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ROCK AND ROLL! => All Them Other Guys => Topic started by: Zzzptm on August 11, 2021, 07:58:56 PM
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Back in Black was the 7th studio album from Australian rockers AC/DC and their first with Brian Johnson, after the tragic loss of original singer Bon Scott. It was a smash hit for AC/DC and became the second best selling album of all time.
Critics disagreed on their reception of the album - some hailed it as the best expression of the blood and sweat of rock since Led Zeppelin II and others bemoaned the crude, unimaginative sexism in the lyrics. Over time, though, most everyone agreed that this album totally rocked out.
:rockon:
Side one
1. "Hells Bells" 5:10
2. "Shoot to Thrill" 5:17
3. "What Do You Do for Money Honey" 3:33
4. "Given the Dog a Bone" 3:30
5. "Let Me Put My Love into You" 4:16
Side two
1. "Back in Black" 4:15
2. "You Shook Me All Night Long" 3:30
3. "Have a Drink on Me" 3:57
4. "Shake a Leg" 4:06
5. "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
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HELLS BELLS
The opening bell sound kicks off the soundtrack to my 7th grade year, lol. This is not an intricate song, just the right three chords in the right order. Makes me want to bang my head and rock on out. It's no Tarot Woman or Neon Knights, but it's still one of the best album openers out there.
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Back in Black is an iconic album and deserves all the success it got. Sadly this was a last hurrah for AC/DC as they've never come anywhere near this good since. And even though Power Up was an improvement on other more recent albums it's still a pale shadow of their heyday.
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Hells Bells
Along with Whole Lotta Rosie, Highway to Hell and Touch Too Much, this is my favourite AC/DC song. I believe it was inspired by a massive thunder storm that the bands tour bus passed through, so is only loosely satanic! >:D
It really has one of the best intros of any song, but I've always liked a song where the instruments come in separately. Atmospheric with the bells, this really rocks and helped influence my musical tastes around 1980 when I started to get into rock and metal.
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I had read a very good article on Classic Rock where Brian told how he was inspired to write this song. it seems that was when they arrived at the studio in the Bahamas and during this time, several tropical storms hit Nassau.
the first hearing of Hells Bells was very special because, being already a fan of the band and Bon Scott, I didn't know what to expect concerning the voice of the new singer. The knell sounding alone, the dramatic riff, an unforgettable moment as well as Johnson's first words surrounded by the ghostly shadow of Scott hovering above.
one of their best song.
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Doing a little musical research on our man Brian Johnson...
That's what he sounded like back in '72. They were going up against Slade and Sweet and Status Quo with a sound like that. Interesting. Lyrically, well, seems like it's not a thinkin' man's song, now is it?
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^^^
Oh, those flairs! I remember them (never worn them!).
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Hells Bells - a friend of mine sold me a guitar right before this record came out. This song was so awesome it was the first one I learned to play. And the last one I learned to play lol. Fantastic opener, instantly recognizable, and certainly one of their best. Definitely less bluesy and more hard-rock than they were known for.
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SHOOT TO THRILL
Lyrics - I believe that Mr. Johnson is communicating that he is a desirable partner for intimate activities. At least that's the gist of his message.
Music - a great Angus Young riff and a beautiful little bridge part. This is AC/DC's "Woman From Tokyo". :) The riff pulled me in, but the bridge enchanted me. But even though there's a twist in the music, don't think that Mr. Young has gone prog on us all! Far, far, far from it. His rhythm work is spot-on and his solo work is hands-down awesome stuff.
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Shoot to Thrill - a nice tempo change from the opener. But "what" is he shooting and "who" is he thrilling?
A year or so after this record came out, a close friend of mine at the time was walking from his car one night to his house when he was jumped by several guys. One of them hit him in the head with a baseball bat, knocking him to the ground. The guy hit him two more times with the bat. The lot of them stole $12 from him. And his car keys, but not his car. He died from his injuries three days later.
This was his favorite song.
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^^^Thats a sad story. I hope they at least caught the perpetrators.
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^^^Thats a sad story. I hope they at least caught the perpetrators.
They were caught, the valueless cocksuckers. I didn't mean to toss a wet blanket on things, or derail it, but that song is hardwired in my mind with my friend because of what happened to him. It's weird, because nothing else on that record brings him to mind, just that one, and whenever I hear it I can see him sitting there listening to it and hear his voice telling me it's his favorite song.
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@Vyn
Nasty, utterly unnecessary business, hope they got what they deserved.
Shoot to Thrill
After Hells Bells this was a great way to continue. There's no ambiguity with the lyrics of this song or virtually any other song on this album... it's about makin' lurve! But nothing wrong with that!
It's a nice bluesy rocker, not the best on the album but not far short.
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WHAT DO YOU DO FOR MONEY HONEY
Real subtle title, there... :smug:
Like AC/DC cares about things like "subtlety". They've got some basic criteria: 1. Does it got a catchy riff? 2. Is there a fun chorus? 3. Does Angus give 'em a great show with his solo? For this song, it's yes, yes, and yes.
Tell you what, I wish there was a Motorhead cover of this tune, it'd be just as much fun as this.
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What Do You Do For Money Honey?
This is a pretty good song too. A nice uptemp boogie!
Quite crude lyrically, but not the worst on here (and I can't complain about the lyrics given some of groups I'm a fan of! ;) ), but I am surprised the moral majority didn't complain more with this album!
