# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/121 "2020-07-09T21:41:04Z")
October 1966. I’m a dorky high school freshman. The Beach Boys had gotten away from their surfboard and cool cars stuff with some interesting harmonies like _Sloop John B_ and _Wouldn’t It Be Nice_. But then [Good Vibrations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdt0SOqPJcg) comes out of my cheap little transistor radio. What the hell was that??? A Theremin? Did I just hear an organ? I ran down to Britt’s Department Store, bought the 45 and played it on a real “record player.” Damn, it was even more impressive than on the radio. There were a few other song that stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard them - _Nights in White Satin, Gimme Shelter, Layla,_ and some others. But nothing ever hit me like the first time I heard Good Vibrations. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/122 "2020-07-09T22:52:04Z")
5:15 by the Who. from their best album, Quadrophenia ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/123 "2020-07-10T01:40:04Z")
That reminded me of one of my early formative songs, by the Moody Blues, “Story In Your Eyes”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t-iJ47in9YQ/hqdefault.jpg "Moody Blues - The Story In Your Eyes (alternate version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-iJ47in9YQ) ---
**Author:** ![Levolor\_the\_Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@Levolor\_the\_Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Levolor_the_Blind)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/124 "2020-07-10T04:42:19Z")
Someone’s already mentioned “Baba O’Reilly” so I’ll just second it and bring up the Pogues’ “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” and Patti Smith’s “Privilege (Set Me Free)”. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/125 "2020-07-10T05:26:28Z")
“1952 Vincent Black Lightning” by Richard Thompson. I couldn’t believe I’d gone 30-plus years without ever hearing the guy before then. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/126 "2020-07-11T14:44:00Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” by Richard Thompson. I couldn’t believe I’d gone 30-plus years without ever hearing the guy before then. I had a similar reaction to that song, but also to his “[Shoot Out The Lights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDZpzJ2KKss)”. My mouth stood open after first hearing it, and so it still does every time I listen to it. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/127 "2020-07-11T17:49:09Z")
Human Family - Dr. Maya Angelou [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t7EID2EM1co/maxresdefault.jpg "Caged Bird Songs - Human Family 2020 By Dr. Maya Angelou (Official Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7EID2EM1co) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/128 "2020-07-11T19:32:22Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/S5EaUM4VQQ0/maxresdefault.jpg "Peace Frog (Live at the Felt Forum, New York City, January 17, 1970, First Show)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5EaUM4VQQ0) The Doors Peace Frog I dug deep into them because of the Covid lockdown. Omg, Morrison really is the prototypical rock star: tall, handsome, madly charismatic, intelligent, distant. Peace Frog is just as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/129 "2020-07-12T14:11:51Z")
“Around the Dial” by the Kinks. The opening grabbed me like no other tune and I ran right out to buy the album. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/130 "2020-07-12T19:38:07Z")
Ooh, yeah, Honey White. I remember first hearing that in grad school ca 1997. Wow, that was some good shit. I’ll add [Loser](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgSPaXgAdzE) by Beck. And [Cannonball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvkI9MTQw4) from the Breeders. And [Blister in the Sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YdQBkxf4kU) Violent Femmes. That was part of the sound track of high school. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/131 "2020-07-12T19:48:04Z")
My first, and still my favorite, Beatles tune-_Love Me Do_. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/132 "2020-07-12T19:48:13Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HZjXVrMdViE/hqdefault.jpg "The Blasters - Trouble Bound (Thicke of the Night)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZjXVrMdViE) The Blasters Troublebound from Thicke of the Night. Unnecessary intro by Richard Belzer as Bruce Springsteen and Arsenio Hall as Michael Jackson. ---
**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:** [July 14, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/133 "2020-07-14T01:50:44Z")
Like-nothing-else-heard-before-with-horizon-expansion is a tall order. However, I was on the road tonight when I heard the following song for the first time, which led to volume-cranking to extreme roof-vibrational levels. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PusLzkf32mk/maxresdefault.jpg "Jeff Beck - Live In The Dark") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PusLzkf32mk) ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/134 "2020-07-14T10:26:20Z")
