40 Songs About Thunder and Lightning

Thunder and Lightning Songs

Songs about thunder and lightning are usually in rock and metal styles. Thunder is a central theme in many of the tracks listed, but because that word is in the title doesn’t mean that the song’s subject exclusively deals with thunder. Let’s see if you are familiar with some of these songs.

1. “Thunderstruck”

Artist: AC/DC

Album: The Razors Edge

Year Released: 1990

Genre: Hard Rock Music, Heavy Metal Music

Facts About “Thunderstruck”

• AC/DC released “Thunderstruck” as the lead single from The Razors Edge album in 1990.
• Between 2009 and 2010, a computer virus that targeted the Iranian nuclear program included the song as part of its payload.
• Like many rock songs, this is about celebration and having fun.
• The song represents the same pleasant surprise that we feel when thunder strikes. It is one of the best songs about thunder and lightning.

2. “Thunder Road”

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Album: Born to Run

Year Released: 1975

Genre: Rock Music

Facts About “Thunder Road”

• Bruce Springsteen wrote and recorded “Thunder Road” in 1975 for his breakthrough album Born to Run.
• People were debating whether Bruce sang “Mary’s dress waves” or “Mary’s dress sways” in the 1975 song “Thunder Road.”
• Springsteen’s single serves as the opening track to his breakthrough hit album Born to Run.
• The song may have multiple meanings, but people think it is a song about growing up.
• On Thunder Road, Bruce helps Mary move on to a new and better beginning. She and Bruce are riding in a car to find the better life that both of them know exists. It’s a bumpy and rough road; that is why they call it the “Thunder Road.”

3. “Thunder Rolls”

Artist: Garth Brooks

Album: No Fences

Year Released: 1991

Genre: Country, Country Rock Music

Facts About “Thunder Rolls”

• Garth Brooks co-wrote and recorded the song “The Thunder Rolls” for his album No Fences in 1991.
• Tanya Tucker first recorded the song in 1989 but shelved it for some time until 1995, when it appeared on her self-titled box set. Her version includes a fourth verse that references infidelity and murder.
• The song is about a husband cheating on his wife, and even though she suspects, she does not know for sure until this night.
• “Thunder Road” is one of the greatest songs about thunder and lightning that showcases the idea of thunder rolling both inside and outside marriage.

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4. “Thunder and Lightning”

Artist: Thin Lizzy

Album: Thunder and Lightning

Year Released: 1983

Genre: Metal Music

Facts About “Thunder and Lightning”

• “Thunder and Lightning” is the self-titled album’s opening song written by Brian Downey and Phil Lynott.
• The song is one of the most amazing songs about thunder and lightning that conveys fighting.
• Some of the notable things about this song are its world-class guitar sounds.
• Although it’s brutal to think that this song makes you want to fight with bare hands, it is what it is.

5. “Thunder in My Heart”

Artist: Leo Sayer

Album: Thunder in My Heart

Year Released: 1977

Genre: Disco Music, Soft Rock Music

Facts About “Thunder in My Heart”

• Leo Sayer and Tom Snow wrote and recorded the song in 1977.
• They released a remixed dance version of the song in 2006 titled “Thunder in My Heart Again,” credited to Meck featuring Leo Sayer.
• DJ Meck (Craig Dimech) remixed “Thunder In My Heart” in 2006 and turned it into a dance mix after finding Sayer’s original vinyl in a Los Angeles record store.
• In this song, Leo Sayer is lovestruck by a woman he met just an hour ago, like thunder and lightning.

6. “Thunder Underground”

Artist: Ozzy Osbourne

Album: Ozzmosis

Year Released: 1995

Genre: Hard Rock Music

Facts About “Thunder Underground”

• The song has outstanding heavy guitar riffs.
• Music enthusiasts often viewed this Ozzy’s song about thunder and lightning as a criticism of the government and big business.
• There are 122 beats per minute in “Thunder Underground.”

7. “Lightning Strikes the Postman”

Artist: The Flaming Lips

Album: Clouds Taste Metallic

Year Released: 1995

Genre: Alternative/Indie Music

Facts About “Lightning Strikes the Postman”

• “Lightning Strikes the Postman” is the 10th track from the album Clouds Taste Metallic.
• Aereogramme covered “Lightning Strikes the Postman” on their album Seclusion.
• In the song, two people struggle to communicate effectively due to emotional forces as powerful as lightning and thunder that prevent them from doing so.

