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In 1977, "Let There Be Rock" and the subsequent live album from the first world tour, "If You Want Blood, You've Got It", made waves everywhere, causing confusion. They were mistaken for punk, described as raw and rude. But the more the specialized press tried to debunk the phenomenon, the more AC/DC grew immensely. There was talk of teenage rock, of temporary success tied to image. Nothing could be more wrong. Behind the chatter were five technically skilled musicians who knew how to play for sheer pleasure.
Their compositions are simple harmonic progressions built on the classic rock’n’roll structure, yet enriched by years and years of studying their roots. Their lyrics address youth unrest without falling into trendy or contrived traps. What strikes one about their music is the simplicity, the brute force of a guitar solo aptly unleashed, the incredibly beautiful and powerful voice, and a tidy and clean rhythm section. The leader is Angus Young. The guitar seems to burn in his hands while his crazy swaying on stage in typical English college uniform becomes over the years a spectacle within a spectacle; Malcom Young stands aside with his Gibson Les Paul, composing and rhythmically directing his little brother's antics.
The singer Bon Scott has a voice reminiscent of Robert Plant’s, sharp and shrill, yet never overdone, capable of standing out as the absolute protagonist but ready to step back. He is the ideal partner for Angus, a true receptive end-point for those nervous pulses. In 1980, he would die on stage during a concert due to an electric shock from his microphone, and AC/DC would lose much of their instinctive energy with him.
In 1979, while the new wave tried to bring order to the anarchy left by punk, they arrived in a sleepy London, where a young person could do nothing but sing in a rock’n’roll band. Angus and his crew certainly did not hesitate, and, with or without Mr. Jagger's approval, took his words as pure gold, playing for an entire week in a Hammersmith packed with youngsters. By day, they shut themselves in the legendary Rondhouse Studios, where they brought to life their manifesto album: the award-winning Highway to Hell, a crucial work because it was recorded for the first time outside Australian borders, in one of the world’s most famous studios. In this climate of conflict between the specialized press and concert audiences, the band’s sound stands out, representing at the end of the '70s the most modern offering that the oldest hard rock could propose. The guitars are not compressed so their energy can be unleashed.
From a compositional perspective, the group strives in every way to go beyond tradition seeking as many potential variations to old musical patterns. Highway to Hell opens with the title track and it’s immediately great music:a classic rock’n’roll where Malcom’s strumming draws an appealing and nervous riff. Phil Rudd's drumming accompanies without anticipating, and Scott's voice is perfectly balanced, not losing its power. When the chorus starts, if we close our eyes, we can imagine thousands of arms raised. The solo is sharp and effective, but we have just turned the ignition key. The verses are unusually fluid while addressing important themes that highlight the hidden side of life, the one that leads to quickly burning the stages towards an unknown destiny: better a lively and crackling hell than a discounted, boring paradise with too much light. It continues with Girls Got Rhythm, which remains on the tested tracks of timeless rock, certainly powerful but never annoying, with space for appreciable instrumental interventions and good rhythmic construction. A few seconds of silence for the opening of Walk All Over You, an electric and sumptuous blues, all played on the two guitars of the Young brothers, rhythm and lead intertwining as they please, holding the piece's threads. The slow pace of the blues creates warm and sensual atmospheres on which Scott interprets the verses with emotion, dealing with one of the classic themes of rock imagery: sex as a daily escape from reality. Touch Too Much is the classic song for concert openings, a true exercise of style and power: intro, phrase, chorus, solo, phrase. All non-stop and all perfect. The first side closes with Beating Around the Bush.
The second side opens again with pure electricity freely flowing from the speakers: Shot Down in Flames is hot and precise, and the following Get It Hot is no less so. With If You Want Blood... the discussion inevitably expands, the track is fast and well-constructed, with a delightful underlying melody that testifies to the Young brothers' ability to write songs in an admirable way. Love Hungry Man is almost melodic, with one of those cursed tracks that, if you catch them in the car, you risk swerving. But it’s not over. There is still time for another blues that closes the work with searing feedback: Night Prowler. The test is passed, the cleanliness of the English technicians could do little against the will of the five Australian boys, critics from around the world will continue to turn up their noses out of principle, but they will go on their highway to hell, a hell that would reach them the following year when Bon Scott would be struck down on stage, a poor and immortal hero for timeless music, never the same as before, but more so afterwards.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Highway to Hell (03:27)
Living easy, loving free
Season ticket on a one-way ride
Asking nothing, leave me be
Taking everything in my stride
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme
Ain't nothing that I'd rather do
Going down, party time
My friends are gonna be there too
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
No stop signs, speed limit
Nobody's gonna slow me down
Like a wheel, gonna spin it
Nobody's gonna mess me around
Hey Satan, paid my dues
Playing in a rocking band
Hey momma, look at me
I'm on my way to the promised land
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
Don't stop me!
