Lightning Strikes (Aerosmith song)
| "Lightning Strikes" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Aerosmith | ||||
| from the album Rock in a Hard Place | ||||
| Released | 1982 | |||
| Format | 7" single | |||
| Recorded | 1981 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 4:26 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Writer(s) | Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo, Richie Supa | |||
| Producer(s) | Jack Douglas and Steven Tyler | |||
| Aerosmith singles chronology | ||||
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"Lightning Strikes" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of two singles from the band's 1982 album Rock in a Hard Place. It is notable as Aerosmith's only charting single from the lineup without guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, who were replaced by Jimmy Crespo and Rick Dufay after they left the band in 1979 and 1981 respectively.
The song was written by Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo and Richie Supa, a friend and collaborator of the band. Despite Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford leaving the band before the album's release, Brad Whitford recorded his parts but Jimmy Crespo re-recorded his rhythm track after his departure.
The song was released as a promotional single to rock radio in 1982 and reached #21 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Music video
The band created one of their earliest actual music videos for MTV and other networks with this song. Directed by Arnold Levine, the music video flashes back and forth between the band performing in what appears to be a studio or small venue and then out on the streets, where the band members flash angry looks, and wield baseball bats, chains, knives, and other weapons, suggesting a fight is about to take place. The song also features fake lightning strikes during the transitions between the band's performance and the streets, and baseball bats striking melons in the air.