Released 1982 Recorded 1981 Length 4:26 | Format 7" single Genre hard rock, Heavy metal Label Columbia | |
"Lightning Strikes" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith. It was released as the first of two singles from the band's 1982 album Rock in a Hard Place. It is notable as Aerosmith's only charting single from the lineup without guitarist Joe Perry, who was replaced by Jimmy Crespo after he left the band in 1979.
The song was written by Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo and Richie Supa, a friend and collaborator of the band. Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford recorded his parts before leaving the band.
The song was released as a promotional single to rock radio in 1982 and reached #21 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Music video
The band created one of their earliest actual music videos for MTV and other networks with this song. Directed by Arnold Levine, the music video flashes back and forth between the band performing in what appears to be a studio or small venue and then out on the streets, where the band members flash angry looks, and wield baseball bats, chains, knives, and other weapons, suggesting a fight is about to take place. The song also features fake lightning strikes during the transitions between the band's performance and the streets, and baseball bats striking melons in the air.