WHAT’S THE WORD? IT’S THUNDERBIRD!
if “Thunderbird” is my favorite ZZ Top song (I mean, it’s hard to compete with that live-in-1980 version of “Cheap Sunglasses” on YouTube), but it’s definitely in my top three. “Thunderbird,” one of the live tracks from, has always stood out for a few reasons. I love how it explodes out of the gate two seconds after the announcer barks, “Ladies and gents, the fantastic ZZ Top!” It’s just three guys on a stage, but it sounds like seven runaway freight trains doing 117 mph. Billy Gibbons’ playing is tight, solid and “in the groove,” especially on those meaty solos and turnarounds. Then there’s the band’s dynamics (and the crowd’s reaction) during the “Juice, juice, juice / Really makes you loose, loose, loose,” part.
