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)
For Those About To Rock
AC/DC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh oh oh
We roll tonight
To the guitar bite
Yeah, yeah, oh
Stand up and be counted
For what you are about to receive
We'll give you everything you need
Hail hail to the good times
'Cause rock has got the right of way
We ain't no legend, ain't no 'cause
We're just livin' for today
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
We rock at dawn on the front line
Like a bolt right out of the blue
The sky's a-light with the guitar bite
Heads will roll and rock tonight
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you, yes we do
For those about to rock, we salute you
Oh, salute
Oh, oh yeah
We're just a battery for hire with a guitar fire
Ready and aimed at you
Pick up your balls and load up your cannon
For a twenty-one gun salute
For those about to rock, fire
We salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock
Fire (we salute you)
Fire, we salute you
We salute you
Come on, whoa
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
Shoot, shoot
Shoot, shoot
For those of you, for those who rock (ain't gonna get tired, won't take a break, we salute you, yeah)
We salute you
We salute you
We salute you
Fire
The song "For Those About to Rock" is an anthem to the power of rock music. The opening lines "Yeah, yeah, oh, oh oh" set the tone for a high-energy, guitar-driven song that celebrates the rock and roll lifestyle. The lyrics suggest that rock music is not just entertainment, but a way of life, and the chorus encourages listeners to "stand up and be counted" for their love of rock music.
The second verse begins with the lines "We rock at dawn on the front line, like a bolt right out of the blue. The sky's a-light with a guitar bite, heads will roll and rock tonight." These lines suggest that rock music is a powerful force that can change the world. The song ends with a call to arms, urging listeners to pick up their balls and load up their cannon for a twenty-one gun salute.
Overall, the song embodies the spirit of a rock concert, with its high-energy riffs, powerful vocals, and thunderous drums. It celebrates the power of rock music to bring people together and create a sense of community. It is a classic example of AC/DC's signature sound and has become one of their most iconic songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yeah, oh
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm for the upcoming event
Oh oh oh
Continued expression of excitement and anticipation
We roll tonight to the guitar bite
We are here tonight to experience the powerful and exciting sound of the guitar
Stand up and be counted for what you are about to receive
Get ready to receive something amazing and stand up to show your support
We are the dealers, we'll give you everything you need
We are the ones who have what you need to have a great time
Hail hail to the good times 'cause rock has got the right of way
Let's celebrate the good times that rock music brings and acknowledge its importance
We ain't no legend, ain't no 'cause, we're just livin' for today
We're not trying to be anything other than ourselves, just living in the moment and enjoying the music
For those about to rock, we salute you
We express our respect and admiration for those who are ready to rock with us
We rock at dawn on the front line, like a bolt right out of the blue
We're charged up and ready to go at the break of dawn, surprising everyone with our energy
The sky's a-light with the guitar bite, heads will roll and rock tonight
The guitar sound is so powerful that it lights up the sky, signaling an incredible night of music ahead
Oh, salute
A call to action to salute those about to rock with us
We're just a battery for hire with a guitar fire, ready and aimed at you
We're ready to give you a jolt of energy with our music, like a battery for hire with a powerful sound
Pick up your balls and load up your cannon for a twenty-one gun salute
Get ready for an explosive and powerful performance, like loading a cannon for a salute
For those about to rock, fire, we salute you
We again show our respect to those about to rock with us, calling for them to ignite their energy and passion
Come on, whoa
Encouraging everyone to join in and get excited
Shoot, shoot
A call to action to intensify the energy and passion of the music
For those of you, for those who rock (ain't gonna get tired, won't take a break, we salute you, yeah)
We acknowledge the commitment and dedication of those who truly rock, promising to keep the music going non-stop
Fire
A final burst of excitement and passion to end the song
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Johnson, Angus Mckinnon Young, Malcolm Mitchell Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Emily_plays1012
I'm 70 and still listen to this music โค
@msromike123
65 and listening to it as a type.
@stevewood6939
Me too brother
@massimoaviceri3573
...sto Sempreeeee piรน fuoriiiiiioo ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐
@richardwatson298
As I will be ๐
@gilbertoantoniomartins1323
I'm 68.... we are Dinossaurs...We will Rock....to the Bitter End.
Greattings 4 U Dude,,,,from Sรฃo Paulo.Brasil
@xlake218
My parents bought me this album for Christmas in 1981. I was 14. One of the best presents ever. Still have it. Still rules! ๐ค
@austriaco
awesome, i also got albums mostly on xmas. finish dinner with family quick and then into my room and put the vinyl on :-)
first ac/dc album i got 1982 when i was 11 years old and since then i love this band and rock and roll.
awesome memorys and ac/dc forever.
@customharleysuk3500
I had to steal my dads when I visited him, I was born in 89 and was about 8 when I was stealing them ๐
@kellyballaro7846
I paid for my copy with grass cutting money, I too was 14. I don't have the vinyl anymore but I do still have the cassette, and CD