You Love the Thunder explained

You Love the Thunder
Cover:Jackson_Browne_You_Love_The_Thunder_45_Picture_Sleeve.png
Caption:7" Picture Sleeve
Type:single
Artist:Jackson Browne
Album:Running on Empty
B-Side:The Road
Released:Early 1978
Recorded:September 6, 1977
Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, New Jersey
Genre:Rock
Length:3:57
Label:Asylum Records
Producer:Jackson Browne
Prev Title:Stay
Prev Title2:The Load-Out
Prev Year:1978
Next Title:Boulevard
Next Year:1980

"You Love the Thunder" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne from his 1977 live album, Running on Empty, recorded at a concert at Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, on September 6, 1977. Released as the third single a full year after the album came out, it only reached #109 on Billboards Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, though it received increased Album-Oriented Rock airplay. The B-side of the U.S. single was "The Road"; however, the B-side for the British single was "Cocaine".[1] [2]

History

The lyrics seem to describe the relationship of a musician and a spouse or girlfriend who comes along on tour, keeping with the theme of the Running on Empty album, but they can be read more universally, as well:

You love the thunder, and you love the rain —

What you see revealed within the anger is worth the pain.

And before the lightning fades and you surrender,

You've got a second to look at the dark side of the man.

You love the thunder and you love the rain —

You know your hunger like you know your name.

And I know you wonder how you ever came

To be a woman in love with a man in search of the flame...

In his 1978 review of the album, Paul Nelson wrote: "Browne forges a temporary relationship with a kindred spirit, only to realize 'You can dream/But you can never go back the way you came.'"[3] Billboard commented on the "engagingly unpolished vocals" and "dynamic instrumental track."[4]

Reception

Cash Box said that it has a "moderate pace, good lyrics and a strong hook," as well as "effective" slide guitar and backing vocals.[5]

Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci rated it as Browne's 9th greatest song, saying that it "sympathizes with the wives, girlfriends and groupies who are along for the ride" while the singer is on tour.[6]

Glide critic Lee Zimmerman rated it as one of 10 Jackson Browne songs that should have been a hit, calling it "a respectable rocker sung to a woman who seems prone to provocation and inciting a stormy relationship" although "there’s barely any hint of despair in the delivery given its catchy refrain and spirited set-up."[7]

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. [Jackson Browne discography|Wikipedia Jackson Browne Discography]
  2. Paris, Russ. JACKSON BROWNE COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY
  3. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/running-on-empty-19780309 Nelson, Paul. Running On Empty Review
  4. News: Top Single Picks. Billboard. 2020-07-09. 96. November 11, 1978.
  5. News: CashBox Singles Reviews. November 11, 1978. 19. Cash Box. 2022-01-01.
  6. Web site: Top 10 Jackson Browne songs. Gallucci, Michael. Ultimate Classic Rock. 2023-12-28. October 9, 2012.
  7. Web site: Jackson Browne at 70 – Looking Back at Ten Of The Songsmith’s Should Have Been Hit Songs. October 9, 2018. Zimmerman, Lee. 2023-01-12. Glide Magazine.