Lightning Strikes (Yes song)

1999 single by Yes

"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
| "Homeworld (The Ladder)"
(1999)  | "Lightning Strikes"
(1999)  | "If Only You Knew"
(2000)

|
|

"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

[edit]

"Lightning Strikes" contains the same Mellotron flute sample that "Phenomenal Cat" by The Kinks uses in the intro. Drummer Alan White had 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 pleased with the final product and believed that the song encouraged the band to explore new musical territory.[4]

## Reception

[edit]

Bret Adams of AllMusic enjoyed the track, labeling Steve Howe's acoustic guitar playing as "bouncy" and stating that the song's biggest surprise was the inclusion of a horn section.[5]

Jason Warburg of The Daily Vault praised the track. They noted the use of horns on the track and Howe's "strong riffs" on acoustic and electric guitar and highlighted keyboardist Igor Khoroshev's "lively" organs and synth runs. They also called White's and Squire's playing "cuban-flavored".[6]

Writing for Progressiveworld, Stephanie Sollow 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

1. ^ "THE LADDER - YES". Yesworld. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
2. ^ "Yes singles".
3. ^ 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.
4. ^ Whipple, Pete (1999). Yes - The Ladder - North American tourbook (PDF). Yes Magazine.
5. ^ Adams, Bret. "Yes - The Ladder". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
6. ^ "Yes: Daily Vault". dailyvault.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
7. ^ Sollow, Stephanie (August 2011). "Yes – The Ladder". Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
8. ^ The Ladder (Media notes). Yes. Eagle Records. 1999. EAGCD088.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

* v
* t
* e

Yes

* Steve Howe
* Geoff Downes
* Billy Sherwood
* Jon Davison
* Jay Schellen

* Jon Anderson
* Chris Squire
* Peter Banks
* Bill Bruford
* Tony Kaye
* Rick Wakeman
* Alan White
* Patrick Moraz
* Trevor Horn
* Trevor Rabin
* Igor Khoroshev
* Benoît David
* Oliver Wakeman

Studio albums|

* Yes
* Time and a Word
* The Yes Album
* Fragile
* Close to the Edge
* Tales from Topographic Oceans
* Relayer
* Going for the One
* Tormato
* Drama
* 90125
* Big Generator
* Union
* Talk
* Keys to Ascension
* Keys to Ascension 2
* Open Your Eyes
* The Ladder
* Magnification
* Fly from Here
* Heaven & Earth
* The Quest
* Mirror to the Sky

Mini albums|

* From a Page

Live albums|

* Yessongs
* Yesshows
* 9012Live: The Solos
* Something's Coming: The BBC Recordings 1969–1970
* House of Yes: Live from House of Blues
* Symphonic Live
* Greatest Hits Live
* Live at Montreux 2003
* Songs from Tsongas
* Union Live
* In the Present – Live from Lyon
* Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome
* Progeny: Highlights from Seventy-Two
* Like It Is: Yes at the Mesa Arts Center
* Topographic Drama – Live Across America
* Yes 50 Live
* The Royal Affair Tour: Live from Las Vegas

Compilation albums|

* Yesterdays
* Classic Yes
* Yesstory
* Highlights: The Very Best of Yes
* Keystudio
* The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection
* Yes Remixes
* Yes, Friends and Relatives
* Yessingles

Box sets|

* Yesyears
* In a Word: Yes (1969–)
* The Word Is Live
* Essentially Yes
* High Vibration
* The Studio Albums 1969–1987
* Progeny: Seven Shows from Seventy-Two
* The Steven Wilson Remixes

Singles|

* "Your Move"
* "Roundabout"
* "America"
* "And You and I"
* "Soon"
* "Wonderous Stories"
* "Don't Kill the Whale"
* "Into the Lens"
* "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
* "Leave It"
* "It Can Happen"
* "Love Will Find a Way"
* "Rhythm of Love"
* "Lift Me Up"
* "Saving My Heart"
* "Make It Easy"
* "The Calling"
* "Walls"
* "Open Your Eyes"
* "Lightning Strikes"
* "We Can Fly"

Other songs|

* "Yours Is No Disgrace"
* "Starship Trooper"
* "I've Seen All Good People"
* "South Side of the Sky"
* "Five Per Cent for Nothing"
* "Long Distance Runaround"
* "Heart of the Sunrise"
* "Close to the Edge"
* "Siberian Khatru"
* "The Gates of Delirium"
* "Run with the Fox"
* "Changes"
* "Cinema"
* "Our Song"
* "Hold On"
* "Big Generator"
* "Shoot High Aim Low"
* "Fly from Here"
* "Mirror to the Sky"

Video releases|

* Yessongs
* 9012Live
* Yesyears
* Greatest Video Hits
* Yes: Live – 1975 at Q.P.R.
* Live in Philadelphia
* Keys to Ascension
* Yesspeak
* Yes Acoustic: Guaranteed No Hiss
* Classic Artists: Yes
* Yesspeak Live: The Director's Cut
* Rock of the '70s

Tours|

* The Yes Album Tour
* Fragile Tour
* Close to the Edge Tour
* 1960s–70s
* 1980s–90s
* 2000s–10s
* 2020s

Related bands|

* The Syn
* Mabel Greer's Toyshop
* Flash
* Badger
* King Crimson
* The Buggles
* XYZ
* Jon and Vangelis
* Asia
* Cinema
* GTR
* Esquire
* Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
* Conspiracy
* Circa
* Yoso
* Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman

Managers|

* Roy Flynn
* Brian Lane

Related articles|

* Discography
* Band members
* Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
* Yesoteric
* Symphonic Music of Yes
* Jimmy Haun
* Dylan Howe
* Roger Dean
* Yes bubble logo

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