# What song hit you like a thunderbolt when you first heard it **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [July 2, 2020, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065 "2020-07-02T14:19:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/181 "2020-10-05T20:03:36Z")
good call with “if you want blood…” I spent some time in the company of a drug-addled older cousin when I was about 10 and that was one of the more striking images from that time. It also brings back memories of two other thunderbolt music moments. “[when the levee breaks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwiTs60VoTM)” (when it all goes mental in the middle) And “[Tubular Bells](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJkNsWCay4c)” (pretty much all of it but side 1 in particular) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/182 "2020-10-05T20:09:39Z")
I get choked up when a top virtuoso puts his/her unique spin on a difficult piece, then highlights it with a kick-ass cadenza. I was particularly verklempt the first time I heard [Horowitz’ ‘53 recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v95I6kGghmk) of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody #2. John Lennon was a tortured soul and often an asshole, but he had a good heart and produced great music. He was the hard-edged Beatle (McCartney: _it’s getting better all the time_; Lennon: _it can’t get no worse_). So, it was a pleasant punch in the gut the first time I heard [Across the Universe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90M60PzmxEE)—a sonically, lyrically and harmonically truly beautiful song. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/183 "2020-10-05T20:21:59Z")
Too late to edit, but I believe Franz Liszt was the 19th century John Lennon. …and Chopin was the 19th century Paul McCartney. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/184 "2020-10-06T00:01:25Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Too late to edit, but I believe Franz Liszt was the 19th century John Lennon. Nah, Liszt was a forerunner of Jimi Hendrix. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/185 "2020-10-06T02:54:56Z")
I had a comparable experience with a transistor radio and “More Than A Feeling.” ---
**Author:** ![cdawg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@cdawg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdawg)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/186 "2020-10-06T16:55:31Z")
“Don’t Stand A Chance” - The Gromble. Absolute mastapiece if I do say so myself. Strings, horns, riffs, lyrics, all so good. The band is changing its name to MEGALOW, be on the lookout. This band is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/187 "2020-10-06T17:22:43Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Too late to edit, but I believe Franz Liszt was the 19th century John Lennon. > > …and Chopin was the 19th century Paul McCartney. I don’t think either of these fits particularly well. Liszt was a hotshot virtuoso who was renowned for his live performances. (McCartney seems to relish the role of rock star / live performer far more than Lennon did, and he was closer to being an instrumental virtuoso than Lennon was.) Chopin was a master of one specific genre (solo piano music). McCartney has at least dabbled in a wide variety of styles and genres. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/188 "2020-10-06T18:29:36Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > (McCartney: _it’s getting better all the time_ ; Lennon: _it can’t get no worse_ ) I’ve seen this misquote before. The lyric is “It can’t get _any_ worse.” ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/189 "2020-10-06T18:39:16Z")
I heard “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” on the radio when I was about 7, and have been rocking ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlax/32/2927_2.png) [@Scarlax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlax)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/190 "2020-10-06T20:00:51Z")
Not according to my ears, but I’m curious if there is a recording that contradicts what I’m hearing on the Sgt Pepper album. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/191 "2020-10-06T20:39:33Z")
Apropos of the shitty news today, I wrote a mini-story on Twitter essentially describing my friend calling me up in 1978 when we were 13 and telling me I had to come over immediately to listen to this new album. It was Van Halen’s first album. _Berrrruuunnngggg_ “Eruption” … what the fuck was that? Forty-five minutes or so of _what the fuck was that_ head banging and things were never the same for guitar solos after that. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/192 "2020-10-06T22:16:02Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I’ve seen this misquote before. The lyric is “It can’t get _any_ worse.” I just relistened to it. The lyric is very clearly “it can’t get no worse.” ---
**Author:** ![Berthathefan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@Berthathefan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berthathefan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/193 "2020-10-10T13:56:30Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > My only record store impulse purchase based on what was spinning at the time was Springsteen’s Pete Seeger tribute LP. The song was “O Mary Don’t You Weep”. I didn’t even know it was Springsteen, but I did know that I had to own in immediately. I abruptly stopped my browsing session, made the purchase, and cranked it up to eleven all the way home. That was my reaction too! I’m not a particular Springsteen fan but I loved it immediately. I know this was posted a while ago but nobody I share it with has ever heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/194 "2020-10-10T17:28:31Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > I just relistened to it. The lyric is very clearly “it can’t get no worse.” I first listened to SPLHCB the day it was released. I can’t even try to guess