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
And I'm going down all the way
We're on the highway to hell
02 Girls Got Rhythm (03:23)
I've been around the world
I've seen a million girls
Ain't one of them got
What my lady she's got
She steals the spotlight
Knocks me off my feet
She's enough to start a landslide
Just a walkin down the street
Wearing dresses so tight
And looking dynamite
Enough to blow me out
No doubt about it can't live without it
(CHORUS)
The girl's got rhythm (girl's got rhythm)
The girl's got rhythm (girl's got rhythm)
She's got the backseat rhythm (backseat rhythm)
The girl's got rhythm
She's like a lethal brand
Too much for any man
She gives me first degree
She really satisfies me
Love me till I'm legless
Aching and sore
Enough to stop a freight train
Or start the Third World War
You know I'm losin sleep
I'm in too deep
Like a body needs blood
No doubt about it can't live without it
(CHORUS)
You know she moves like sin
And when she lets me in
It's like liquid love
No doubt about it can't live without it
The girl's got rhythm (girl's got rhythm)
The girl's got rhythm (girl's got rhythm)
She's got the backseat rhythm (backseat rhythm)
The girl's got rhythm (girl's got rhythm)
You know she really got the rhythm (girl's got rhythm)
She's got the backseat rhythm (backseat rhythm)
Rock n roll rhythm (rock n roll rhythm)
The girl's got rhythm
03 Walk All Over You (05:09)
Outta my way I'm a runnin high
Take your chance with me and I'll give it a try
Ain't no woman in the world I know
Cause I ain't looking for an overflow
Oh baby I ain't got much
Resistance to your touch
Take off the high heels, let down your hair
Paradise ain't far from there
I wanna walk all over you
I wanna walk all over you
Do anything you want me to, baby
I wanna walk all over you
Reflections on the bedroom wall
And girl you thought you'd seen it all
We're rising, falling like the sea
You're looking so good under me
I'm gonna walk all over you
I'm gonna walk all over you
Do anything you want me to do to you
I'm gonna walk all over you
Moanin, groanin stereo
Said gimme the stage, I'm gonna steal the show
Leave on the lace and turn off the light
Tonight is gonna be the night
I'm gonna walk all over you
I'm gonna walk all over you
Do anything you want me to
I'm gonna walk all over you
Ow, I'm gonna walk all over you
04 Touch Too Much (04:26)
It was one of those nights when you turn out the lights
And everything comes into view
She was taking her time, I was loosing my mind
There was nothing that she wouldn't do
It wasn't the first, wasn't the last
She knew we was making love
I was so satisfied deep down inside
Like a hand in a velvet glove
Seems like a touch, a touch too much
Seems like a touch, a touch too much
Too much for my body, too much for my brain
This damn woman's gonna drive me insane
She's got a touch, a touch too much
She had the face of an angel, smiling with sin
The body of venus with arms
Dealin' with danger, strokin' my skin
Like a thunder and lightening storm
It wasn't the first, wasn't the last
It wasn't that she didn't care
She wanted it hard, wanted it fast
She liked it done medium rare
Seems like a touch, a touch too much
Seems like a touch, a touch too much
Too much for my body, too much for my brain
This damn woman's gonna drive me insane
She has a touch, a touch too much
Touch me!
Seems like a touch (touch too much)
You know it's much too much (much too much)
I really wanna feel ya (touch too much)
Girl, you know you're givin' me (much too much)
Seems like a touch
Just a dirty little touch
I really need your touch
'Cause you're much too much too much too much
Seems like a touch
A touch too much
Seems like a touch
A touch too much
Give me your touch
A touch too much
Baby you've got a touch
A touch too much
Seems like a touch
A touch too much
A touch too much
A touch too much
A touch too much
Touch, come on and touch me!
