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{{Merge to|The Ladder (Yes album)|discuss=Talk:The Ladder (Yes album)#Proposed merge of Lightning Strikes (Yes song) into The Ladder (Yes album)|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox song
{{Infobox song
| name = Lightning Strikes
| name = Lightning Strikes
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| B-side = "The Messenger"<br />"Homeworld (The Ladder)"
| B-side = "The Messenger"<br />"Homeworld (The Ladder)"
| released = 1999
| released = 1999
| recorded = February-May 1999
| recorded = February–May 1999
| studio = [[Armoury Studios]]
| studio = [[Armoury Studios]]
| venue =
| venue =
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}}
}}


"'''Lightning Strikes'''" is a song by the [[progressive rock]] band [[Yes (band)|Yes]], first released in 1999 as a single in promotion of the band's eighteenth studio album, [[The Ladder (Yes album)|''The Ladder'']].<ref>{{Cite web |last=yesadmin |title=THE LADDER - YES |url=https://www.yesworld.com/discography/ladder/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Yesworld |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Yes singles |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Yes&titel=Lightning+Strikes&cat=s}}</ref>
"'''Lightning Strikes'''" is a song by the [[progressive rock]] band [[Yes (band)|Yes]], first released in 1999 as a single in promotion of the band's eighteenth studio album, [[The Ladder (Yes album)|''The Ladder'']].<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE LADDER - YES |url=https://www.yesworld.com/discography/ladder/ |access-date=25 October 2023|website=Yesworld |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Yes singles |url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Yes&titel=Lightning+Strikes&cat=s}}</ref>


== Background and composition ==
== Background and composition ==
"Lightning Strikes" contains the same [[Mellotron]] flute sample that "[[Phenomenal Cat]]" by [[The Kinks]] uses in the intro. Drummer [[Alan White (Yes drummer)|Alan White]] had apparently been experimenting with more "unusual jazz and African type" rhythms in the studio, playing them to front-man [[Jon Anderson]]. He then adapted some of his chords he had been working on as well as a melody which he wrote to fit it.<ref name="seattlepi19992">{{cite web |last=Stout |first=Gene |date=5 November 1999 |title=Going strong: Yes' creative fire shows no sign of waning |url=http://zenponies.com/yitp/1999/nov/nov05_99.html|access-date=27 August 2017 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827173525/http://zenponies.com/yitp/1999/nov/nov05_99.html| archive-date=27 August 2017}}</ref> Bassist [[Chris Squire]] was reportedly very pleased with the final product and how it pushed the band into a new musical direction.<ref name="TLTOURBOOK993">{{cite book |last1=Gottlieb |first1=Doug |url=http://forgotten-yesterdays.com/memorabilia.asp?ftype=1&qcategoryid=1&qtypeid=0&qtourbookid=13 |title=Yes - The Ladder - North American tourbook |last2=Gottlieb |first2=Glenn |others=Yes Magazine |year=1999}}</ref>
"Lightning Strikes" contains the same [[Mellotron]] flute sample that "[[Phenomenal Cat]]" by [[The Kinks]] uses in the intro. Drummer [[Alan White (Yes drummer)|Alan White]] had been experimenting with more "unusual jazz and African type" rhythms in the studio, playing them to front-man [[Jon Anderson]]. He then adapted some of his chords he had been working on as well as a melody which he wrote to fit it.<ref name="seattlepi19992">{{cite web |last=Stout |first=Gene |date=5 November 1999 |title=Going strong: Yes' creative fire shows no sign of waning |url=http://zenponies.com/yitp/1999/nov/nov05_99.html|access-date=27 August 2017 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827173525/http://zenponies.com/yitp/1999/nov/nov05_99.html| archive-date=27 August 2017}}</ref> Bassist [[Chris Squire]] was pleased with the final product and believed that the song encouraged the band to explore new musical territory.<ref name="TLTOURBOOK993">{{cite book |last=Whipple|first=Pete|url=http://forgotten-yesterdays.com/_graphics/memorabilia/99_north_american_tour_program_34638.pdf |title=Yes - The Ladder - North American tourbook|others=Yes Magazine |year=1999}}</ref>


== Reception ==
== Reception ==
Bret Adams of [[AllMusic]] enjoyed the track, labeling [[Steve Howe]]'s acoustic guitar playing as "bouncy" and stating that the song's biggest was the inclusion of a horn section.<ref>{{Citation |title=Yes - The Ladder Album Reviews, Songs & More AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ladder-mw0000245574 |access-date=2023-10-25 |language=en}}</ref>
Bret Adams of [[AllMusic]] enjoyed the track, labeling [[Steve Howe]]'s acoustic guitar playing as "bouncy" and stating that the song's biggest surprise was the inclusion of a horn section.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Bret|title=Yes - The Ladder |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ladder-mw0000245574 |access-date=25 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref>


