Released: August 1, 1982
Songwriter: Richard Supa Jimmy Crespo Steven Tyler
Producer: Tony Bongiovi Jack Douglas Steven Tyler
[Verse 1]
The boys and Dukes are ready to rumble
The word on the street some heads are gonna tumble
Blades gonna flash when the street gangs clash
In this avenue tonight
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes
[Verse 2]
Zip gun Johnny's finger is itching
Oh the lid's gonna blow up in hell's kitchen
It's an eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
They're so ruthless when they fight
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes, ooh
[Verse 3]
And it's a free for all in the parking lot
Tell me who will rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
[Chorus 2]
And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes
[Verse 4]
Um, it's dog eat dog when you're meeting your rival
In the combat zone it's a means of survival
Gonna get last licks on a suicide blitz
On a cloak and dagger night
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes
[Verse 5]
Ooh, it's a free for all in the parking lot
Over who'll rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
[Chorus 2]
And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
[Instrumental Break]
[Outro]
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
Can't you hear the thunder
When the Lightning Strikes
Can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
The boys and Dukes are ready to rumble
The word on the street some heads are gonna tumble
Blades gonna flash when the street gangs clash
In this avenue tonight
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes
[Verse 2]
Zip gun Johnny's finger is itching
Oh the lid's gonna blow up in hell's kitchen
It's an eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
They're so ruthless when they fight
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes, ooh
[Verse 3]
And it's a free for all in the parking lot
Tell me who will rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
[Chorus 2]
And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes
[Verse 4]
Um, it's dog eat dog when you're meeting your rival
In the combat zone it's a means of survival
Gonna get last licks on a suicide blitz
On a cloak and dagger night
[Chorus 1]
When the lightning strikes
[Verse 5]
Ooh, it's a free for all in the parking lot
Over who'll rule the street
And the night explodes
When the cops bring down the heat
[Chorus 2]
And the chains they crash like thunder
While the weak ones all retreat
Gotta draw first blood
Or they'll read your funeral rights
[Instrumental Break]
[Outro]
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
When the lightning strikes
Can't you hear the thunder
When the Lightning Strikes
Can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
Can't you, can't you, can't you hear the thunder
When the lightning strikes
- Rock in a Hard Place (1982)
- Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits 1973-1988 (1997)
- I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
- Dream On
- Cryin’
- Walk This Way
- Crazy
- Sweet Emotion
- Amazing
- Janie’s Got a Gun
- Love in an Elevator
- Dude (Looks Like a Lady)
- Pink
- Jaded
- Angel
- Livin’ on the Edge
- Rag Doll
- What It Takes
- Last Child
- Big Ten Inch Record
- Eat the Rich
- Mama Kin
- Back in the Saddle
- Fly Away from Here
- Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)
- The Other Side