Yeah! ahh!
05 Beating Around the Bush (03:56)
Smilin' face and laughin' eyes
But ya can't keep on tellin' me all those lies
How'd you expect me to believe
Honey I ain't that naive
Baby I got my eye on you
Cause you do all the things I want you to
Stop your cryin' and dry your tears
I ain't that wet behind the ears
You can throw me lefts, you can throw me rights
But where was you last night
Beatin' around the bush
Wish I knew what was on your mind
Why you bein' so unkind
Remember those nights we spent alone
Talkin' on the telephone
Thoughts of you goin' through my brain
You told me that you felt the same
You said that you loved me too
But tell me who was there with you
I was talkin' birds, and you was talkin' bees
And was he down on his knees
Beatin' around the bush
You're the meanest woman I've ever known
Sticks and stones won't break my bones
I know what you're looking for
You've eaten your cake you want some more
I'm gonna give you just a one more change
Try to save our romance
I've done everything I'm gonna do
The rest is up to you
And you can chew it up, you can spit it out
You can let it all hang out
Beatin' around the bush
And you can chew it up, you can spit it out
You can let it all hang out
Beatin' around the bush
07 Get It Hot (02:34)
Going on over time
Just a me and you
Going to have ourselves-a party
Tonight I guess will do
No bodes play
Another note
No bodes playing slow
And now owns playing hard tonight
To get on rock and roll
Get it hot
Get it hot
Come on baby
Get it hot
Get it hot
Get it hot
Alright
Moving up and down everywhere
Got a whole lot of booze
Got myself a sweet little lady
Whose got nothing to lose
Nobody going to go straight
For nothing like the fife
So leave your body in the white place
Cause we can roll it by
Get it hot
Get it hot
Come on baby
Get it hot
Get it hot
Get it hot
Alright
(Guitar Solo)
Get it hot
Get it hot
Come on baby
Get it hot
Get it hot
Oh get hot
Oh you did it
Get it hot
Come on baby
Get it hot
Make me fell good
Get it hot
Come on baby
Get it hot
Look out
08 If You Want Blood (You've Got It) (04:36)
It's criminal
There ought to be a law
Criminal
There ought to be a whole lot more
You get nothin' for nothin'
Tell me who can you trust
We got what you want
And you got the lust
If you want blood, you got it
If you want blood, you got it
Blood on the streets
Blood on the rocks
Blood in the gutter
Every last drop
You want blood, you got it
Yes ya have
It's animal
Livin' in a human zoo
Animal
The shit that they toss to you
Feelin' like a Christian
Locked in a cage
Thrown to the lions
On a second's rage
If you want blood, you got it
If you want blood, you got it
Blood on the street
Blood on the rocks
Blood in the gutter
Every last drop
You want blood, you got it
Got to you
Blood on the rocks
Blood on the streets
Blood in the sky
Blood on the seats
If you want blood
You got it
I want you to bleed for me
If you want blood, you got it (until fade out)
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Other reviews
By JaymezHetfield86
We are talking about Highway To Hell, one of the most representative albums by AC/DC, certainly one of the best three or four produced by the Australian band.
An album that ABSOLUTELY must be included in the collection of anyone who listens to Rock 'n' Roll and Rock in general.
By metallicaliveshit88
The characteristic of this CD is that it exudes energy from every pore, and the band was in extraordinary shape.
It represents the creative pinnacle of the band (thanks especially to the inimitable Bon Scott).
By S.I.A.P.
The masterpiece is "Highway to Hell" and the band is the Australian group AC/DC.
This is a record that all hard rock enthusiasts should have on their shelf.
By teenagelobotomy
"Highway to Hell is the absolute pinnacle of AC/DC, better than 'Let There Be Rock' and 'Back In Black'."
"The working methods changed, allowing Bon’s vocal harmonies and technique to shine on true masterpieces like 'Touch Too Much'."
By paolofreddie
Most likely for this reason! I don’t deny that they have been one of the most influential bands of all time.
A bit like with Queen! Their commercial component has elevated them to the pinnacle of the world, but skill is not just about crafting hits and filling stadiums.
