About the song
Thunderclap Newman was an English rock band that had a number one hit in 1969 with their debut single “Something in the Air”. The song was written by Speedy Keen, who also sang and played drums on the track. The band was formed by Pete Townshend of The Who, who produced the single and played bass under the pseudonym Bijou Drains. The other members were Andy “Thunderclap” Newman on piano and Jimmy McCulloch on guitar.
“Something in the Air” was a song that captured the spirit of social and political change in the late 1960s. It featured a catchy chorus, a piano solo by Newman, and a guitar solo by McCulloch. The song also had three key changes, starting in E major, then moving to F-sharp major and C major, and ending in A-flat major. The lyrics called for a revolution and urged people to “get together” and “hand out the arms and ammo”.
The song was used for several films, TV shows and adverts, such as The Magic Christian, Almost Famous, American Made, and Nike. It was also covered by many artists, such as Tom Petty, David Bowie, U2, and The Chemical Brothers.
The song was the only major hit for Thunderclap Newman, who released one album, Hollywood Dream, in 1970. The band broke up shortly after that, although they reunited briefly in 2010 for some live performances. Keen died in 2002, McCulloch in 1979, and Newman in 2016.