"Heartbeat Like Thunder" is a song by English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released by RAK as a non-album single on 21 April 1986.

[2] Despite his new commitments to the musical, Harley continued working on his own solo material for RAK, including "Heartbeat Like Thunder", which he co-wrote with his former Cockney Rebel bandmate, keyboardist Duncan Mackay.

"[3] The song was recorded at RAK Studios with Mackay on keyboards and Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki on drums.

[7][8] Despite the recent success of "The Phantom of the Opera", "Heartbeat Like Thunder" failed to make an appearance in the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart and stalled at number 172.

[5] The track, which has remained exclusive to the single, was first introduced live during Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's 1980 Christmas tour.

"[17] John Lee of the Huddersfield Daily Examiner described the song as an "agreeable medium-paced soft rocker" and concluded that although it was "nothing special", the "insistent off-beat melody could prove hit material".

"[19] Gay Bolton of the Derbyshire Times stated, "I was weaned on a musical diet of Cockney Rebel in my teenage years so you can imagine how shocked I was to hear Steve's latest single.

"[20] Alison Peachey of the Northampton Chronicle and Echo considered it a "sadly disappointing offering" following Harley's previous single, the hit duet 'The Phantom of the Opera' with Sarah Brightman.