Lyrks
Lyrks
Sign In
Cover Art

Thunder Child Lyrics by Jeff Wayne

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds

1978

[Martians]
Ulla!

[Narrator: Richard Burton ("The Journalist")]
The steamer began to move slowly away but on the landward horizon appeared the silhouette of a fighting machine. Another came, and another, striding over hills and trees, plunging far out to sea and blocking the exit of the steamer. Between them lay the silent, grey Ironclad "Thunder Child". Slowly it moved towards shore; then, with a deafening roar and whoosh of spray, it swung about and drove at full speed towards the waiting Martians...

[Verse 1: Chris Thompson ("The Voice Of Humanity")]
There were ships of shapes and sizes
Scattered out along the bay
And I thought I heard her calling
As the steamer pulled away
The invaders must have seen them
As across the coast they filed
Standing firm between them
There lay Thunder Child!

[Verse 2: Chris Thompson ("The Voice Of Humanity")]
Moving swiftly through the waters
Cannons blazing as she came
Brought a mighty metal warlord
Crashing down in sheets of flame
Sensing victory was nearing
Thinking fortune must have smiled
People started cheering

[Refrain 1]
"Come on Thunder Child!"
"Come on Thunder Child!"

[Narrator: Richard Burton ("The Journalist")]
The Martians released their black smoke, but the ship sped on, cutting down one of the tripod figures. Instantly, the others raised their Heat Rays, and melted the Thunder Child's valiant heart…

[Instrumental (2:14 - 3:17)]

[Verse 3: Chris Thompson ("The Voice Of Humanity")]
Lashing ropes and smashing timbers
Flashing Heat Rays pierced the deck
Dashing hopes for our deliverance
As we watched the sinking wreck
With the smoke of battle clearing
Over graves in waves defiled
Slowly disappearing

[Refrain 2: Chris Thompson ("The Voice Of Humanity")]
Farewell Thunder Child!
Slowly disappearing
Farewell Thunder Child!
Farewell Thunder Child!
Farewell Thunder Child!

[Narrator: Richard Burton ("The Journalist")]
When the smoke cleared, the little steamer had reached the misty horizon, and Carrie was safe. But the Thunder Child had vanished forever, taking with her man's last hope of victory. The leaden sky was lit by green flashes, cylinder following cylinder, and no one and nothing was left now to fight them. The Earth belonged to the Martians…

[Instrumental & Martians (4:36 - 6:06)]

Ulla!
Credits
Jeff Wayne

Jeff Wayne

About “Thunder Child” by Jeff Wayne

Read the complete lyrics to "Thunder Child" by Jeff Wayne from the album "Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds" in 1978. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Psychedelic Rock, Soundtrack, Electronic.

"Thunder Child" is performed by Jeff Wayne. from the album "Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds" in 1978 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Thunder Child", explore more songs by Jeff Wayne using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Jeff Wayne · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Thunder Child" is credited to Jeff Wayne. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Thunder Child" appears on "Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds" in 1978.

Visit the Jeff Wayne artist page at /artist/jeff-wayne for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

Dead London (Part I)
Dead London
Animal & Man (Part Two)
Brave New World (2012)
Dead London (Part 1)
Animal & Man (Part One)
Brave New World
Dead London (Part 2)
Lyrks
Lyrks

Your gateway to the world of music lyrics.

Product

Features

Company

About

Artists

Trending

Legal

Privacy

Terms

Copyright

Support

Contact

Features

Charts

© 2026 Lyrks. All rights reserved.