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)
Rock 'N' Roll Singer
AC/DC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When my momma was havin' me
By the time I was half alive
I knew what I was gonna be
But I left school and grew my hair
They didn't understand
They wanted me to be respected as
A doctor or a lawyer man
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
Well I worked real hard and bought myself
A rock 'n' roll guitar
I gotta be on top some day
I want to be a star
I can see my name in lights
And I can see the queue
I got the devil in my blood
Tellin' me what to do
(And I'm all ears)
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
(I hear it pays well)
Well you can stick your nine to five livin'
And your collar and your tie
And stick your moral standards
'Cause it's all a dirty lie
You can stick your golden handshake
And you can stick your silly rules
And all the other shit
That they teach to kids in school
('Cause I ain't no fool)
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
Yes I are
The lyrics to AC/DC's song "Rock 'N' Roll Singer" are written from the perspective of a young person who has chosen to pursue a career in music instead of following a more traditional path laid out by society. The song describes the struggles of being a young musician, facing disapproval and misunderstanding from those around them who had hoped they would become a doctor or a lawyer. The singer believes that they were born to be a rock 'n' roll singer, and sees themselves as destined for stardom.
The lyrics touch on the idea of the "devil in my blood," hinting at the rebellious nature of rock 'n' roll music, and the singer's willingness to break away from societal norms and expectations to pursue their dream. The lyrics also express a sense of contempt for the traditional path, with lines such as "stick your nine to five livin' and your collar and tie," conveying a desire for something more exciting and fulfilling. Ultimately, the message of the song is to follow one's dreams and passions, even if they go against the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
My daddy was workin' nine to five
When my momma was havin' me
By the time I was half alive
I knew what I was gonna be
But I left school and grew my hair
They didn't understand
They wanted me to be respected as
A doctor or a lawyer man
(But I had other plans)
Despite my parents' expectations of me becoming a respected professional, I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a rock 'n' roll singer. I didn't let their misunderstanding stop me from pursuing my dreams.
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
I am determined to become a successful rock 'n' roll singer and see my name in lights. I want to be a star and I'm not going to stop until I achieve that.
Well I worked real hard and bought myself
A rock 'n' roll guitar
I gotta be on top some day
I want to be a star
I can see my name in lights
And I can see the queue
I got the devil in my blood
Tellin' me what to do
(And I'm all ears)
I invested a lot of time and effort into my passion, purchasing a guitar to practice on. I know I have what it takes to be a rock 'n' roll star and the desire to achieve that drives me. The devilish voice in my head that urges me to keep going is not ignored, as I listen intently to what it has to say.
Well you can stick your nine to five livin'
And your collar and your tie
And stick your moral standards
'Cause it's all a dirty lie
You can stick your golden handshake
And you can stick your silly rules
And all the other shit
That they teach to kids in school
('Cause I ain't no fool)
I have no interest in conforming to societal norms of a typical work schedule and professional dress. I reject the moral standards and ideals of society, recognizing them for the falsehoods they are. I also refuse to be lured by monetary incentives and rules that stifle creativity, as such emptiness is taught in school. I am not foolish enough to be swayed by these things.
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
I reaffirm my commitment to becoming a rock 'n' roll star, and nothing will stop me from achieving that goal.
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll star
Gonna be a rock 'n' roll singer
I'm gonna be a rock 'n' roll
A rock 'n' roll star
Yes I are
Once again, I state my intention to become a rock 'n' roll star and assure everyone that it will indeed come to pass. I am confident in my abilities to achieve greatness as a musician.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Paul Carrack, Tex Comer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind