For My Sunday Song #301, we are kicking off the next 10 song set with Aerosmith and first up is “Lightning Strikes” off their 1982 album ‘Rock in a Hard Place’. The song was released as a single on August 27, 1982 and is noted as the only charted song the band had without Joe Perry in the band. This had Jimmy Crespo on guitar who replaced Joe after he left in 1979. The song went to #21 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart.

The song was written by Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo and Richie Supa (who replaced Joe first before the full time replacement was found in Crespo). It is basically about a gang fight. Not any old gang fight, it seems like an old 50’s/60’s style fight with leather jackets and knives. It is only missing Fonzi!! All seriousness aside, it does capture the toughness on the streets and has a solid story.

This is one of the best Aerosmith songs of all time…Sorry…but it is…get over it!! “Lightning Strikes” has this slow build up that explodes in to this rough and tumble, balling and brawling masterpiece. The song is heavy, it is tough, it is mean and it is fan”freaking”tastic! It actually starts off with some keyboard before Joey slams down some drum beats then the guitar slowly build in with more Joey fills. Steven sounds like he is ready to rumble which makes sense it is about gang fighting. It even ends with some Thunder rolling in. This was the only song Brad Whitford appeared for the album and it was as rhythm guitar since Crespo did the solo .

This is the first real music video the band had ever done. I remember seeing it on MTV and loved the song so much!! Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. I hope you like it as much as I do. Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a Happy Sunday!

“Lightning Strikes”

The boys and Dukes are ready to rumble
The word on the street some heads are gonna tumble
Blades gonna flash when the street gangs clash
In this avenue tonight

When the lightning strikes

Zip gun Johnny’s finger is itchin’
Oh the lid’s gonna blow up in hell’s kitchen
It’s an eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
They’re so ruthless when they fight

When the lightning strikes…Oooooh

And it’s a free for all in the parking lot
Tell me who will rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat

And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they’ll read your funeral rights

When the lightning strikes

Uum…it’s dog eat dog when you’re meetin’ your rival
In the combat zone it’s a means of survival
Gonna get last licks on a suicide blitz
On a cloak and dagger night

When the lightning strikes

Oooh…it’s a free for all in the parking lot
Over who’ll rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat

And the chains they crash like a thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they’ll read your funeral rights

Oooh, oooh…

When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
Can’tcha hear the thunder
When the Lightning Strikes
Can’tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can’tcha, can’tcha, can’tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can’tcha, can’tcha, can’tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can’tcha, can’tcha, can’tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can’tcha, can’tcha, can’tcha hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes

Written by Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo and Richie Supa