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What Do You Do for Money, Honey
Energetic and catchy. Clearly not Gloria Steinem's favorite track :)
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GIVIN THE DOG A BONE
Yeah, I can't get past the lyric. I prefer to not have graphic depictions of sexual activities in my music. Yeah, yeah, I know I said subtlety doesn't matter to AC/DC, and it's 100% clear here that it truly does not, but I check out at lyrics like these. I have a similar problem with a fair amount of Whitesnake's back catalog, as well...
I have to pass on this one.
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Givin the Dog a Bone
Yeah, not much imagination required to realize this song isn't an advert for the ASPCA.
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Given the Dog a Bone
(On my copy it says "given", but google suggests that different versions had different titles!)
Musically solid, but lyrically woeful.
Look, I'm not unfamiliar with crude songs, but what makes the songs I know and like worth listening to is that those lyrics are witty, funny and self-depricating/tongue-in-cheek. Sadly, this song is just crude without the wit or the humour which might have saved it.
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^ True, true.
If this had been a song making suggestive comments about Old Mother Hubbard, on the lines of Big Balls, it would be easier to bear.
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Let Me Put My Love Into You
While the lyrics are still a little seedy, they are more acceptable than the previous track, indeed they even have that witty element. A bluesy song with a nice intro, this used to to be my 2nd favourite on the album, but one or two other songs have slipped above it now.
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My first thought on this song was "AC/DC doing a Whitesnake song." :smug: The bluesiness of it all very reminiscent of the Marsden-Moody era of Whitesnake.
Don't know if I like the slower pace on the tune. Kinda makes it all a little darker...
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Let Me Put My Love Into You
Agree with Z, it seems a little darker - maybe insistent, given the subject matter of the song.
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BACK IN BLACK
Yay for this one after the awkward porno songs on the end of side 1. :smug:
One of the best rockers ever written, period. Lyrics are light-hearted, the riff is catchy as hell, and the solos and the boogie section push it over the top. Everybody knows this song because it's just that good.
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Back in Black
I quite like this one, it's fun. I like it better now than I used to, but tastes change and it's not like I ever actually hated it!
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Back in Black
Definitive Brian Johnson-era AC/DC. Sounds great cranked loud, even better in concert.
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YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back to songs about the sex. But this one's 100% consensual and enough entendre for the whole gang to enjoy. Got a chorus for everyone to drink their beers to and Angus gives us a nice show with his solo. :)
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You Shook Me All Night Long
This is my second favourite song on the album. Yes it's sex but it is done with wit and humour. The lyrics are fun, I can relate to the line "knocking me out with those American thighs"... there is something about the thighs of American women (sadly no personal experience, but I've seen pictures!!), and it has a nice vocal melody which works well with the lyrics.
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Ah, but which *region* of America do the thighs in question hail from? :smug:
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I don't know about specific regions... I have tall and athletic with long legs in mind such as 5'10"+ Cheerleader!
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I don't know about specific regions... I have tall and athletic with long legs in mind such as 5'10"+ Cheerleader!
Dirty old man, no wonder you like AC/DC! :P :lol:
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You Shook Me All Night Long
A solid, good-time rocker that goes well with alcohol. A bit more upper brow than Boning Fido or Please Allow Me to Put My Rod In You, radio stations ate this song up and put AC/DC on the lips of people who would otherwise have never heard of them.
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HAVE A DRINK ON ME
Rhymes about dipsomania - a for-reals drinking song. Although I do not partake myself, the expressed generosity and camaraderie in the chorus have an appealing everyman quality.
Aw, hell, it's a fun song about gettin' drunk, even if you're not getting drunk at the time. Not a good song to be blaring away at a police stop. :smug:
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Have a Drink On Me
Yeah, a rousing song about getting plastered. Catchy with a cool build-up.
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Have A Drink On Me
I don't mind this one, quite catchy, fits in nicely with the album as a whole. There is a slight whif of filler about it but it's a little better than that!
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SHAKE A LEG
I have never heard this one before, so this is a 100% fresh take on this song for me.
This song has a great riff and a chorus other bands would kill to have on one of their tracks. It's no-nonsense rock and roll, straight no chaser. Anybody wanting prog rock, this is neither the band, nor the album, nor the song for you!
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Shake A Leg
A nice rocker with a good riff and nice lyrics. It has a good vibe to it, a top song!
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Shake A Leg
Pretty good song, riff-o-matic.
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ROCK AND ROLL AIN'T NOISE POLLUTION
Believe it or not, I've never heard this song before today. It's a right good rocker, great chorus, etc. Pretty much the story of the album, barring the slow track at the end of side 1.
Makes for a fun album closer.
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ROCK AND ROLL AIN'T NOISE POLLUTION
I actually never really cared for this song. It's OK, and it certainly didn't stop this record from selling like water in a desert, but somehow it doesn't seem to fit.
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Rock n Roll Ain't Noise Polution
It's an okay song, one of the first off the album I was familiar with as it was released as a single /w Hells Bells.
Nothing wrong with the song, but probably not the best choice as album closer.
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So the final count down from me:
1 Hells Bells
2 You Shook Me All Night Long
3 Shoot to Thrill
4 Back in Black
5 Let Me Put My Love Into You
6= Have A Drink on Me
6= Rock n Roll Ain'st Noise Polution
6= Shake A leg
9 What Do You Do for Money, Honey
10 Given the Dog a Bone
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1 Shoot to Thrill
2 Have a Drink on Me
3 Hells Bells
4 Back in Black
5 Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
6 Shake a Leg
7 You Shook Me All Night Long
8 What Do You Do for Money, Honey
9 Let Me Put My Love Into You
XXX Given the Dog a Bone - Can't listen to this one, sorry.