Classic Pop Icons

Thunderclap Newman’s one and only hit single, “Something In The Air,” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “Something In The Air” was released on single in May 1969, backed with “Wilhelmina”. It also appeared on the band’s only album, “Hollywood Dream,” the following year and on the soundtracks of the movies “The Magic Christian” and “The Strawberry Statement”.

Thunderclap Newman was a band put together by The Who’s guitarist, Pete Townshend, in order to showcase the songwriting talents of John “Speedy” Keen, who had been a chauffeur and roadie for The Who. Keen had written “Armenia City in the Sky,” which appeared on The Who’s 1967 album “The Who Sell Out”.

The band was a short-lived experiment, with very little output and only a handful of live shows, but with “Something In The Air” they released one of the UK’s biggest singles of 1969 and one of the most enduring songs of the era.

Written a year on from the so-called Summer of Love and in the wake of the growing student protests over Vietnam, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr and Robert F. Kennedy, “Something In The Air” was a rallying call for those who believed that the time for real, positive social change had arrived. Keen’s lyrics are in contrast to the idealistic flower power message though. Scott McKenzie’s 1967 hit had urged young people to “be sure to wear some flowers in your hair,” but Keen asserted that it’s time to “Call out the instigators,” “Lock up the streets and houses,” and “Hand out the arms and ammo”. The recurring message is “Because the revolution’s here, and you know it’s right”. The song’s original title was in fact “Revolution,” but it was changed because The Beatles released a song of that name.

Although the song’s message might come in and out of fashion, the real reason that it has endured is that it has such a strong melody and was so well performed and produced by all concerned. Keen’s lead vocal and drumming are particularly strong, but the melodic bass part, well crafted guitar riffs, unusual piano solo, and busy string arrangement are all noteworthy. There isn’t a weakest link on this recording.

“Something In The Air” – Thunderclap Newman

Thunderclap Newman released one more single, “Accidents,” but it didn’t chart in the US or make the Top 40 in the UK. The same fate befell their subsequent efforts and the band split up in 1971.

Authorship

The words and music for “Something In The Air” were written by John Keen.

Recording date/location

“Something In The Air” was recorded in early 1969 at Pete Townshend’s home studio in Twickenham and IBC Recording Studios, located at 35 Portland Place, London.

Musicians

Thunderclap Newman were:

• John Keen – vocals and drums
• Pete Townshend (credited as Bijou Drains) – bass
• Andy “Thunderclap” Newman – piano
• Jimmy McCulloch – guitar.

Pete Townshend was replaced on bass by Jim Pitman-Avery when the band played live.

Andy Newman was a jazz pianist who Townshend had known at art college. In recent years he has toured and recorded with a new line-up of Thunderclap Newman.

John Keen recorded a couple of solo albums in the 1970s, “Previous Convictions” and “Y’know Wot I Mean?”, and had a short career as a producer for acts including Motorhead. He died in 2002.

McCulloch went on to play with several bands after Thunderclap Newman split up, including Paul McCartney’s Wings. He died of a heroin overdose in 1979.

John Keen, Pete Townshend, Andy Newman and Jimmy McCulloch

Chart performance

“Something In The Air” topped the UK singles chart and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

Notable covers

“Something In The Air” – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty’s cover of “Something In The Air” featured as a bonus track on his 1993 Greatest Hits album and was a minor hit when released on single the following year. It’s a fairly predictable cover, with Petty and the band sticking to the original arrangement, but replacing the piano break with a guitar solo.

“Something In The Air” – Hayley Sanderson

Hayley Sanderson’s cover of “Something In The Air” was used for a TalkTalk advertising campaign in 2006 and also released as a charity single to benefit Treehouse, the UK charity for autism education. Sanderson’s voice is strong and appealing, and works well against the 35-piece string section.

There will be a new Song of the Week on May 21.

Thunderclap Newman’s “Something In The Air” is available on the album “Hollywood Dream”. You can also download it as a single MP3.

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Thunderclap Newman – Hollywood Dream (CD)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now
Something In the Air – single track (MP3)	Buy Now	Buy Now	N/A