Let There Be Rock
AC/DC Lyrics
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Back in nineteen fifty-five
Man didn't know about a rock 'n' roll show
And all that jive
The white man had the schmaltz
The black man had the blues
No one knew what they was gonna do
But Tchaikovsky had the news
"Let there be sound," there was sound
"Let there be light," there was light
"Let there be drums," there was drums
"Let there be guitar," there was guitar
"Oh, let there be rock"
Woo
And it came to pass
That rock 'n' roll was born
And all across the land, every rockin' band
Was blowing up a storm
And the guitar man got famous
The businessman got rich
And in every bar there was a superstar
With a seven-year itch
There were fifteen-million fingers
Learning how to play
And you could hear the fingers picking
And this is what they had to say
"Let there be light
Sound
Drums
Guitar
Oh, let there be rock"
One night in a club called The Shaking Hand
There was a forty-two decibel rocking band
And the music was good and the music was loud
And the singer turned and he said to the crowd
"Let there be rock"
The lyrics to AC/DC's song "Let There Be Rock" recount the origins of rock and roll, back in 1955 when the genre was still in its infancy. The song begins with a description of the racial divide in the music industry at the time, with white artists playing schmaltzy tunes while black musicians were creating blues music. The lyrics note that no one knew what was going to happen with this new style of music, but then Tchaikovsky, the famous composer, supposedly had "the news" and declared "Let there be sound," which ushered in a new era.
The chorus of the song continues in this vein, with Tchaikovsky's fiat bringing forth all the necessary components of a rock show: sound, light, drums, and guitar. The music builds, and it becomes clear that "rock 'n' roll was born" and quickly spread across the land with a fury. As more and more people learned how to play guitar, bands sprang up in every corner of the country, and the music became ubiquitous. The verse about the businessman and the bar superstar hints at the commercialization of rock music and how it became a lucrative industry.
Finally, the song concludes with a specific reference to a club called The Shaking Hand and a particularly loud and good band playing there. The singer implores the crowd to "let there be rock," thereby reigniting the passion and energy that was present when the genre first emerged.
Overall, "Let There Be Rock" is an homage to the explosive origins of rock and roll and the power it holds to unite and excite people. It's a call to keep the music alive and to remember where it all began.
Line by Line Meaning
In the beginning
At the start of the song
Back in nineteen fifty-five
A reference to the past
Man didn't know about a rock 'n' roll show
People back then were not familiar with rock music
And all that jive
The various associated elements of rock like style, culture and attitude
The white man had the schmaltz
White people had the culture but lacked the rhythm
The black man had the blues
Blacks had the rhythm but lacked the culture
No one knew what they was gonna do
Uncertain about their future prospects
But Tchaikovsky had the news
A renowned musician and composer had the breakthrough idea
"Let there be sound," there was sound
The beginning of rock music
"Let there be light," there was light
The dawn of the rock era
"Let there be drums," there was drums
Drums became an integral element of rock music
"Let there be guitar," there was guitar
Guitar became the key instrument of rock music
"Oh, let there be rock"
A call for the rise of rock music
And it came to pass
The progression of time and the emergence of rock music
That rock 'n' roll was born
The birth of rock music
And all across the land, every rockin' band
The popularity of rock music and its embrace by everyone
Was blowing up a storm
An explosion of creativity and passion
And the guitar man got famous
Guitarists became rock stars
The businessman got rich
The commercial success of rock music
And in every bar there was a superstar
Rock stars were everywhere
With a seven-year itch
A reference to the length of most recording contracts
There were fifteen-million fingers
The many people who learned to play guitar
Learning how to play
The efforts of many to master the guitar
And you could hear the fingers picking
The distinctive sound of the guitar
And this is what they had to say
The guitarists spoke through their music
"Let there be light
A reference to the dawn of rock music
Sound
The emergence of rock music
Drums
Drums as an important element of rock music
Guitar
Guitar as the key instrument of rock music
Oh, let there be rock"
A call for more rock music
One night in a club called The Shaking Hand
A specific event that took place
There was a forty-two decibel rocking band
A loud, energetic rock band
And the music was good and the music was loud
The energy and power of rock music
And the singer turned and he said to the crowd
A moment of climax when the singer addresses the audience
"Let there be rock"
A call for more rock music
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald Belford Scott, Angus Mckinnon Young, Malcolm Mitchell Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ShirleyCurryTheOlderGamer
Back in the day!!! Bonn!!! Wicked quitar!!!
@jacobholabird1983
Shirley Curry
@jondalardynamite5199
Respect for you from Mexico. Hail hail rock and roll
@OrdoSanctiBenedictus
Shirley Curry purists in hard rock
@luisramonvazquezzamora8741
Shirley Curry
Thoefainre
Thoefainre
Thierry
Renaud
N
@luisramonvazquezzamora8741
Renaud
@bluesman1834
No bullshit. No effects. Just straight up rock n’ roll!! RIP Bon & Malcom!
@itnow
yeah they sort of ignored glam, prog or punk ...sticking to pub rock...
@elizabethness3629
Still get goosebumps 40 ish years on. No one like Ac/DC Respect Love n Peace. THANK YOU THANK YOU xxx
@josejimenomartin373
@@itnowun