"Call Me Lightning" is a song written by Pete Townshend, guitarist of the British rock band The Who. Townshend first recorded a home demo of the song in 1964. The Who's recording was a single released in March 1968 and it later appeared on the Who's fourth American album Magic Bus: The Who on Tour.
| "Call Me Lightning" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Who | ||||
| from the album Magic Bus: The Who on Tour | ||||
| A-side | "Dogs" (UK) | |||
| B-side | "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (US) | |||
| Released | 16 March 1968 (US)[1] 14 June 1968 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | January, 25/26 February 1968[2] | |||
| Studio | IBC Recording Studios (London, England)[2] Gold Star Studios (Los Angeles, California)[2] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:25 | |||
| Label | Track (UK) Decca (US) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Pete Townshend | |||
| Producer(s) | Kit Lambert | |||
| The Who singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In the United States "Call Me Lightning" was the follow-up single to the Top 10 hit "I Can See for Miles" and reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 4 May 1968,[3] their 16th most successful single on the Hot 100.[4]
Billboard described the single as a "pulsating rocker with a happy beat."[5] Cash Box called it "an imaginative blend of rock-blues and rag" and praised "the potent group performance."[6] Record World said it "should turn into sales lightning as The Who do it. Hard, driving beat at its best from the group."[7]
The song features a prominent bass solo by John Entwistle. A promo film was made, and this later was included in the 1979 documentary The Kids Are Alright. "Call Me Lightning" was released in the United Kingdom as the B-side of the single "Dogs".
The US B-side, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", had been considered as a possible A-side single release, along with "Call Me Lightning," as the B-side.[1] "Call Me Lightning" received a mediocre reception from Who fans, and biographer John Atkins feels that "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" was a better song, even though its horror film imagery was unsuitable for a single.[1][8] Cash Box called "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" a "psychedelified throbber on the lid that could attract added attention."[6]
The song was behind the naming of the rock group Call Me Lightning.
Charts
edit| Chart (1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Kent Music Report | 30 |
| Canada RPM[9] | 35 |
| Netherlands | 38 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[3] | 40 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100[10] | 38 |
References
editCitations
- ^ a b c Atkins 2000, p. 103
- ^ a b c "Call Me Lightning - The Who". Thewho.com. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ a b "The Who Call Me Lightning Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "The Who Chart History | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. March 16, 1968. p. 78. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
- ^ a b "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 16, 1968. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 16, 1968. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ Atkins 2000, p. 104
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May 4, 1968" (PDF).
- ^ Hoffmann 1983, p. 639
Bibliography
- Atkins, John (2000). The Who on Record: A Critical History, 1963-1998. MacFarland. ISBN 9781476606576.
- Hoffmann, Frank (1983). The Cash Box Singles Charts, 1950–1981. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810815957.