The Thunder Rolls
| "The Thunder Rolls" | ||||||||
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| Single by Garth Brooks | ||||||||
| from the album No Fences | ||||||||
| B-side | "Wolves" (The Netherlands) "Victim of The Game" (US 7") |
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| Released | April 30, 1991 | |||||||
| Format | CD single, 7" 45 RPM | |||||||
| Recorded | 1989-1990 | |||||||
| Genre | Country | |||||||
| Length | 3:42 | |||||||
| Label | Capitol Nashville 44727 | |||||||
| Writer(s) | Pat Alger Garth Brooks |
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| Producer | Allen Reynolds | |||||||
| Garth Brooks singles chronology | ||||||||
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"The Thunder Rolls" is a song released by American Country music artist Garth Brooks. It debuted on his second album No Fences and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, Double Live and The Ultimate Hits. "The Thunder Rolls" was written by Brooks and Pat Alger and was Garth Brooks' sixth No. 1 on the country chart [1].
It was originally recorded by Tanya Tucker, but was never released until it appeared on her self-titled 1995 box set. Her version included a third verse which Brooks himself intended to use on his version, but did not at the suggestion of producer, Allen Reynolds. A modernised cover was recorded, without the third verse, by Jet Black Stare.
Contents |
[edit] Content
The song begins with a man driving home in torrential rain, from "somewhere that he never should have been." His wife is waiting at home for his return, "praying it's the weather that's kept him out all night."
When the man does return (in the second verse), the woman rushes out to meet him only to smell a perfume on his person, implying that he was with another woman.
[edit] The Third Verse
The original recorded version does not include the song's original third verse, most likely due to its graphic nature (the verse hints that the woman plans to kill the man for his infidelity). However, the third verse was included on Garth's live album Double Live and Brooks does include the third verse when performing the song live.
The verse goes as follows:
She runs back down the hallway and through the bedroom door
She reaches for the pistol kept in the dresser drawer
Tells the lady in the mirror 'he won't do this again'
'Cause tonight will be the last time, she'll wonder where he's been
[edit] Writing and production
"The Thunder Rolls" was written by Garth Brooks and Pat Alger. The original idea was Brooks'. He wanted to explore the concept of "thunder rolling inside of a marriage and outside at the same time."[2] Almost immediately after hearing this hook, Alger grabbed a guitar and started playing what Brooks described as a "D-minor rolling thing."[2]
The song was originally pitched to Tanya Tucker. Although she liked the song, her producer suggested a third verse, which they added. On learning that the song had been given away, Brooks's producer, Allen Reynolds, was disappointed - he considered the song to be one of the most powerful Brooks had written. When Tucker dropped the song from her album, Brooks began recording it for his second album, No Fences. Reynolds suggested that they leave off the third verse, recording only the two original verses.[3]
During the recording session, Brooks invited Alger to play. Brooks had been impressed with Alger's work during their writing session, and thought his passion would translate well in the recording.[2] The group of session musicians, Brooks, and Alger recorded the song live, with no overdubs, and no second take.[3] When they were finished, Brooks suggested that they add the sound of thunder. Reynolds had that sound on hand from a previous recording session. Brooks decided when to bring in the thunder sounds.[3]
Garth provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits:
"There is no doubt that the toughest song in the GB catalog has to be 'The Thunder Rolls.' This song came out fighting the day it was released. Originally cut by Tanya Tucker in 1988, it was never put on an album. It came back to us in time for No Fences. My hat's off to Pat Alger, a great writer and friend, and to music itself, because only music could withstand what this song has gone through." [4]
[edit] Chart performance
The song was released to radio on April 30. It was immediately added to the playlists of 183 radio stations, the most in Radio & Records country chart history. This helped it debut at No. 25 on the Radio & Records country chart, the highest debut ever.[5]
[edit] Music video
Although the recording featured only the first two verses, in concert Brooks often performed the third verse, to audience delight.[5] When he began thinking about a video, Brooks chose to allude to the third verse by including the theme of domestic violence.[6] This would tie together the two versions of the song. Brooks chose to play the central part of the philandering husband, so that he could "make sure [the character] was so despicable that the whole viewing audience wanted to shoot him."[5]
Before the video's release, Cathy Gurley, the head of public relations at Capitol Nashville, arranged a screening for industry women. They unanimously endorsed the video, describing it as a powerful statement against domestic violence.[7] The video was released to CMT and The Nashville Network (TNN), where CMT immediately named it a "Pick Hit."[7] On May 1, the day after the video's release, TNN banned the video. CMT pulled it soon after, with a CMT representative commentating that the network was "in business to entertain, not to promote or condone gratuitous violence or social issues."[8] TNN offered to resume airplay if Brooks would film a disclaimer for the end.[9] Although Brooks and Gurley read the TNN script, he refused to film the additional scene, saying it felt as if he would be using the controversy to promote the video.[10] Brooks told TNN they could add a disclaimer if they chose, but he was not going to compromise his vision.[10]
Because the video had been pulled so quickly, few people had seen it. Radio stations, country bars, television stations and newspaper began requesting copies of the video so that they - and their audiences - could form their own opinions. Several radio stations in the United States screened the video at quickly organized fund-raisers for local battered women's shelters. Capitol Records was contacted numerous times by women's shelters, thanking the company for raising awareness of domestic violence.[10] On May 7, VH-1, which generally aired pop videos, announced that they would begin playing "The Thunder Rolls."[11]
The following month, Capitol Nashville president Jimmy Bowen sent copies of the video to members of the Country Music Association, so that they could consider it for the upcoming awards show. On Oct. 2, the video was awarded the CMA Video of the Year award.[12]
[edit] Track listing
US 7" single" Capitol Nashville NR-44727, 1991
- "The Thunder Rolls" (Edited) - 3:30
- "Victim of the Game"
Jukebox 7" single Liberty S7-57744-A, 1992
- "The Thunder Rolls" - 3:42
- "Shameless"
Dutch promo CD single Liberty/EMI promo CX 519443, 1991
- "The Thunder Rolls" - 3:43
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 54.
- ^ a b c Cox (2009), p. 86.
- ^ a b c Cox (2009), p. 87.
- ^ Garth Brooks - The Hits: transcription from the CD booklet (bar code 7-2438-29689-2-4)
- ^ a b c Cox (2009), p. 91.
- ^ Cox (2009), p. 90.
- ^ a b Cox (2009), p. 92.
- ^ quoted in Cox (2009), p. 93.
- ^ Cox (2009), p. 93.
- ^ a b c Cox (2009), p. 94.
- ^ Cox (2009), p. 96.
- ^ Cox (2009), p. 97.
[edit] Sources
- Cox, Patsi Bale (2009), The Garth Factor: The Career Behind Country's Big Boom, Center Street, ISBN 978-1-59995-099-0
| Preceded by "If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)" by Joe Diffie |
Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks number-one single June 22-June 29, 1991 |
Succeeded by "Don't Rock the Jukebox" by Alan Jackson |
| Preceded by "Meet in the Middle" by Diamond Rio |
RPM Country Tracks number-one single June 29-July 13, 1991 |
Succeeded by "Point of Light" by Randy Travis |
| Preceded by "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" by Randy Travis |
RPM Country Tracks number-one single of the year 1991 |
Succeeded by "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus |
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