Another positive review by Jason Warburg of The Daily Vault praised the track. They also noted the use of horns on the track and Howe's "strong riffs" on acoustic and electric guitar. Furthermore, they noted keyboardist [[Igor Khoroshev]]'s "lively" organs and synth runs. They also called White's and Squire's playing "cuban-flavored".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yes: Daily Vault |url=https://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=799 |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=dailyvault.com}}</ref>
Jason Warburg of The Daily Vault praised the track. They noted the use of horns on the track and Howe's "strong riffs" on acoustic and electric guitar and highlighted keyboardist [[Igor Khoroshev]]'s "lively" organs and synth runs. They also called White's and Squire's playing "cuban-flavored".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yes: Daily Vault |url=https://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=799 |access-date=25 October 2023 |website=dailyvault.com}}</ref>


Stephanie Sollow also enjoyed the track, writing for Progressiveworld. They noted the track's heavy Caribbean sound, stating that the track was the most upbeat on the record, being almost dance music.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sollow |first=S. |year=2011 |title=PROGRESSIVEWORLD.NET: REVIEWS BY STEPHANIE SOLLOW |url=http://progressiveworld.net/yes3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130130006/http://progressiveworld.net/yes3.html |archive-date=30 January 2009 |access-date=25 July 2011}}</ref>
Writing for Progressiveworld, Stephanie Sollow noted the track's heavy Caribbean sound, stating that the track was the most upbeat on the record, being almost dance music.<ref>{{cite web |last=Sollow |first=Stephanie |date=August 2011 |title=Yes The Ladder|url=http://progressiveworld.net/yes3.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130130006/http://progressiveworld.net/yes3.html |archive-date=30 January 2009 |access-date=25 July 2011}}</ref>


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==

Latest revision as of 01:21, 8 October 2024

"Lightning Strikes"
Single by Yes
from the album The Ladder
B-side"The Messenger"
"Homeworld (The Ladder)"
Released1999
RecordedFebruary–May 1999
StudioArmoury Studios
Length4:35 (full version)
3:54 (radio edit)
LabelEagle
Songwriter(s)Jon Anderson
Producer(s)Bruce Fairbairn
Yes singles chronology
"Homeworld (The Ladder)"
(1999)
"Lightning Strikes"
(1999)
"If Only You Knew"
(2000)

"Lightning Strikes" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, first released in 1999 as a single in promotion of the band's eighteenth studio album, The Ladder.[1][2]

Background and composition

[edit]

"Lightning Strikes" contains the same Mellotron flute sample that "Phenomenal Cat" by The Kinks uses in the intro. Drummer Alan White had been experimenting with more "unusual jazz and African type" rhythms in the studio, playing them to front-man Jon Anderson. He then adapted some of his chords he had been working on as well as a melody which he wrote to fit it.[3] Bassist Chris Squire was pleased with the final product and believed that the song encouraged the band to explore new musical territory.[4]

Reception

[edit]

Bret Adams of AllMusic enjoyed the track, labeling Steve Howe's acoustic guitar playing as "bouncy" and stating that the song's biggest surprise was the inclusion of a horn section.[5]

Jason Warburg of The Daily Vault praised the track. They noted the use of horns on the track and Howe's "strong riffs" on acoustic and electric guitar and highlighted keyboardist Igor Khoroshev's "lively" organs and synth runs. They also called White's and Squire's playing "cuban-flavored".[6]

Writing for Progressiveworld, Stephanie Sollow noted the track's heavy Caribbean sound, stating that the track was the most upbeat on the record, being almost dance music.[7]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Lightning Strikes" (radio edit)3:54
2."The Messenger"5:12
3."Homeworld (The Ladder)"9:32
Total length:18:38

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[8]

Yes

Additional musicians

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "THE LADDER - YES". Yesworld. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Yes singles".
  3. ^ Stout, Gene (5 November 1999). "Going strong: Yes' creative fire shows no sign of waning". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  4. ^ Whipple, Pete (1999). Yes - The Ladder - North American tourbook (PDF). Yes Magazine.
  5. ^ Adams, Bret. "Yes - The Ladder". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Yes: Daily Vault". dailyvault.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  7. ^ Sollow, Stephanie (August 2011). "Yes – The Ladder". Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  8. ^ The Ladder (Media notes). Yes. Eagle Records. 1999. EAGCD088.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)