between the band's performance and the streets, and baseball bats striking melons in the air.

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerosmith</span> American rock band

Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums), and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has also incorporated elements of pop rock, heavy metal, glam metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many subsequent rock artists. Aerosmith is sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". The primary songwriting team of Tyler and Perry is sometimes referred to as the "Toxic Twins".

<i>Rocks</i> (Aerosmith album) 1976 studio album by Aerosmith

Rocks is the fourth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on 3 May 1976. AllMusic described Rocks as having "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking." Rocks was ranked number 366 on the updated Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020. It has greatly influenced many hard rock and heavy metal artists, including Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Nirvana. The album was a commercial success, charting three singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached the Top 40. The album was one of the first to ship platinum when it was released, and has since gone quadruple platinum.

<i>Draw the Line</i> (Aerosmith album) 1977 studio album by Aerosmith

Draw the Line is the fifth studio album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released on December 9, 1977. It was recorded between June–October in an abandoned convent near New York City. The portrait of the band on the album cover was drawn by the celebrity caricaturist Al Hirschfeld.

<i>Night in the Ruts</i> 1979 studio album by Aerosmith

Night in the Ruts is the sixth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on November 16, 1979 by Columbia Records. Guitarist Joe Perry left the band midway through the album's recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Whitford</span> American guitarist

Bradley Ernest Whitford is an American musician who is best known for serving as guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. He has also worked as a songwriter for the group, co-composing well-received tracks such as 1976's "Last Child".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walk This Way</span> 1975 single by Aerosmith

"Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album Toys in the Attic (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit singles for the band in the 1970s. In addition to being one of the songs that helped break Aerosmith into the mainstream in the 1970s, it also helped revitalize their career in the 1980s when it was covered by hip hop group Run-D.M.C. on their 1986 album Raising Hell. This cover was a touchstone for the new musical subgenre of rap rock, or the melding of rock and hip hop. It became an international hit, reaching number 4 on the Billboard charts and becoming the first hip hop single to reach the top five on the charts, and won both groups a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Single in 1987 Soul Train Music Awards. Both versions are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Aerosmith album) 1980 greatest hits album by Aerosmith

Greatest Hits, later re-released as Greatest Hits 1973–1988, is the first greatest hits compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released by Columbia Records on November 11, 1980.

<i>Rock in a Hard Place</i> 1982 studio album by Aerosmith

Rock in a Hard Place is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released on August 27, 1982, by Columbia Records. It was certified gold on November 10, 1989. It is the only Aerosmith album not to feature lead guitarist Joe Perry, following his departure from the band in 1979. Rhythm guitarist Brad Whitford also left during the recording in 1981. The band spent $1.5 million on the recording of this album, which saw them reunited with producer Jack Douglas.

"Boulevard of Broken Songs" is a popular mash-up mixed by American DJ and producer Party Ben in late 2004. The mix consists of elements from American rock band Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", English rock band Oasis's "Wonderwall", Scottish soft rock band Travis's "Writing to Reach You", and American rapper Eminem's "Sing for the Moment", which itself samples American hard rock band Aerosmith's "Dream On". "Sing for the Moment" was used solely because Party Ben did not have "Dream On" on hand and was on deadline for his Sixx Mixx radio show. Later versions used Aerosmith's original.

Jimmy Crespo is an American guitarist. He was the lead guitarist for Aerosmith from 1979 until 1984. He co-wrote "Rock in a Hard Place" with Steven Tyler, and has performed or recorded with Rod Stewart, Billy Squier, Meat Loaf, Stevie Nicks, Robert Fleischman, Rough Cutt, Renegade, Flame and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love in an Elevator</span> 1989 single by Aerosmith

"Love in an Elevator" is a song performed by American rock band Aerosmith, written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their third album with Geffen Records, Pump, released in September. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The RIAA certified it gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel (Aerosmith song)</span> 1988 single by Aerosmith

"Angel" is a power ballad by American rock band Aerosmith. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler and professional songwriting collaborator Desmond Child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink (song)</span> 1997 single by Aerosmith

"Pink" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler and professional songwriters Richie Supa and Glen Ballard. It was released as the third major single from Nine Lives in 1997.

"Nobody's Fault" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It is the sixth track on Aerosmith's fourth studio album Rocks, released in 1976. It was written by guitarist Brad Whitford and lead singer Steven Tyler. Whitford often cites it as his favorite Aerosmith song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fly Away from Here</span> 2001 single by Aerosmith

"Fly Away from Here" is a 2001 power ballad by Aerosmith. It was the second single on their album, Just Push Play. It was written by Aerosmith songwriters Marti Frederiksen and Todd Chapman. The song is a ballad about wanting to get away or escape with a loved one. It failed to make a significant impact on the charts, but did receive some airplay on adult contemporary varieties.

<i>Video Scrapbook</i> 1987 video by Aerosmith

Video Scrapbook is a video by American rock band Aerosmith, featuring live footage, promotional videos, and conversations between the band and their families. It was released on VHS in 1987 and laserdisc in 1990. There has yet to be a DVD release. In February 1988 the RIAA certified the release as Gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bitch's Brew</span> 1982 single by Aerosmith

"Bitch's Brew" is a song from hard rock band Aerosmith's seventh studio album, Rock in a Hard Place. It was the third track and the second single taken from the album. The single was released as a 12-inch vinyl for promotional purposes. It was the band's last single to be released by Columbia Records until 1997's Nine Lives.

<i>Tough Love: Best of the Ballads</i> 2011 greatest hits album by Aerosmith

Tough Love: Best of the Ballads is a 2011 compilation album by Aerosmith. The album was announced on March 30, 2011, and was released on Geffen Records on May 10, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Warming Tour</span> 2012–14 concert tour by Aerosmith

The Global Warming Tour, by American hard rock band Aerosmith, included 82 concert performances across North America, Oceania, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

<i>Music from Another Dimension!</i> 2012 studio album by Aerosmith

Music from Another Dimension! is the fifteenth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released on November 6, 2012, by Columbia Records. Their first studio album since 2004's Honkin' on Bobo, as well as the first to feature all-new material since 2001's Just Push Play, its release marks the longest gap between Aerosmith's studio albums. The album was released in a single CD edition, along with a deluxe version. It is the last album in Aerosmith's recording contract with Sony/Columbia Records and was produced by Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, and Marti Frederiksen. It is also their longest studio album with total track time of nearly 68 minutes.

References

  1. Darling, Cary (1983-01-22). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 36.