Number 20
Song & Artist: Lightning Crashes - Live
Album & Date: Throwing Copper - 26th April 1994
Nationality of band: American
Members at release: Patrick Dahlheimer (Bass Guitar - American), Chad Gracey (Drummer - American), Ed Kowalczyk (Vocals - American), Chad Taylor (Guitar - American)

YouTube:

My rant;

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I skip this track when it comes up. But only when I can't sit back, relax and enjoy the music taking me to a better time and place.

I have mentioned this before, but its my fucking blog so I'll mention it again. I cannot hear one second of this sensational track without being taken to the 1997 party at Matt P's place. It was a surreal moment where every part of my 18 years coalesced into one perfect moment, jumping up and down and singing this song with 15 other people and literally feeling the building move as we did so. I am still friends with most of the those people and probably always will be.

It also marked the last part of the make up / break up semi-relationship-type-thing I had with Aimie. Which in turn put me right off chicks in general for 2 years. There was the odd philosophical relationship with a goat during that time.... but that, once again, is another story...

Most of the time I can just enjoy this track for its own brilliance, sometimes I enjoy it for the memories, and sometime I just enjoy because it is my type of track.

Just a quick comment on the album, Throwing Copper. I think my brother Chris got it for Christmas 1994 and was listening to it all through our holiday in Whiritoa. I had picked up (I think) Kerosene Hat by Cracker, Twist by Dave Dobbyn, Smash by The Offspring and some others.  I remember asking him what he thought of the album and he said "Shit Towne is an alright track, and that's about it." Knowing Chris I figured I'd better give it a listen myself so I put it in the CD player in my car. This was when I had a Sony Discman with the suspension kit and cable with the cassette on it so it could be a car kit.

 

 

Anyway, enough of that, to the track itself.

It starts off slowly, but you instantly remember what it about to come. There is talk of placenta, angels, confusion, doctors, lightning and old people dying and then the pace picks up.

Then Kowalczyk unleashes a small piece of magic, The aaaangel closes her eeeyyeyeyeys....

Two minutes in and we pick up again. I can feel it.....

Two minutes 30 and we're up again, more power, more depth in the voice, (pale blue coloured eyes) and at three minutes we are fucking rocking ladies and gents.

We're into the centre of the earth and Kowalczyk's voice takes you away to place you probably aren't supposed to go.

Just before 4m and it takes a sadder clip, but then a roll of thunder chases the wind and we can feel it again. Music and lyrics combining for a monumental and deep moment that lasts and lasts and lasts.

There is no doubt that both singer and listener begin to feel it as this track pulses through to a short sharp conclusion.

The question remains, what does the term 'lightning crashes' mean? To me it always seems like this song is supposed be dark and awe filled. As if this track is the counterpoint to a massive life moment, and it happened at night, in a massive storm and you just can't get past it.

Bands: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)

11 - America
9 - England

Band Members Country of Origin: (multiple band entrys ARE counted twice)

40 - America
39 - England
2 - Germany
1 - Tanzania
1 - Australia

Decade Released

12 - 90's
4 - 70's
2 - 60's
1 - 00's
1 - 80's

Year Released

3 - 1991
3 - 1994
2 - 1997
2 - 1993
2 - 1995
2 - 1971
1 - 1975
1 - 1965
1 - 1979
1 - 1968
1 - 2006
1 - 1987


Genre:
7 - Alternative
4 - Grunge
4 - Rock
1 - Punk
1 - Glam Rock
1 - Post Grunge
1 - BritPop(Rock)
1 - Hard Rock