Quicksilver Lightning
"Quicksilver Lightning" is a song by Roger Daltrey, who at the time was the former lead singer of The Who. The track is credited as being written by Dean Pitchford and being composed by Giorgio Moroder. The track is the theme tune for the 1986 film Quicksilver starring Kevin Bacon, Jami Gertz, Paul Rodriguez, Louie Anderson, Laurence Fishburne and Rudy Ramos. The film was directed by Thomas Michael Donnelly. The film went quite unnoticed, so both the song and the film are not easily remembered.[2]
| "Quicksilver Lightning" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Roger Daltrey | ||||
| from the album Quicksilver: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
| B-side | "Love Me Like You Do" | |||
| Released | April 1986[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1985 - 1986 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 4:46 | |||
| Label | Atlantic – 7-89457 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Giorgio Moroder and Dean Pitchford | |||
| Producer(s) | Alan Shacklock, Giorgio Moroder | |||
| Roger Daltrey singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song was released as a single on April 1986, and was a minor success on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts, reaching number 11.[3]
Promotional film
A large portion of the music video was filmed in San Francisco, California, with parts of the video featuring Daltrey recording the song in a studio. The video begins with Daltrey in a taxicab, looking at documents called "Quicksilver", while Jack Casey (Kevin Bacon) rides behind him. He gets out of the cab and walks into a recording studio, then begins singing the song. The video cuts between Daltrey singing and scenes from the film.
Releases
The song was later released as the B-side to the single, Hearts of Fire from Daltrey's seventh solo studio album Can't Wait to See the Movie, in 1987.
B-side
The B-side Love Me Like You Do, written by Andy Nye, was included as track six on Daltrey's sixth solo album, Under a Raging Moon, but only on the CD and tape versions, not the record version.
Compilation appearance
Other than the original single release, the track is only available on the 2005 compilation album, Moonlighting: The Anthology, released by Sanctuary.
Chart performance
Singles - Billboard Singles (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Mainstream Rock Charts | 11[3] |
Lyrics
Lately i feel like i keep losing ground
Everyday running in place
Tearing around on this merry go round, same rat race
Oh but i get so hungry to break from the pack, shoot for the stars
I dont want these chains that keep holding me back, Im going far
Oh so far...
Lightning! I am lightning! Changing! I am trading these chains for wings, for wings!
Time has torn all my defenses apart, all i've got left now is you
Just when you thought you knew me by heart, i'm brand new
Baby don't ask me questions just hold me real tight, ooh feel me burn...
Rising like quicksilver into the night, ive finally learnt its my turn!
Lightning! I am Lightning! Changing! I am trading these chains for wings, for wings!
There is no limit on dreams
There is no ceiling on heaven above
There is no telling what one man can do, with love ooh with love
Lightning! I am Lightning! Changing! I am trading these chains for wings, for wings!
Lightning! I am Lightning! Changing! I am trading these chains for wings, for wings!
Lightning! I am Lightning! Changing! I am trading these chains for wings, for wings!
Roger Daltrey
Quicksilver: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
1986
See also
References
- Hildred, S.; Ewbank, T. (2012). Roger Daltrey: The biography. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9781405518451. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
- "ROYAL TRILOGY: Queen, Yo y Algo Más: junio 2011" (in Spanish). royaltrilogy.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
- "Quicksilver - Original Soundtrack | Awards | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 8 July 2015.