8. “God of Thunder”

Artist: Kiss

Album: Destroyer

Year Released: 1976

Genre: Heavy Metal Music

Facts About “God of Thunder”

• “God of Thunder” was a Kiss song from their 1976 album Destroyer that appeared on many of Kiss’ live albums, including the uptempo version featured on Alive II.
• The song uses several sound effects, including explosions, clapping, zippers, overdubbed audience chatter, and screaming children.
• “God of Thunder” is one of the funkiest rock songs about thunder and lightning as it talks about Paul’s dream to be a god of rock n’ roll named God of Thunder.
• It became one of Gene Simmons’ showcase songs over the years. He would usually perform it after doing the blood spew, making it an instant crowd favorite.

9. “Lightning Strikes”

Artist: Ozzy Osbourne

Album: The Ultimate Sin

Year Released: 1986

Genre: Rock Music

Facts About “Lightning Strikes”

• Ozzy Osbourne’s “Lightning Strikes” is the third and final single from his album The Ultimate Sin.
• The song has a great message and is one of the best rock and roll songs about thunder and lightning, showcasing Ozzy Osbourne’s love for rock music.
• “Lightning Strikes” is one of the songs about keeping the faith.

10. “Thunder and Lightning Polka”

Artist: Johann Strauss II

Album: Classics Vienna

Year Released: 1999

Genre: Classical Music

Facts About “Thunder and Lightning Polka”

• Johann Strauss, Vienna’s Waltz King, composed the thunderous and lightning-filled “Thunder and Lightning Polka.”
• It is one of the most popular polka ever written and depicts the power of nature through accents, sforzandi, and a percussion section.
• This fire and fury polka music shows off the good-natured side of bad weather with bass drum rumblings, bright cymbal crashes, and flashing woodwind figures.
• This piece would be perfect for a concert close since it has sudden accents and sforzandi that convey lightning and thunder.

11. “Distant Thunder”

Artist: Richard Clapton

Album: Richard Clapton

Year Released: 1948

Genre: Rock Music

Facts About “Distant Thunder”

• From 1989 to 1992, Clapton was without a recording contract and changed managers four times until he signed with Sony Music/Columbia Records to release “Distant Thunder” in May 1993.
• The title track combines references to the Gulf War of 1991 with images of broken relationships.

12. “Thunder”

Artist: Imagine Dragons

Album: Evolve

Year Released: 2017

Genre: Electropop, Synth-Pop, and Arena Rock Music

Facts About “Thunder”

• “Thunder” is the second single from the band Imagine Dragons’ third studio album, Evolve (2017), released by Interscope Records and Kidinakorner.
• Dan Reynolds dreamed of amazing things he wanted to do as a child, regardless of what people around him (who didn’t bother to dream) said or did.
• The idea behind the title “Thunder” is that he was like a “flash of light before the thunder when he was a kid.” He dreamed--there was that flash of light--but the rumbling thunder of success was on the way.
• The song’s lyrics are about the band (particularly lead singer Dan Reynolds) and how he overcame all the challenges in his life to become a global icon in the music industry.

13. “Heavy Metal Thunder”

Artist: Saxon

Album: Heavy Metal Thunder

Year Released: 2002

Genre: Heavy Metal Music

Facts About “Heavy Metal Thunder”

• “Heavy Metal Thunder” is the opening track from Saxon’s most excellent self-titled album released in 2002.
• This song, which is also the title of a documentary covering the band’s history, is an excellent choice if you like your music loud and especially if you like guitars.
• This cliche song comes from the song “Born To Be Wild” song. As a result of the line “heavy metal thunder,” this became the first popular song to use “heavy metal” and later used to reference hard rock.

14. “Storm”

Artist: Akira Ifukube

Album: Mothra Vs. Godzilla

Year Released: 1964

Genre: Instrumental Music

Facts About “Storm”

• Akira Ifukube was a Japanese classical composer born in 1914 and died in 2006, considered one of Japan’s greatest composers.
• Although the soundtrack is purely instruments, you can sense the message and its relationship with the terms thunder and lightning.

15. “Danger! High Voltage”

Artist: Electric Six

Album: Fire

Year Released: 2002

Genre: Dance Rock, Funk Rock Music

Facts About “Danger! High Voltage”

• “Danger! High Voltage” is one of the best-known songs about thunder and lightning by the Electric Six, a rock band in Detroit that often makes ridiculous music.
• “Danger! High Voltage” tells the story of two people who are inexplicably attracted to each other and, as a result, their kisses produce quite a bit of electricity.
• The New York Times described the song as “catchier than anything from the White Stripes.”

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This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2021 Ray