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On February 22, 1980, the singer of AC/DC (a band that made it big in the USA and worldwide with the album "Highway To Hell") Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott (07/09/1946, Kirriemuir, Scotland), died choking on his own vomit in a friend's car. The brothers Malcolm (01/06/1953, Glasgow, Scotland) and Angus Mckinnon Young (03/31/1955, Glasgow, Scotland), guitarists (from a Scottish family long transplanted to Australia) of the band, personally broke the news to the mother of the unfortunate singer.
«After Bon's death, we were tempted to quit everything, but we immediately rejected that idea. It would have been too difficult for me to stop. We are all young and do what we love. It makes me feel sick just thinking of being anything other than the guitarist for AC/DC. I'm sure that if it had happened to someone else, including myself, the group would have made the same decision. Bon would not have thrown in the towel. No matter the circumstance, we have always kept a brave face. We have never betrayed anyone. Of course, Bon's death devastated me, I felt as if I had lost a brother. But life goes on» (Angus Young).
«It is a miracle that the band came through Bon's death unscathed. I must say, though, that everyone was very kind to us. I believe, in fact, that people admire us even more for not giving up when adverse fate hit us. We started again almost from scratch. The album BACK IN BLACK is entirely dedicated to Bon, from the title to the cover, it's a tribute to him. In a way, his death helped tighten the group. I consider myself lucky to have continued» (Malcolm Young)
«A bloody surprise! I was reforming Geordie in Newcastle when I received the phone call and when I broke the news, no one wanted to believe it. Even today, I can't realize my luck» (Brian Johnson).
BACK IN BLACK (Atlantic Records, 1980) is the non-plus-ultra of hard rock. It's the pinnacle of the genre. This album concludes a discourse that began with "Led Zeppelin II" by Led Zeppelin and "In Rock" by Deep Purple (Mark 2): all within one decade. The 10 magnificent hits are now known by everyone. This is one of the best-selling albums in musical history. An incredible commercial success, for a record dedicated to the death of a life companion and made in a hurry and rush feeding on hellish damnations ("Hells Bells"), brazen sexualities ("Shoot To Thrill", "What Do You Do For Money", "Given The Dog A Bone", "Let Me Put My Love Into You", "You Shook Me All Night Long"), dirty business ("Back In Black"), vicious tunnels with funeral toasts ("Have A Drink On Me") and healthy rock 'n' roll ("Shake A Leg", "Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution").
Because in the end, what matters is the music. «Everything comes from the rhythm: it is the base and the "feeling" of what we play. We want people to physically feel the energy we release: we want them to ingest every single watt» (Angus Young).
The production by John "Mutt" Lange in this regard is most precious: already in the previous "Highway To Hell," the bass of Clifford "Cliff" Williams (12/14/1949, Romford, England) and the drums of Philip Hugh Norman "Phil Rudd" Witschke (05/19/1954, Surrey Hills/Melbourne, Australia) benefit quite a bit compared to past productions by Harry Wanda & George Young. And if, due to concealed contractual needs, the credits indicate that the songs were written by the Young brothers and newcomer Brian Johnson (10/05/1947, Newcastle, England), in reality, Back In Black is not the beginning of the Johnson era, but the end of the Scott era. All the songs were written as if Bon Scott was supposed to sing them, not Brian Johnson. The difference with the albums that followed throughout the '80s is all too evident. The ambiguity will only be cleared at the beginning of the '90s, when the music and lyrics will be the exclusive domain of the Young brothers. Compositorially, the comparison between Bon Scott and Brian Johnson does not hold and leans entirely in favor of the former. However, the latter is a great interpreter and perhaps even more of a singer than the former. When Brian Johnson finally shakes off the weight of his predecessor, no longer writing lyrics himself, AC/DC will return with "The Razor's Edge," "Ballbreaker," and "Stiff Upper Lip," as the masters of hard rock: which musically may be dead, but in spirit, it will never be.
«The audience is our reason for existing. If we see bouncers roughing up kids trying to get closer, we stop them. The kids have paid for the ticket and are not aggressive: they are just excited. The fault is in our music: it's enough to watch Angus on stage, the kids are like him. This is rock 'n' roll: the best fucking drug in the world» (Brian Johnson).
Rock Profile (by Filippo Guzzardi): http://filippoguzzardi.blogspot.com/
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Shoot to Thrill (05:17)
All you women who want a man of the street
But you don't know which way you wanna turn
Just keep a coming and put your hand out to me
Cause I'm the one who's gonna make you burn
I'm gonna take you down
Down, down, down
So don't you fool around
I'm gonna pull it, pull it, pull the trigger
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
Too many women with too many pills, yeah
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will, yeah
I'm like evil, I get under your skin
Just like a bomb that's ready to blow
Cause I'm illegal, I got everything
That all you women might need to know
I'm gonna take you down
Yeah, down, down, down
So don't you fool around
I'm gonna pull it, pull it, pull the trigger
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
Too many women with too many pills
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will
Cause I shoot to thrill and I'm ready to kill
I can't get enough, I can't get my fill
I shoot to thrill, play to kill
Yeah, pull the trigger
Pull it, pull it, pull it, pull the trigger
Oh
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
Too many women, with too many pills
I said, shoot to thrill, play to kill
I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will
Cause I shoot to thrill, and I'm ready to kill
And I can't get enough, and I can't get my thrill
Cause I shoot to thrill, play it again
Yeah
Shoot you down
Yeah
I'm gonna get you to the bottom and shoot you
I'm gonna shoot you
Oh hoo yeah yeah yeah
I'm gonna shoot you down yeah yeah
I'm gonna get you down
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Shoot you, shoot you, shoot you, shoot you down
Shoot you, shoot you, shoot you down
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ooooooh
I'm gonna shoot to thrill
Play to kill, shoot to thrill
03 What Do You Do for Money Honey (03:34)
You're workin in bars, ridin in cars
Never gonna give it for free
Your apartment with a view
On the finest avenue
Lookin at your beat on the street
You're always pushin, shovin
Satisfied with nothing
You bitch you must be gettin old
So stop your love on the road
All your diggin for gold
You make me wonder
Yes I wonder
I wonder
Honey, what do you do for money
Honey, what do you do for money
How do ya get your kicks?
