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)
Ballbreaker
AC/DC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Work hard and tough, and I want some rough
Unpack my bags, and take a drag
When bang on nine, and
Dead on time
Open up the door
She open her overcoat
Livin' out her dreams
Rippin' off my jeans
You are a ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Engine roll, and time to go
A razorback, a hog attack
Buildin' steam,
Whippin' cream
She likes a fat, smokin' stack
Hangin' off her legs
She threw me on the bed
Her hand went for my throat
As I began to choke
She said, Honey shoot your load
You are a ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Yeah
Wreckin' ball, let it roll
You are a ballbreaker
Buildin' steam, for whippin' cream
You are a ballbreaker
Hangin' off her legs
She threw me on the bed
Her hand went for my throat
As I began to choke
Honey shoot your load
You are a ballbreaker
You are a ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker
The lyrics to AC/DC's "Ballbreaker" describe a sexual encounter with a dominant woman who takes control of the situation. The singer in the song seems to enjoy the roughness and power dynamic of the encounter, using suggestive language to describe the woman's actions. He first mentions "breakin' balls, bangin' walls," which could be interpreted as the woman being physically aggressive, perhaps even knocking objects over in the heat of the moment. The singer then further emphasizes the idea of toughness and roughness, saying "Work hard and tough, and I want some rough."
After unpacking his bags and taking a drag, the singer notes the time as "bang on nine, and Dead on time," hinting that this may be a frequent occurrence or that they have predetermined when they will meet. The woman then opens the door and lays on the floor, further establishing her dominance. She opens her overcoat and the singer notes that she is living out her dreams, hinting that this may be a fantasy of hers.
The encounter continues with references to a "razorback" and "building steam," suggesting an intense or even violent sexual encounter. The singer mentions being thrown on the bed and having the woman's hand go for his throat, eventually leading to him being instructed to "shoot your load." Throughout the song, the woman is referred to as a "ballbreaker," which could be interpreted as someone who emasculates or dominates men.
Overall, "Ballbreaker" is a suggestive and provocative song that explores themes of dominance and submission during a sexual encounter.
Line by Line Meaning
Breakin' balls, bangin' walls
Working hard and pushing oneself to the limit, often with a sense of frustration and anger.
Work hard and tough, and I want some rough
Desiring to let loose and experience something wild and exciting after putting in hard work.
Unpack my bags, and take a drag
Arriving home and immediately turning to cigarettes or other vices for relaxation and release.
When bang on nine, and Dead on time
Being punctual and efficient when it counts.
Open up the door, And lay upon the floor
Being submissive and willing to go along with someone else's desires and whims.
She open her overcoat, Livin' out her dreams
Revealing a hidden desire or fantasy, and acting on it in the moment.
Rippin' off my jeans
Undressing and revealing oneself in a sexual encounter.
You are a ballbreaker, Ballbreaker
Acknowledging the intense and dominant sexual energy of one's partner.
Engine roll, and time to go
Feeling revved up and ready for action, usually sexual in nature.
A razorback, a hog attack
Describing the intensity and ferocity of the moment or partner.
Buildin' steam, Whippin' cream
Working oneself up to an excited and aroused state, and enjoying the pleasures of sex.
She likes a fat, smokin' stack
Having a preference for a specific physical attribute or trait in a partner.
Hangin' off her legs, She threw me on the bed
Being physically dominated by one's partner, and enjoying the feeling of helplessness and subjugation.
Her hand went for my throat, As I began to choke
Engaging in erotic asphyxiation, a sexual practice that involves cutting off one's own air supply for increased arousal.
She said, Honey shoot your load
Encouraging one's partner to reach orgasm and experience pleasure.
Wreckin' ball, let it roll
Embracing a powerful and explosive energy, often sexual in nature.
You are a ballbreaker, Ballbreaker
Acknowledging the dominant and intense sexual energy of one's partner.
Buildin' steam, for whippin' cream
Working oneself up to an excited and aroused state, and enjoying the pleasures of sex.
Ballbreaker, Ballbreaker, Ballbreaker, Ballbreaker, Ballbreaker, Ballbreaker, Ballbreaker
Reiterating the intense and dominant sexual energy of one's partner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANGUS MCKINNON YOUNG, MALCOLM MITCHELL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind