"Thunderstruck" - A Musical Analysis
Occasionally, we hear a song that makes us feel as if it is able to energize us. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC is a rock song that was released in 1992 in Germany, Australia, and Japan. You can hear the emotion in Australian singer Brian Johnson's voice throughout the piece. The song was inspired by a flight Agnus Young took from Holland to Germany. During his flight, the plane was struck by lightening and nearly crashed. This story is portrayed in the sound of the piece. It invigorates the listener and makes them feel "ready to go."
The Impact of "Thunderstruck"
"Thunderstruck" has become a classic rock song. It was released as as the lead single off of The Razors Edge. Since its release, it has been performed at every AC/DC concert. The song was a top 30 hit in several companies and has been featured in multiple movies and TV shows. In 1999, it was used in a movie for the first time, "Varsity Blues." AC/DC charged $500,000 for its use. It was later used in "Iron Man 2," "Battleship," "Delivery Man," "Daddy's Home," "Daddy's Home 2," "Deadpool 2," "Supernatural," "New Girl," and "Magnum P.I." making it a very recognizable piece.
Format
Most traditional rock songs have a format that goes something along these lines: a brief intro, the first verse, the chorus, the second verse, the chorus, a solo, the chorus, and then an outro. "Thunderstruck" mixes this up with: a very long intro, the first verse, the second verse, the chorus, solo, the chorus, and then an outro. This keeps the listener engaged as they aren't able to predict what will come next.
Distinct Intro
"Thunderstruck" has a unique opening guitar piece that almost sounds as if rolling thunder preparing for a lightening strike. Agnus Young was able to create this sound by taping all of the guitar strings up with the exception of the B string. His older brother had taught him the trick for making this distinct sound. "Thunderstruck" has a very long intro compared to other rock songs. This long intro creates a "building" effect for the rest of the piece.
B Mixolydian Key
"Thunderstruck" is written in the key of B Mixolydian. The B Mixolydian key is the B major scale with the 7th note a half step lower. The chord progressions in the Mixolydian key are often used in rock songs. The major chord used in rock songs often built around the 7th scale degree, making Mixolydian keys convenient.
Time Signature
"Thunderstruck" is played in 4/4, or common time, at around 136 beats per minute. It is the standard time signature for most rock pieces. Common time has four beats in each measure. The first beat is the strongest, and the third beat is stronger than the second and fourth beat. This creates a predictable pattern for the listener that they've heard before.
Dynamics
At the beginning of the piece, the music gradually cresendos, or grows louder. It builds until we reach the first verse. It stays the same throughout the first verse until we get closer to the second verse. When we reach the second verse, the music continues to cresendo. During the solo, the piece continues to cresendo. When we finally get to the chorus, the song continues to cresendo until we reach the climax.
The Riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression that is played throughout a piece. It is a progression of notes that is played on top of the chords, and often provides structure and "catchiness" to the music. Malcolm Young creates syncopated riffs with unusual phrasing in "Thunderstruck." The riff found in "Thunderstruck" has become popular and is fairly easy until you reach the final riff. In the final riff, the lick, which is the phrase consisting of a short note series, descends down the scale. This is difficult to play and makes the sound of "Thunderstruck" unique.
Johnson's "Thunderstruck" Shrieks
Throughout the piece, Johnson shrieks "Thunderstruck". This brings an almost electric-like power to the song. These "Thunderstruck" screams almost make the song sound as if lightening is suddenly striking. This brings a unique aspect to the piece and intrigues the listener.
Lyrics
The first verse of "Thunderstruck" portrays an image of being stuck with nowhere to go on railroad tracks. Johnson talks of his former partner leaving him, and the train is about to hit him. It paints the picture of a sudden breakup that hits you like a train. In the second verse, Johnson takes us to Texas where he coped with the breakup with a wild night of partying. The lyrics cause the listener to empathize with Johnson. Throughout the piece, "Thunderstruck," which means surprised or shocked, is yelled thirty-three times. This makes the listener able to feel the "shock" that Johnson is singing about.
Sources:
Huber C. 20 April 2022. The Meaning of AC/DCs "Thunderstruck." Extra Chill.
Wilson J. 9 February 2019. Thunderstruck: An Appreciation. Destroying Thought in Order to Save It.
Shelton J. 7 March 2020. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC. SongMeanings + Facts.
Kemp S. 25 October 2022. Are AC/DC riffs easy to play? Not as easy as you thought. Far Out Magazine.
I agree that dynamics play a huge role in this piece. Lightning does not have a loud sound, so I think you are referring to thunder when you write, "these 'thunderstruck' screams almost make the song sound as if lightening is suddenly striking." I like that you included all of the movies which have featured this song. I did not know how expensive playing the song in a movie could be. I found this article very interesting:https://loudwire.com/most-expensive-movie-song-film-sync-cost-acdc-thunderstruck/#:~:text=He%20continues%2C%20%22We're,a%20million%20dollars%20%5B%24500%2C000%5D.
ReplyDeleteHello Shelby, As a fan of this song I really liked your breakdown .I agree with what you said about about the shrieks and how it evokes emotion to the listener. I also liked what you said about the riff and how the chord progression provides structure and catchines to the song.
ReplyDeleteShelby, thank you for sharing! First, I had no clue that this song was released to 3 other countries. Were they first? When was it released to the US? I grew up listening to this song and often times I instantly think of a sports event where they are getting their players amped up for a game. I also found the lyrics to be very interesting. I never actually took the time to listen to the lyrics. I also like the way you described the dynamics. This song definitely is one that just builds and builds on itself. Overall I really enjoyed reading this musical analysis.
ReplyDeleteShelby!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your analysis of “Thunderstruck”. The pre-chorus and chorus are my favorite parts of this song, as well as the lead guitar. Angus Young and that Gibson sound really brings this song into rock mode quickly! The chord progression is simple, yet when all put together, carries on as a classic rock song forever. When I was in high school playing basketball, my team would warm up to this song before games to get energized!
I loved the covering of this classic. I always assumed it was much older. I didn't know about the unique trick the guitar player did with the strings. that was very interesting to know. I also always assumed the time signature was faster. thank you for the analysis.
ReplyDelete