(...and the lyrics are printed so neatly -for someone who was possessed by SATAN!...)
Bon Scott died on February 19th, 1980. He was only 33. He was the leader and lead singer of a band named AC/DC, and they had just began to become big, with the release of 1979's "Highway To Hell" and the title song finally cracking the American markets.
The rest of the band decided to keep going, but needed a new lead singer, and found one in the grainy-voice of Brian Johnson, a well established singer, also an Aussie. He sat down in early 1980 during the creative process and pencilled the song that was to become one of the top-ten selling hard rock songs from one of the top-ten selling rock albums of all time - "Back In Black," a tribute song to Bon from the band with love.
With the rest of the album in the can, the cover was decided. According to lead guitarist Angus Young, the album's all-black cover was a "sign of mourning" for Scott, as black is the traditional Western color of mourning the loss of a loved one.
But, when you listen to the album as a whole, it's not sad album - it's full of youthful energy, a tribute to what might have been, and as listen to the album from beginning to end, you're witnessing a timeline, as the funeral bells toll on the opening song "Hells Bells" to the many flashbacks at what the rock and roll lifestyle was (and still is) to the kids (including me) in 1980 - loud, angry, explosive, full of drinking and getting laid, and most of all, listening to rock-n-roll as the way out.
"Back in Black" is THE perfect rock song, it covers all the bases - sex, drugs, and rock and roll:
The album was released July 25th 1980, not even five months after Bon died. It exploded, making the number one charts worldwide, taking down every album who stood in it's way. The band became famous virtually overnight, everyone including me had a copy - $7.98 for the album - expensive!, they toured and partied and Angus Chuck-Berried his guitar into the stratosphere.
The title song was released and went top forty, but the song's appeal has grown. As I grew older I remember this song being everywhere and around me when I was in the Army in West Germany in 1986.
It has become a legendary song from a now-certified 7 times platinum selling album. The song has been covered by artists even as diverse as Shakira, and has been sampled to death by many more artists.
It's used in sports arenas, at the beginning of the 2008 film "Iron Man," has been used in a few commercials and most notably was called the number 2 hard rock song of all time by VH-1, right behind "Welcome To The Jungle." (personally, VH-1 constantly gets their lists wrong - this could have gone higher for me.)
As of 2009, they have yet to repeat the "lightning in a bottle" success this album brought them. A drummer subsequently was fired, personnel changes abounded, but they are still out there, rocking away every night, putting out decent albums, and the music is still there, but the album - and especially the song - will forever be their pinnacle, an Everest I don't think they'll ever attain ever again.
The question is still out there, though - what if Bon had lived? Would "Back in Black" even exist without this man's untimely death?
Still, this is one of the greatest songs ever made because of it's impact on the youth of the world - the song says stay young, party, and to Hell with tomorrow - Bon lived it, and we have him to thank for it.
The rest of the band decided to keep going, but needed a new lead singer, and found one in the grainy-voice of Brian Johnson, a well established singer, also an Aussie. He sat down in early 1980 during the creative process and pencilled the song that was to become one of the top-ten selling hard rock songs from one of the top-ten selling rock albums of all time - "Back In Black," a tribute song to Bon from the band with love.
With the rest of the album in the can, the cover was decided. According to lead guitarist Angus Young, the album's all-black cover was a "sign of mourning" for Scott, as black is the traditional Western color of mourning the loss of a loved one.
But, when you listen to the album as a whole, it's not sad album - it's full of youthful energy, a tribute to what might have been, and as listen to the album from beginning to end, you're witnessing a timeline, as the funeral bells toll on the opening song "Hells Bells" to the many flashbacks at what the rock and roll lifestyle was (and still is) to the kids (including me) in 1980 - loud, angry, explosive, full of drinking and getting laid, and most of all, listening to rock-n-roll as the way out.
"Back in Black" is THE perfect rock song, it covers all the bases - sex, drugs, and rock and roll:
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 abound
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
Abusin' 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, I'm a 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 leadin' the pack
Nobody's gonna get me on another rap
So look at me now I'm just makin' my play
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 baaaaack, baaaaack
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black...
Outta sight!
I've been too long I'm glad to be back
Yes I'm, let loose, from the noose
That's kept me hanging abound
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
Abusin' 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, I'm a 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 leadin' the pack
Nobody's gonna get me on another rap
So look at me now I'm just makin' my play
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 baaaaack, baaaaack
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black...
Outta sight!
The album was released July 25th 1980, not even five months after Bon died. It exploded, making the number one charts worldwide, taking down every album who stood in it's way. The band became famous virtually overnight, everyone including me had a copy - $7.98 for the album - expensive!, they toured and partied and Angus Chuck-Berried his guitar into the stratosphere.
The title song was released and went top forty, but the song's appeal has grown. As I grew older I remember this song being everywhere and around me when I was in the Army in West Germany in 1986.
It has become a legendary song from a now-certified 7 times platinum selling album. The song has been covered by artists even as diverse as Shakira, and has been sampled to death by many more artists.
It's used in sports arenas, at the beginning of the 2008 film "Iron Man," has been used in a few commercials and most notably was called the number 2 hard rock song of all time by VH-1, right behind "Welcome To The Jungle." (personally, VH-1 constantly gets their lists wrong - this could have gone higher for me.)
As of 2009, they have yet to repeat the "lightning in a bottle" success this album brought them. A drummer subsequently was fired, personnel changes abounded, but they are still out there, rocking away every night, putting out decent albums, and the music is still there, but the album - and especially the song - will forever be their pinnacle, an Everest I don't think they'll ever attain ever again.
The question is still out there, though - what if Bon had lived? Would "Back in Black" even exist without this man's untimely death?
Still, this is one of the greatest songs ever made because of it's impact on the youth of the world - the song says stay young, party, and to Hell with tomorrow - Bon lived it, and we have him to thank for it.
Check out this official video from the boys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXaZmY52gHM
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