AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album, 1975's High Voltage. Membership subsequently stabilised around the Young brothers, singer Bon Scott, drummer Phil Rudd, and bassist Mark Evans. Evans was fired from the band in 1977 and replaced by Cliff Williams, who has appeared on every AC/DC album since 1978's Powerage. In February 1980, about seven months after the release of their breakthrough album Highway to Hell, Scott died of acute alcohol poisoning after a night of heavy drinking. AC/DC considered disbanding, but at Scott's family's request, the remaining members opted to continue the band, bringing in longtime Geordie vocalist Brian Johnson as Scott's replacement. Later that year, the band released their first album with Johnson, Back in Black, which was dedicated to Scott's memory. The album launched AC/DC to new heights of success and became one of the best selling albums of all time.
The band's eighth studio album, For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) (1981), was their first album to reach number one in the United States. Prior to the release of their next album, Flick of the Switch (1983), Rudd left the band and was replaced by Simon Wright, being in turn replaced by Chris Slade in 1989. The band experienced a commercial resurgence in the early nineties with the release of their twelfth studio album The Razors Edge (1990); it was their only album to feature Slade, who was replaced by the returning Rudd in 1994. Rudd has since recorded five more albums with the band, starting with, and including, Ballbreaker (1995). Their fifteenth studio album Black Ice was the second-highest-selling album of 2008, and their biggest chart hit since For Those About to Rock, eventually reaching No.1 worldwide.
The band's line-up remained the same for twenty years, until 2014 with Malcolm Young's retirement due to early-onset dementia (he died in 2017) and Rudd's legal troubles. Malcolm was replaced by his nephew Stevie Young, who debuted on AC/DC's 2014 album Rock or Bust, and on its accompanying tour, previous drummer Chris Slade filled in for Rudd. In 2016, Johnson was advised to stop touring due to worsening hearing loss. Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose stepped in as the band's vocalist for the remainder of that year's dates. Long-term bass player and background vocalist Cliff Williams retired from AC/DC at the end of the Rock or Bust tour in 2016 and the group entered a four-year hiatus. A reunion of the Rock or Bust line-up was announced in September 2020 and the band's seventeenth studio album Power Up was released two months later.
AC/DC have sold more than 200 million records worldwide, including 75 million albums in the United States, making them the ninth-highest-selling artist in the United States and the 16th-best-selling artist worldwide. Back in Black has sold an estimated 50 million units worldwide, making it the second-highest-selling album by any artist, and the highest-selling album by any band. The album has sold 25 million units in the US, where it is the fourth highest-selling album of all time. AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 10 March 2003. AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and were named the seventh "Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time" by MTV. In 2004, AC/DC ranked No. 72 on the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Producer Rick Rubin, who wrote an essay on the band for the Rolling Stone list, referred to AC/DC as "the greatest rock and roll band of all time". In 2010, VH1 ranked AC/DC number 23 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC
Discography
High Voltage (1975) (Australia only)
T.N.T. (1975) (Australia only)
High Voltage (1976) (international version)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
Let There Be Rock (1977)
Powerage (1978)
Highway to Hell (1979)
Back in Black (1980)
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) (1981)
Flick of the Switch (1983)
Fly on the Wall (1985)
Blow Up Your Video (1988)
The Razors Edge (1990)
Ballbreaker (1995)
Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
Black Ice (2008)
Rock or Bust (2014)
Power Up (2020)
Back in Business
AC/DC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About to shout
Feel the need for one more round
Don't you struggle, try to bite
You want some trouble, I'm the king of vice
I'm a wreckin' ball, I'm a stingin' knife
Steal your money, gonna take your life
You got screamin' murder, lock up your door
Call me dirty, trash my name
Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be
[Chorus]
Back in business again
Back in business again
Back in business again
Back in business again
(Back in business)
Flesh and blood, I'm a rag 'n' bone
Bad luck message on the telephone
Don't you worry, play my game
I'll do you a favor, got your soul for sale
I'm a cannon ball goin' down the track
Need good lovin' but I want it back
Born in trouble, they gave up on me
Teacher preachin' what not to be
Call me dirty, trash my name
Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be
[Chorus]
The lyrics to AC/DC's "Back in Business" describe the singer's need for one more round of vice, causing trouble, and wreaking havoc. The singer sees themselves as a wrecking ball and a stinging knife, willing to steal money and take lives for the sake of their desires. They ask their listeners to call them dirty and trash their name, showing a disregard for reputation or consequences. The singer is confident in their abilities and feels as though they have been born for trouble. Despite being given up on, they are determined to be back in business and show everyone what they are made of.
The lyrics of the song are reflective of AC/DC's hard rock style, which often centers around themes of rebellion, danger, and living life on the edge. "Back in Business" highlights the band's electrifying sound and high-energy performances, which made them a staple of the rock scene in the 1980s and beyond. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a reckless character, who revels in chaos and seeks thrills for the sake of it. It's a fast-paced, raucous representation of the rock n' roll lifestyle that AC/DC frequently embodied in their music.
Overall, "Back in Business" is a testament to the rebellious spirit of AC/DC, and a perfect example of what the band excelled at: crafting high-energy, adrenaline-fueled rock n' roll anthems.
Line by Line Meaning
Breakin' out,
I'm breaking free and ready to take on the world.
About to shout
I'm ready to make some noise and cause a commotion.
Feel the need for one more round
I'm not done yet; I want to keep going and take it to the next level.
Don't you struggle, try to bite
Don't try to fight back or resist, because I'm in control.
You want some trouble, I'm the king of vice
If you're looking for trouble, I'm your man. I'm the one in charge here.
I'm a wreckin' ball, I'm a stingin' knife
I'm dangerous and destructive, like a wrecking ball or a sharp knife.
Steal your money, gonna take your life
I'm not afraid to take what I want, even if it means taking your money or your life.
You got screamin' murder, lock up your door
If you're afraid of me, then you should lock your doors and stay inside.
Double dealin' gotta have more
I'm always looking for more, and I'm not afraid to make shady deals to get it.
Call me dirty, trash my name
People might talk trash about me or call me names, but I don't care.
Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be
Let everyone know that I'm coming, and I mean business.
[Chorus]
I'm back in business and ready to take on the world.
Flesh and blood, I'm a rag 'n' bone
I'm human like everyone else, but I'm also tough and resilient like old bones.
Bad luck message on the telephone
I might have had some bad luck in the past, but I'm not letting it hold me down.
Don't you worry, play my game
Don't worry about what I'm doing, just focus on yourself and let me do my thing.
I'll do you a favor, got your soul for sale
I can help you out, but it might come at a cost. I'm always out for a good deal.
I'm a cannon ball goin' down the track
I'm unstoppable and moving forward, like a speeding train.
Need good lovin' but I want it back
I might need some support or affection, but I'm not afraid to take what I want.
Born in trouble, they gave up on me
I might have been born with a rough start, and people might have given up on me early on, but I'm not one to quit.
Teacher preachin' what not to be
I might have had a lot of people telling me what I shouldn't be, but I'm not here to follow their rules.
Call me dirty, trash my name
I don't care if people think poorly of me, or call me names, because I'm here to do what I want.
Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be
Let everyone know that I'm coming, and I mean business.
[Chorus]
I'm back in business and ready to take on the world.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANGUS MCKINNON YOUNG, BRIAN JOHNSON, MALCOLM MITCHELL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind