If this be Thor's Day...!
(Well, it will be for me as we're going to see the movie tonight. In 2D, the way it's meant to be seen.)
Thor may well be the God of Thunder (hence last week's Top Ten Thunder Songs), but he's more often illustrated with lightning - thunder being hardly the most visual of elements.
And so... here's my Top Ten favourite Lightning Songs...
10. Tom McRae - I Ain't Scared Of Lightning
Arguably Tom McCrae's best album, his eponymous debut
closes with this short burst of defiance...If they gave degrees for cheating destiny
Then man, I've got a first
9. Bruce Springsteen - Dry Lightning
Despite the fact that The Grapes of Wrath
is one of my favourite novels, The Ghost Of Tom Joad
isn't one of my favourite Springsteen albums. Lyrically, these stories are strong - musically, they're a little too sparse - yet without the devastating 4-track effect of Nebraska.
Still, Dry Lightning remains an evocative piece of storytelling...I'd drive down to Alvarado street
Where she danced to make ends meet
I'd spend the night over my gin
As she'd talk to her men
Well the piss yellow sun
Comes bringin' up the day
She said "ain't nobody gonna give nobody
What they really need anyway"
8. George Jones - White Lightning ( From The Best of George Jones
)Written by the Big Bopper, George Jones's version of White Lightning drew infamy from the 80 takes it took its inebriated singer to get it all down on tape. The story goes the session went on so long, the bass player's fingers began to bleed.
7. David Bowie - Lightning Frightening
From one Jones boy to another, this was a bonus track on my copy of The Man Who Sold The World, though it doesn't appear to have been included on more recent versions of that release. Shame.
6. John Travolta - Greased Lightnin' ( From Grease Original Soundtrack
)We'll get some purple French tail lights and thirty-inch fins, oh yeah
A palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins, oh yeah
With new pistons, plugs, and shocks, I can get off my rocks
You know that I ain't braggin', she's a real pussy wagon - greased lightnin'
I think he's referring to something like this...
5. The Flaming Lips - Lightning Strikes The Postman ( From Clouds Taste Metallic
)I got yer letter it had turned to sand,
Lighting strikes the postman in his hand,
I hope that you remember the things you had to say,
It's just a supernatural delay...
Well, that's just typical of the Royal Mail these days. Any excuse!
And it's hard to read the writing through the flames...
4. Auf Der Maur - Lightning Is My Girl ( From Auf Der Maur
)Ex-Hole axe-grinder Melissa Auf Der Maur made better music once she's kicked Courtney to the kerb...?
3. Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lightning ( From Humbug
)While the Flaming Lips are pestering the postman, the Monkeys get back to doing what they do best - aggravating the ice cream man. Featuring lewd Carry On style innuendo based around the contents of a Pick 'n' Mix bag... really, what else do you need?
2. Richard Thompson - 1952 Black Lightning ( From Action Packed - The Best Of The Capitol Years
)I already raved about this song when it made Number One on my Top Ten Songs About The 50s. Only that, and Bruce Willis, prevent it from taking top spot twice...
1. Lou Christie - Lightning Strikes Again ( From Lou Christie The Hits
)Had you worried for a second there, didn't I? Truth is though, it's down to Bruce Willis that I first came across this track, back when David Addison sang it - very briefly - in an old episode of Moonlighting. Bruce's version didn't do it justice, but it did convey a fraction of the sheer excitement contained within this Motown-meets-Frankie Valli style 60s stomper. If you've never heard it before, give yourself just three short minutes to fall in love...
OK, lightning has struck - will it strike twice? What did I miss?
If you've still not had enough Thor-shaped action, I'll be back shortly with my review (not tomorrow though as I'm going to a wedding), and in the meantime it's Thor Week over at Thoughtballoons... go check out my 1-page story. It's Thor Vs. Richard Dawkins... the battle we've all been waiting for!
