Thunder (Prince song)

"Thunder"
"Thunder"
	UK 12-inch picture disc
Single by Prince and the New Power Generation
from the album Diamonds and Pearls
B-side	"Violet the Organ Grinder"; "Gett Off" (Thrust Dub);
Released	June 15, 1992
Studio	Paisley Park (Chanhassen, Minnesota)
Length	5:45 (album version); 3:20 (radio edit);
Label	Paisley Park; Warner Bros.;
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Prince
Prince and the New Power Generation singles chronology

"Thunder" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, from their 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls. It was issued as a limited, individually numbered 12-inch single picture disc in the UK and Ireland only, and the edited version was available only on the promotional single.

Background

The lyrics can be interpreted as referring to the night Prince decided to withdraw The Black Album, when he was rumored to have suffered a bad ecstasy trip.^[2] This is the first single cover to feature Mayte, sitting at the lower left. The B-sides were previously released on the "Gett Off" maxi-single: "Violet the Organ Grinder" and "Gett Off" (Thrust Dub).

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, Patrick Corcoran from Albumism wrote that the song "rumbles into earshot on a wave of multilayered vocals and typically sterling guitar and sitar work." He added, "As some would have it, this was his account of the night he shelved the Black Album at the last moment—a battle for his very soul no less."^[3] Mike Diver for the BBC said in his 2010 review, that it is an "anthemic opener" that "apparently refers, in its lyrics, to withdrawn 1987 LP The Black Album".^[4] Gavin Martin from NME described the song as "hysterical pop operatics".^[5] Jeff Weiss from Pitchfork commented that it "stitches evangelic lyrics to sub-continental sitars, slashing guitars, and chord progressions that Max Martin has swiped for the last two decades. It's basically a proto-Backstreet Boys anthem for born-agains."^[6] A reviewer from People Magazine noted the "pretentious bluster" of the song.^[7] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits described it as "quirky rock".^[8]

Chart performance

The song was another top 30 hit for Prince, peaking at number 28 in the UK, and continuing the moderate success of Diamonds and Pearls singles there. In Ireland, "Thunder" reached number three and charted for 12 weeks.

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud^[9]^[10]

Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric guitars, synthesizers, bass guitar, Roland R-8, Linn LM-1, finger cymbals

Charts

Chart performance for "Thunder"
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11]	86
Ireland (IRMA)^[12]	3
UK Singles (OCC)^[13]	28
UK Dance (Music Week)^[14]	6

References

^ Uptown, 2004, p. 133
^ Hahn, Alex. Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince. Billboard Books, 2003. ISBN 0-8230-7748-9. Page ?
^ Corcoran, Patrick (September 27, 2016). "Prince & The New Power Generation's 'Diamonds and Pearls' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
^ Diver, Mike (2010). "Prince & The New Power Generation Diamonds and Pearls Review". BBC. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
^ Martin, Gavin (October 5, 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 36. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
^ Weiss, Jeff (April 30, 2016). "Prince / The New Power Generation – Diamond and Pearls". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
^ "Picks and Pans Review: Diamonds and Pearls". People. October 21, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
^ Doyle, Tom (October 16, 1991). "Review: LPs". Smash Hits. p. 43. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
^ Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.
^ "Diamonds and Pearls". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 27. July 4, 1992. p. 18.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Thunder". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 4, 1992. p. 22. Retrieved September 29, 2020.

Uptown: The Vault – The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince: Nilsen Publishing 2004, ISBN 91-631-5482-X

[1] Uptown, 2004, p. 133

[2] Hahn, Alex. Possessed: The Rise and Fall of Prince. Billboard Books, 2003. ISBN 0-8230-7748-9. Page ?

[3] Corcoran, Patrick (September 27, 2016). "Prince & The New Power Generation's 'Diamonds and Pearls' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 15, 2020.

[4] Diver, Mike (2010). "Prince & The New Power Generation Diamonds and Pearls Review". BBC. Retrieved November 2, 2020.

[5] Martin, Gavin (October 5, 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 36. Retrieved May 2, 2023.

[6] Weiss, Jeff (April 30, 2016). "Prince / The New Power Generation – Diamond and Pearls". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 2, 2020.

[7] "Picks and Pans Review: Diamonds and Pearls". People. October 21, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2020.

[8] Doyle, Tom (October 16, 1991). "Review: LPs". Smash Hits. p. 43. Retrieved October 20, 2020.

[9] Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.

[10] "Diamonds and Pearls". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved May 8, 2023.

[11] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 27. July 4, 1992. p. 18.

[sc_Ireland2_-12] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Thunder". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 16, 2022.

[sc_UK_-13] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2022.

[14] "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 4, 1992. p. 22. Retrieved September 29, 2020.

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v t e Prince singles
1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "Delirious" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"
1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "Letitgo" "Space" "Purple Medley" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "The Truth" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"
2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We B Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K." "Dance 4 Me"
2010s	"Rocknroll Loveaffair" "Breakfast Can Wait" "Fallinlove2nite" "Breakdown" "This Could B Us" "Free Urself"
Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "Erotic City" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Somebody's Somebody" "It's About That Walk" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart"
Internet downloads	"Guitar (original "demo" version)"
New Power Generation	"Get Wild" "The War" "Come On"
EPs	The Beautiful Experience NYC 1999: The New Master
Other songs	"I Feel for You" "Partyup" "Private Joy" "International Lover" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "17 Days" "Around the World in a Day" "Sometimes It Snows in April" "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" "Starfish and Coffee" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U" "Crimson and Clover" "Moonbeam Levels"