You Love the Thunder

"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]

"You Love the Thunder"
7" Picture Sleeve
Single by Jackson Browne
from the album Running on Empty
B-side"The Road"
ReleasedEarly 1978
RecordedSeptember 6, 1977
Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, New Jersey
GenreRock
Length3:57
LabelAsylum Records
Songwriter(s)Jackson Browne
Producer(s)Jackson Browne
Jackson Browne singles chronology
"Stay" / "The Load-Out"
(1978)		 "You Love the Thunder"
(1978)		 "Boulevard"
(1980)

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 Magazine 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]

Personnel

Chart positions
Chart (1978) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 109

Notes
  1. Wikipedia Jackson Browne Discography Accessed July 10, 2012.
  2. Paris, Russ. JACKSON BROWNE COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY Archived 2012-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Nelson, Paul. Running On Empty Review, Rolling Stone, March 9, 1978. Accessed July 10, 2012.
  4. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. November 11, 1978. p. 96. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  5. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. November 11, 1978. p. 19. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
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