Artist: Nightcaps
Author: Billy Joe Shine/Gene Haufler/David Swartz/Mario Daboud/Jack Allday
Label: Vandan
Year: 1960

Band from Dallas. The Vaughan brothers liked it. No wonder Jimmie Vaughan named his own band The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Still, melody and title may have been inspired by earlier recordings: first there's Sonny Burgess' instrumental Sun single Thunderbird from '58, with a harmonica clearly inspired by Little Walter's Thunderbird for Chess in '56. There's even an instrumental Thunderbird cut by trumpet player Ray Anthony and his orchestra for Capitol in '53, that's two years before the Ford Motor Company introduced the inspirational Thunderbird model. Yell "What's the word? Thunderbird!" was introduced that same year by Hal Page & The Whalers in their Thunderbird (J&S - '55), covered by Dossie Terry ('57 - King) with Kenny Burrell on guitar. Red Prysock's What's The Word? Thunderbird! (also '57) was his very own song.

See also Wine Wine Wine.