"Call Me Lightning" is a song written by

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

, guitarist of the British rock band

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

. 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''. In the United States "Call Me Lightning" was the follow-up single to the Top 10 hit "

I Can See for Miles "I Can See for Miles" is a song by the English rock band the Who, recorded for the band's 1967 album ''The Who Sell Out''. Written by guitarist Pete Townshend, it was the only song from the album to be released as a single. Recording Recorded ...

" and reached No. 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on 4 May 1968, their 16th most successful single on the Hot 100. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' described the single as a "pulsating rocker with a happy beat." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' called it "an imaginative blend of rock-blues and rag" and praised "the potent group performance." 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 dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

". The US B-side, "

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Doctor is an academic title that originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb 'to teach'. It has been used as an academic title in Europe since the 13th century, w ...

", had been considered as a possible A-side single release, along with "Call Me Lightning," as the B-side. "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. ''

'' called "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" a "psychedelified throbber on the lid that could attract added attention." The song was behind the naming of the rock group Call Me Lightning.

Chart performance

References

Citations Bibliography * * The Who songs 1968 songs Songs written by Pete Townshend Song recordings produced by Kit Lambert {{1960s-rock-song-stub