| "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 | 4:35 (full version) 3:54 (radio 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 band's 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 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, labeling Steve Howe's acoustic guitar playing as "bouncy" and stating that the song's biggest was the inclusion of a horn section.[5]
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".[6]
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.[7]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lightning Strikes" (radio edit) | 3:54 |
| 2. | "The Messenger" | 5:12 |
| 3. | "Homeworld (The Ladder)" | 9:32 |
| Total length: | 18:38 | |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[8]
Yes
- Jon Anderson – lead vocals
- Steve Howe – guitars, backing vocals
- Billy Sherwood – guitars, backing vocals
- Chris Squire – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Igor Khoroshev – keyboards
- Alan White – drums
Additional musicians
- 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
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. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. 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.
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