You're ridin on the take and you're always on the make
Squeezin all the blood out of men
They're standin in a queue just to spend the night wth you
It's business as usual again
You're always grabbin, stabbin
Tryin to get it back but girl you must be gettin slow
So stop your love on the road
All your diggin for gold
You make me wonder
Yes I wonder
Yes I wonder
Honey, what do you do for money
Honey, what do you do for money
What do you do for money honey?
How do you get your kicks?
What do you do for money honey?
How do you get your licks?
What you gonna do?
Aw what you gonna do?
06 Back in Black (04:14)
Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long, I'm glad to be back
Yes I'm let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging around
I keep looking at the sky
'Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse 'cause I'll never die
I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Usin' every one of them and running wild
'Cause I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back, back
Well, I'm back in black
Yes, I'm back in black
Back in the back
Of a Cadillac
Number one with a bullet and my power pack
Yes, I'm in a bang
With a gang
They've got to catch me if they want me to hang
'Cause I'm back on the track
And I'm beatin' the flak
Nobody's gonna get me on another rap
So look at me now
'Cause I'm just makin' my way
Don't try to push your luck, just get out of my way
Well, I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back, back
Well, I'm back in black
Yes, I'm back in black
Well, I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back
Yes, I'm back
Well, I'm back, back
Well, I'm back in black
Yes, I'm back in black
Well I'm back (I'm back)
Back (I'm back)
Back (I'm back)
Back (I'm back)
Back (I'm back)
Back
Back in black
Yes, I'm back in black
Outta sight
07 You Shook Me All Night Long (03:29)
She was a fast machine
She kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman that I ever seen
She had the sightless eyes
Telling me no lies
And knockin' me out with those American thighs
Taking more than her share
Had me fighting for air
She told me to come, but I was already there
'Cause the walls started shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and
You shook me all night long
Yeah, you shook me all night long
Working double time
On the seduction line
She was one of a kind, she's just mine all mine
Wanted no applause
Just another course
Made a meal out of me and come back for more
Had to cool me down
To take another round
Now I'm back in the ring to take another swing
But the walls were shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and
You shook me all night long
Yeah, you shook me all night long
And knocked me out, I said, you shook me all night long
You had me shaking and, you shook me all night long
Yeah, you shook me
When you took me
You really took me and you shook me all night long
Ah, you shook me all night long
Yeah yeah, you shook me all night long
You really got me and you shook me all night long
Yeah, you shook me
Yeah, you shook me all night long
08 Have a Drink on Me (03:58)
Oh, whiskey, gin and brandy
With a glass I'm pretty handy
I'm trying to walk a straight line
On sour mash and cheap wine
Yeah, so join me for a drink boys
Oh, we're gonna make a big noise
So don't worry about tomorrow
Take it today
Forget about the check
We'll get hell to pay
Have a drink on me
Have a drink on me
Yeah, have a drink on me
Have a drink on me
Come on
I'm dizzy, drunk and fightin'
On tequila white lightnin'
Yes, my glass is getting shorter
On whiskey, ice and water
Yeah, so come on, have a good time
And get blinded out of your mind
So don't worry about tomorrow
Take it today
Forget about the check
We'll get hell to pay
Have a drink on me
Have a drink on me
Yeah, have a drink on me
Have a drink on me
Get stoned
Have a drink on me
Oh, have a drink on me, yeah
Oh, have a drink on me
Come on
Oh, gonna roll around
Gonna hit the ground
Take another swig
Have another drink
Gonna drink it dry
Gonna get me high
Come on all the boys
Make a noise
Have a drink on me (have a drink on me)
Have a drink on me (have a drink on me)
Oh, have a drink on me (have a drink on me)
Have a drink on me
Have a drink on me
Have a drink on me
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Other reviews
By Elfo1
Back in Black features pure Hard Rock: a blend of meticulously crafted melodies and amphetamine solos that boldly emerge from Angus Young’s Gibson.
This nonetheless remains the best work of the Australian Rock band, and I believe it is one of the best albums Hard Rock has ever had.
By fyguns
"Back In Black remains an indisputable, irreplaceable album."
"Three chords repeated endlessly, Brian’s screeching voice, Phil’s drum groove hammering your brain and shaking your heart for a legendary piece."
By korn
"42 minutes of pure heavy metal, not hard but heavy."
"This CD... is the first heavy metal CD in history, the best-selling album in history, 46 million copies."
By AR (Anonima Recensori)1
This album made them legends of rock, like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.
The album opens with the famous bells to remember the old singer, and then immediately delivers a magnificent gem, 'Hells Bells.'
