Lightning Strikes (Yes song)
| "Lightning Strikes" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Yes | ||||
| from the album The Ladder | ||||
| B-side | "The Messenger" "Homeworld (The Ladder)" | |||
| Released | 1999 | |||
| Recorded | February-May 1999 | |||
| Studio | Armoury Studios | |||
| Length | 3:54 (radio edit) 4:35 (album edit) | |||
| Label | Eagle | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jon Anderson | |||
| Producer(s) | Bruce Fairbairn | |||
| Yes singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Lightning Strikes" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, first released in 1999 as a single in promotion of the bands eighteenth studio album, The Ladder.[1][2]
Background and composition
"Lightning Strikes" contains the same Mellotron flute sample that "Phenomenal Cat" by The Kinks uses in the intro. 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 apparently 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 reportedly very pleased with the final product and how it pushed the band into a new musical direction.[4]
Reception
Bret Adams of AllMusic enjoyed the track, noting Steve Howe's acoustic guitar playing as being "bouncy", though stating the biggest surprise in the track was the "addition of a horn section".[5]
Another positive review by Jason Warburg of The Daily Vault praised the track. They also noted the unusual use of horns on the track but saying they work, as well as Howe hitting "strong riffs" on acoustic and electric guitar. Furthermore, noting keyboardist Igor Khoroshev's playing, featuring "lively" organs and synth runs. They also call White's and Squire's playing as being "cuban-flavored", calling the track overall very different from the usual for Yes.[6]
Stephanie Sollow also enjoyed the track, writing for Progressiveworld. They noted the entire tracks heavy Caribbean sound, stating that the track was the most upbeat on the record, being almost dance music.[7]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lightning Strikes (radio edit)" | 3:54 |
| 2. | "The Messenger" | 5:12 |
| 3. | "Homeworld (The Ladder)" | 9:32 |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[8] Yes
- Jon Anderson – lead vocals, rainstick, percussions[9]
- Steve Howe – acoustic, electric, pedal steel guitars, mandolin, koto, backing vocals
- Billy Sherwood – electric guitars, backing vocals, tambourines and shakers[9]
- Chris Squire – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Igor Khoroshev – piano, Hammond B-3 organ, Mellotron, synthesizers, backing vocal
- Alan White – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Randy Raine-Reusch – tanbur, guzheng, ching cymbals, bullroarer, didjeridoo, percussions
- Rhys Fulber - dance loops
- The Marguerita Horns – horns
- Tom Keenlyside – piccolo, tenor saxophone
- Derry Burns – trumpet
- Rod Murray – trombone
- Tom Colclough – alto saxophone
- Neil Nicholson – tuba
Production
- Bruce Fairbairn – producer
- Mike Plotnikoff – engineer, mixing
- Paul Silveira – assistant engineer
- Steeve Hennessy – guitars and keyboards technical support
- Drew Arnott – keyboard technical support
- Chin Injeti – keyboard technical support
- Chris Crippen – drums technical support
- George Marino – mastering (at Sterling Sound Studios, New York, June 1999)
- Roger Dean – painting, logo and lettering
References
- ^ yesadmin. "THE LADDER - YES". Yesworld. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
- ^ "Yes singles".
- ^ Stout, Gene (5 November 1999). "Going strong: Yes' creative fire shows no sign of waning". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ Gottlieb, Doug; Gottlieb, Glenn (1999). Yes - The Ladder - North American tourbook. Yes Magazine.
- ^ Yes - The Ladder Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-10-25
- ^ "Yes: | Daily Vault". dailyvault.com. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
- ^ Sollow, S. (2011). "PROGRESSIVEWORLD.NET: REVIEWS BY STEPHANIE SOLLOW". Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ The Ladder (Media notes). Yes. Eagle Records. 1999. EAGCD088.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "Aeromsith, Yes, Cranberries". ASZA. Retrieved March 6, 2019.