how many times I’ve listened to it since then, closely and carefully. Certainly many hundreds of times. Since the 90’s I’ve played around with the various isolated instrumental and vocal tracks, studying how the songs and sounds were put together. And _Getting Better_ is one of my favorites. But “harrumphs” notwithstanding, my 70 year old mind isn’t completely closed to new shit coming to light. So, because of you heretics, I’ve just listened to the isolated vocal track for the bazillionth time, and heard “any worse” because it’s what I expected to hear. But a flicker of doubt made me listen again, trying to be more objective about it…and by god **you’re right**. It _does_ sound like “no worse.” I still stubbornly think I hear the first syllable of “any” (“en”) but the second syllable is indeed a long “O” and there ain’t no such thing as “enno worse.” It has to be “no worse.” I’m gobsmacked, humbled, and a little amused at myself. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/195 "2020-10-12T02:45:24Z")
I’ve known the tune _Ashokan Farewell_ since I saw Ken Burns’ _ **The Civil War** _ back in 1990, but I didn’t know it had lyrics until tonight. How could anyone listen to this and not be moved to tears? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3XanZlZ1zzc/maxresdefault.jpg "Ashokan Farewell - Cold Mountain") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XanZlZ1zzc) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/196 "2020-10-12T04:37:57Z")
Naw, I was just using a different criteria with which to compare these musical geniuses—hat size. McCartney’s and Chopin’s hat sizes were 7-3/8; Lennon’s and Liszt’s : 7 ½. … just kidding. I was simply comparing their general musical styles. Chopin and McCartney produced ear-pleasing, near-perfect melodies, like porcelain figurines. Good to listen to when you must relax. Liszt and Lennon produced ear-splitting tunes that make you think. Enticing and magnetising. Good to listen to when need catharsis. Of course all 4 of these musical geniuses can’t be pigeon-holed. They all wrote outside their boxes many times. McCartney wrote hard (e.g. Helter Skelter); Chopin wrote hard (e.g. Revolutionary etude); Lennon wrote soft (e.g. Across the Universe) and Liszt wrote soft ( e.g. Consolation No. 3). No matter. Put all 4 of these dudes on your playlist, you won’t be sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/197 "2020-10-12T06:07:58Z")
Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” made for an _instant_ galvanzing motivational anthem for this grade nine/ten’er discovering young ladies around '79. > [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Apropos of the shitty news today, I wrote a mini-story on Twitter essentially describing my friend calling me up in 1978 when we were 13 and telling me I had to come over immediately to listen to this new album. It was Van Halen’s first album. _Berrrruuunnngggg_ “Eruption” … what the fuck was that? Forty-five minutes or so of _what the fuck was that_ head banging and things were never the same for guitar solos after that. When the full band kicks in in “You Really Got Me”, I remember having an instant impression - ok, yeah, this is kicking butt. (and then a couple months later finding out about the oiriginal Kinks version and of course going “meh” at it…y’know - dumb kids, thinking how primitive they sounded) For headpones, (imperative) for the quiet beginning…scroll ahead to about the three minute mark, then crank’er up. (heh - you’ll eventually wanna turn it back down again) King Crimson’s [Lark’sTongues In Aspic, Pt. I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVb2tnFN5AA) When the whole band kicked in, I had to be scraped off the pavement. Instead of thunderbolts, it was the Tampa Bay Bolts, stapling me into the boards! Same impact upon first hearing[Fracture,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaD7gk7BTwU) from their next album. All its heavier elements in particular curbstomped me. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/198 "2020-10-12T06:35:32Z")
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - _Refugee_ Starts with a bang, and doesn’t let up. ---
**Author:** ![Theodore-Striker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Theodore-Striker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theodore-Striker)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/199 "2020-10-12T17:58:39Z")
A third for Lazy Eye- the funky first minutes with tinges of that chilling guitar sound- then the thunderous “locked and loaded” section. Helter Skelter by the Beatles took me from doo-wop and Motown into classic rock- the first song to give me a rush of adrenaline. The Immigrant Song’s sheer visceral power made me a LZ fan for life. I remember hearing our HS drum line playing it, and had to find the rest. A senior looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him what it was, and found his LZ 3 cassette. The profound introduction to rap for a lot of suburbanites with Run DMC/ Aerosmith’s Walk this Way. Hearing Mr. Jones on the radio after dropping my little brother off for his 8th grade retreat while driving through the forest, and just feeling thrilled at the world during a rough patch. Waiting for my Real Life to Begin by Colin Hay after losing my job and wondering what to do next, sitting on a bench at the playground while my son climbed around. Sympathy by the Goo Goo Dolls- I had heard it before, but never “heard” it until I was going through recovery, and found myself near bawling in my car because it hit so close. And last, Time to Move On by Tom Petty, simple little lyrics in a quick little beautiful song about things going away and the confusion of being left in the wake. It just hit me straight in the feels. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/200 "2020-10-14T18:21:21Z")
Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street”. That sax hit me like a freight train and got stuck in my head for YEARS. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065.md?page=9)