Harman Patil (Editor)

Crying Lightning

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Format
  
7", 10"

Length
  
3:43

Genre
  
Stoner rock

Label
  
Domino

B-side
  
"Red Right Hand" "I Haven't Got My Strange"

Released
  
6 July 2009 (Digital download) 17 August 2009 (Vinyl release)

"Crying Lightning" is a song by the English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys, released as the first single from their third album Humbug. It was first played on Zane Lowe's show on BBC Radio 1 on 6 July 2009 and was then made available on iTunes to download the following day. Physical copies of the single were made available on 17 August, one week before the release of the album. The vinyl was made available in Oxfam shops and sold with a download code for fans to get a free MP3 version of the song.

Contents

The single debuted at #12 on the UK Singles Chart on 12 July 2009 by downloads alone.

Music video

The music video for the single debuted on Channel 4 in UK on 24 July 2009.

The music video, directed by Richard Ayoade (who worked with the band previously on the video for "Fluorescent Adolescent", as well as their At the Apollo live DVD), shows the band performing the song on a boat on a rough sea. During a short instrumental interlude, a large figure rises up from the sea in the form of frontman, Turner. He falls to his knees where the boat passes between his legs before the other three band members (Cook, Helders and O'Malley) also rise up out from the water.

Credits and personnel

Arctic Monkeys
  • Alex Turner - lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitar, Vox Super Continental Organ (track 2)
  • Jamie Cook - lead & rhythm guitar, baritone guitar (track 2)
  • Nick O'Malley - bass guitar
  • Matt Helders - drums, backing vocals
  • Additional musicians
  • Josh Homme - backing vocals (track 3)
  • John Ashton - keyboards, backing vocals (track 1), guitar
  • References

    Crying Lightning Wikipedia