O wow, loads. But the most memorable: Allegri’s Miserere Barber’s Agnus Dei from the Adagio for Strings Modern: O Superman - Laurie Anderson Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/135 "2020-07-14T22:47:47Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > I guess I’ll nominate the Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, heard on a tinny transistor radio sometime in '69, just as I was turning into a disaffected yoof. Seconded. As the last of three kids raised by a divorced mother, I had no control over the car radio or the music listened to in the house. Then, about 1975, at the age of eleven, I first heard of this band called The Rolling Stones (“Great name,” I thought at the time). My older sister, a Beatles nut, managed to dig out _Hot Rocks_, their compilation album from '64-'71. I think I had heard a snippet of JJF on a K-Tel commercial or some such, but the first time I played it on a record player I was stunned. Even with my Beatlemaniac sister and my Emerson Lake & Palmer fan brother (don’t ask how many times I had to sit through _Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends_. Trust me, it lives up to the title) I had never heard anything like it before. Even if it was years before I understood some of those lyrics – yes, I find Whoopi’s scene in _that_ movie funny, and _only_ that scene – this song spoke to me. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/136 "2020-07-16T19:43:36Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > While hanging out at a friend’s house in 1986, he pulled out a vinyl record and said, “Check this out.” It was the album _Mark of the Mole_ by **The Residents**. [Voices of the Air](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50URYqHwgBY) was the first song. I had never heard anything like it… so incredibly haunting. It sounded like pure horror, but I loved it. Even to this day, my intrigue for the album has not waned. I still find it haunting & horrific. While hanging out at a friend’s house in 1979, he pulled out a vinyl record and said, “check this out, it’s some sort of weird shit, almost satanic, but I can’t stop listening to it.“ It was the combined EPs of duckstab! and buster and Glenn. I went out and bought it, then bought anything else that was already out there, and continued buying them up until I don’t know, the late 80s. And you very much put your finger on it with the words haunting and horrific, there is something amazing in which that music and their voices touch on some uncomfortable psychological places, all twisty but also delightful. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/137 "2020-07-16T19:50:25Z")
“You’re breaking my Heart” by Harry Nilsson. I think a buddy of mine had an LP album with that tune on it and I’d never heard a song with “f\*ck” in it before. This is around 1973 and was perfect for youth and young relationships back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/138 "2020-07-16T20:52:17Z")
Well, damn. I saw the thread title and immediately thought, “I’m all over that!” Then I saw the part about the very horizons of music being expanded, and while that might have happened to me all those years ago in the early seventies, I wouldn’t remember it that way now. So let me just say that when I heard The Records’ “Girl in the Golden Disc” a year ago, driving, while listening to random songs on some Google music “radio” station, it hit me like a ton of bricks. From the gorgeous melody and tight harmonies, to the brief, biting guitar solo, to the almost a cappella breakdown towards the end, and oh those lyrics about finding the right girl, I was inspired to play it over and over until I arrived home some twenty minutes later. Power pop heaven, it is! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QtlN6mkIRzU/hqdefault.jpg "the records - girl in golden disc.wmv") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtlN6mkIRzU) ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/139 "2020-07-17T03:42:30Z")
One of the songs that hit me hard right away the very first time was **Owner of a Lonely Heart.** I watched a _lot_ of MTV at the time, being a college student with free time on my hands, and seeing the original, extended video as my introduction to the song probably had a little to do with my reaction, but it’s just a boss song anyway. I mean, the video starts with Yes playing the song in a studio, totally normal and boring like dozens of other videos - then the music suddenly stops as Jon Andersen gazes wistfully into the camera and we’re transported to an eagle flying over a forest, eventually into London, finally focusing on a fellow just walking along with hundreds of other commuters … and bang, the song starts again and we’re suddenly in bizarro Manimal world. I loved it, at the time. I was also working as a music director at a radio station when **I Knew You Were Waiting** by George Michael and Aretha Franklin came out. The first time I heard that I said, “That sounds like a Number One record,” so that’s something I got right in that career. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2020, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065/140 "2020-07-17T04:14:31Z")
When I was 4, 5 at the latest, I burst out crying upon hearing The Carpenter’s Rainy Days and Mondays for the first time. I was in the playground of what had to be pre-school during recess when, I assume, one of the teachers put on the local top-40 channel when this was on. It was the loveliest thing I have ever heard in my life… until then, of course. It was a sunny day, warm, and when I heard the song, it literally stopped me in my tracks. I just stood there dumbfounded, finally bursting into tears, unable to explain it to the instructors, just shaking my head furiously, the way 5 year-olds do when overwhelmed. 48 years later, I don’t remember it as if it were yesterday, once more, but it’s still there, pretty indelible in my minds eye and a perfect candidate for this discussion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-hit-you-like-a-thunderbolt-when-you-first-heard-it/914065.md?page=8)