Music Monday: AC/DC “Highway To Hell” turns 35

highway to hell
Original image found at Sterogum

It’s been a couple of Mondays since I last did a Music Monday post. I’m back this week with an album tribute/milestone.

The Sunday before last, AC/DC’s “Highway To Hell” album turned 35 years old. Man, this dates me so much as I was in high school when it came out. I had been a long time AC/DC fan, starting in 1977 after hearing “High Voltage”. My mom hated this band so much. I rarely played any of their music when she was around, but she did happen to see the “Highway To Hell” album cover after I bought it and came home. She always convinced me that it was teaching me to worship the devil. Hardly. I just loved music and this album cemented my interest even more.

Track List

  1. “Highway to Hell”
  2. “Girls Got Rhythm”
  3. “Walk All Over You”
  4. “Touch Too Much”
  5. “Beating Around the Bush”
  6. “Shot Down in Flames”
  7. “Get It Hot”
  8. “If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)”
  9. “Love Hungry Man”
  10. “Night Prowler”

Holds Up Very Well

I played this album to death, mostly on cassette, but I also owed the vinyl version of it. From start to finish, there’s not a bad song. Although if I had to pick my least favorite, it would be “Beating Around The Bush” which I admit to skipping sometimes. My favorite song? “Shot Down In Flames” I blasted that song so much and always loved the “ewwwwwwww” at the end. Like a fading scream.

Angus Young on guitar is brilliant. And he shines even more than he ever did. The production by Robert “Mutt” Lange was flawless. No overdubbing. Raw parts left alone.

This ended up being Bon Scott’s last album with the band as he died in April 1980. As for album sales, “Highway To Hell” was no slouch on the charts. It has sold 7 million copies in the US, since it’s release. In fact, there’s not an AC/DC album that hasn’t gone platinum [Back In Black” holds the record at 22 million]. Most call this album their breakthrough album, and I would have to agree. The title song was a hit on rock radio. Such an important album in the history of rock and roll.

One of the oddest parts of this album is the ending of “Night Prowler” where Bon Scott says “Shazbot Nanu Nanu” which was a nod to Robin Williams, a favorite comic of Bon Scott.

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UPDATE: I just learned that Robin Williams died. Sad news. I had been thinking about that phrase above since I started on this blog post earlier this morning. RIP Robin.

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Any other AC/DC fans out there that want to share their “Highway To Hell” story?

Link

  • Ultimate Classic Rock: 35 Years Ago: AC/DC Breaks Through With ‘Highway to Hell’
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