Thunderstruck (1990) – AC/DC

Thunderstruck opens with one of the most recognisable riffs in hard rock history. It’s impossible to confuse with anything else. Add the chant – that tribal “ah-ah, ah-ah-ah” – and the song feels less like a track and more like a ritual. The video leans into that idea too, looking like a gathering at a heavy-metal temple. When it landed in 1990, it hit hard – winning over metal fans and casual listeners alike (yours truly included). Thunderstruck also brings my AC/DC trilogy in the music library project to a close, alongside Highway to Hell and It’s a Long Way to the Top.

Released as the lead single from The Razors Edge, Thunderstruck quickly became one of AC/DC’s signature songs. It remains the only song the band recorded in the 1990s that stayed permanently in their live setlists. On the charts, Thunderstruck reached the Top 30 in multiple countries and peaked at No. 5 in Australia. It is one of the best-selling singles of all time with over 15 million units sold. In Triple M’s Ozzest 100, celebrating the “most Australian” songs of all time, Thunderstruck was ranked at No. 8.

The song’s origin is tied to a real jolt of fear. During the 1988 Blow Up Your Video tour, Angus Young flew from Holland to Germany to rejoin the band for a Berlin show. Mid-flight, the small plane was struck by lightning. Young later said he thought he was going to die – and when he didn’t, the idea for “Thunderstruck” stuck with him.

Musically, it began with a guitar idea Angus had been working on. When he played it to Malcolm Young, Malcolm locked in a rhythm part that grounded the song. From there, the “thunder” theme took shape. As Angus later put it, the concept was simple: AC/DC equals power. In the studio, several takes were recorded, but the final version features Angus playing the famous lead part in one complete take – start to finish – according to longtime mixer Mike Fraser.

The music video, directed by David Mallet, was filmed live at London’s Brixton Academy on 17 August 1990. Fans were given free T-shirts reading “AC/DC – I Was Thunderstruck” on the front, with the date printed on the back. Every person in the crowd wore one, turning the performance into a unified wall of noise, sweat, and voltage – exactly what the song promised.

[Verse 1]
I was caught in the middle of a railroad track (Thunder)
I looked ’round and I knew there was no turnin’ back (Thunder)
My mind raced and I thought, “What could I do?” (Thunder)
And I knew there was no help, no help from you (Thunder)
Sound of the drums beatin’ in my heart
The thunder of guns, yeah, tore me apart

[Refrain]
You’ve been
Thunderstruck

[Verse 2]
Went down the highway, broke the limit, we hit the town
Went through to Texas, yeah, Texas, and we had some fun
We met some girls, some dancers who gave a good time
Broke all the rules, played all the fools
Yeah, yeah, they, they, they blew our minds

[Pre-Chorus]
And I was shakin’ at the knees
Could I come again, please?
Yeah, the ladies were too kind

[Chorus]
You’ve been
Thunderstruck
Thunderstruck
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck
Ooh, thunderstruck
Yeah

[Post-Chorus]
I was shakin’ at the knees
Could I come again, please? Yow

[Guitar Solo]

[Pre-Chorus]
Ooh, ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah-ah, yeah

[Chorus]
Ooh, thunderstruck
Thunderstruck
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thunderstruck
Thunderstruck
Yeah, yeah, yeah

[Bridge]
Said, yeah, it’s all right
We’re doin’ fine
Yeah, it’s all right
We’re doin’ fine, so fine

References:
1. Thunderstruck (song) – Wikipedia