So the THOR movie is almost upon us and appears to be getting halfway decent reviews too. Good old Kenneth Branagh, eh? I won't be seeing it for a while, but in honour of the God of Thunder, what better than a Top Ten Thunder songs?
If you're really good, we'll do lightning next week.
Special mentions go to Thunder, Thunderthighs, Thunderclap Newman... and (thanks to Rob), Thor himself... with Thunder On The Tundra! (Nice hammer.)
10. Kiss - God Of Thunder ( From Greatest Hits
)The most appropriate record on the list, if not the best, though Kiss seem to be confusing Thor with Elvis... he's not just the God of Thunder, he's also the God of Rock 'n' Roll. And a very naughty boy too, no doubt.
9. Leo Sayer - Thunder In My Heart ( From The Show Must Go On: The Very Best Of Leo Sayer
)Man, that is one serious 'do, Leo.
I can't help but think of Kenny Everett while watching this video.
8.Alphabeat - 10,000 Nights Of Thunder ( From This is Alphabeat
)I know absolutely zilch about Alphabeat, but this record found its way onto my radar a couple of years back and it's not an unpleasant way to spend 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
This is the first time I've ever seen the video though... and if I didn't know better, I'd swear the (male) lead singer was a young Chris Morris.
7. John Cougar Mellencamp - Thundering Hearts ( From American Fool
)Back when he was just a Cougar, JM took a motorcycle ride through the valley of the Thundering Hearts, and this was the result.
Louise recently bought Guitar Hero for her wii. Yes, we've jumped on board the Guitar Hero craze just as everybody else jumped off it (or maybe not). Anyway, one of our favourite songs to play, from Guitar Hero 5, is JCM's Hurts So Good. Just in case you were wondering.
6. The Kinks - Johnny Thunder
From my favourite Kinks album, The Village Green Preservation Society
, the songs takes its name from the same DC Comics character that also christened the late New Yorks Dolls guitarist.
5. Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) ( From All The Best
)From the movie Mad Max 3 - Beyond Thunderdome (1985) [DVD]
- now there's a killer idea... Thor vs. Max Rockatansky. (Not in 3D.) C'mon, Hollywood - make it happen!4. ACDC - Thunderstruck ( From The Razor's Edge
)Featured in the soundtrack to Iron Man 2
(although the soundtrack to Iron Man 2 was pretty much a crass exercise at shifting a Greatest Hits album for a band that never does Greatest Hits albums). Still worth getting your old school uniform on for...
3. Tom Jones - Thunderball ( From Best of Bond...James Bond
)Another soundtrack favourite. Tom Jones allegedly fainted while singing the last line in the recording studio, so much thunder did he put into his performance. Big girl's blouse.
2. Prince - Thunder
Here's a story I might have told before.
Thunder is the opening track to the album Diamonds And Pearls
. I remember buying the CD as soon as it came out and rushing home to listen to it. Realising I had to work that night, I decided to copy the CD onto cassette to listen to in my car on the way (this was 1991, so forgive me for not having an in-car CD player). To make sure the album filled the cassette, I programmed the CD player to repeat-play then left it recording while I went to have my tea. I returned, picked up the cassette, and set off to work. Thunder was a great opening track and I was really enjoying it... but, boy, did it go on. I was halfway to work before I started to get a little bored of it - how long was this track anyway? Was track 2 ever going to begin?No. It wasn't. Because rather than repeat-play the whole album, I'd set the cassette to record repeat-play just track 1... and filled an entire C90 with it. A great song then... but perhaps not one you want to hear for an hour and a half solid.
1. Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road ( From Born To Run
)There is a constant debate going on in my head about which is my favourite Bruce Springsteen song. This is always one of the top contenders, and therefore has a pretty good chance of getting into my Top Ten Favourite Songs of ALL TIME.
The screen door slams
Mary's dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Do you have thunder in your heart? What song's it playing?
(Attention, Thor-fans, I reviewed Thor Visionaries Walt Simonson Volume 1 over at Comics On The Ration last week. Go there and say hi to Rob.)
