Hell's Bells
AC ⁄ DC Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain
I'm comin' on like a hurricane
My lightning's flashing across the sky
You're only young but you're gonna die

I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives
Nobody's putting up a fight
I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell
I'm gonna get you, Satan get you

Hell's bells
Yeah, hell's bells
You got me ringing hell's bells
My temperature's high, hell's bells

I'll give you black sensations up and down your spine
If you're into evil you're a friend of mine
See the white light flashing as I split the night
'Cause if good's on the left,
Then I'm stickin' to the right

I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives
Nobody's puttin' up a fight
I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell
I'm gonna get you, Satan get you

Hell's bells
Yeah, hell's bells
You got me ringing hell's bells
My temperature's high, hell's bells

Yeow

Hell's bells, Satan's comin' to you
Hell's bells, he's ringing them now
Hell's bells, the temperature's high
Hell's bells, across the sky
Hell's bells, they're takin' you down
Hell's bells, they're draggin' you around
Hell's bells, gonna split the night
Hell's bells, there's no way to fight, yeah

Ow, ow, ow, ow





Hell's bells

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" paint a dark and ominous picture of the singer as a force of destruction, here to bring about the end of their audience. The opening lines establish the singer's power, as they describe themselves as "a rolling thunder" and a "pouring rain," descending upon the listener like a storm. The repeated refrain of "hell's bells" serves as a warning, a sort of funeral bell tolling for listeners who refuse to heed the singer's message. The lines "I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives / Nobody's putting up a fight" suggest that the singer is on a mission, laying waste to all in their path without remorse. They wield a bell as their instrument of destruction, promising to take their victims straight to hell.


The second verse of "Hell's Bells" is even more harrowing, as the singer promises "black sensations up and down your spine" if the listener is "into evil." There's a sense of seduction here, perhaps hinting at the appeal of doing wrong, but ultimately it's a trap: with "white light flashing," the payoff for that evil is revealed to be eternal damnation. The singer then reaffirms their commitment to their mission, promising once again to spare no one and to follow the path of destruction to its inevitable conclusion.


One interesting fact about "Hell's Bells" is that it was written as a tribute to AC/DC's original lead singer, Bon Scott, who had passed away just prior to recording the album. The song's lyrics were partly inspired by Scott's love for motorcycles and his habit of revving the engine loudly, which is audible on the track. Another fascinating fact is that the bell used on the song was not an ordinary cowbell or percussion instrument, but a large cast iron bell actually used by churches in Australia, where the band is from. The bell can reportedly be heard up to 1.5 miles away in a quiet rural area.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain
I am powerful and unstoppable, like a thunderstorm.


I'm comin' on like a hurricane
I am approaching with great force and intensity.


My lightning's flashing across the sky
My presence is so electric that it illuminates the entire sky.


You're only young but you're gonna die
You may feel invincible now, but death comes for us all, regardless of age.


I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives
I will not show mercy and will not let anyone off the hook.


Nobody's putting up a fight
No one can resist or challenge me.


I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell
I have the power to take you to a place of great suffering.


I'm gonna get you, Satan get you
I will take you down to hell where Satan rules.


Hell's bells
The sound of my power and destruction.


Yeah, hell's bells
It's true, my power is real.


You got me ringing hell's bells
Your actions have brought me here to punish you.


My temperature's high, hell's bells
My anger and power are at their peak.


I'll give you black sensations up and down your spine
I can make you feel fear and other negative emotions very strongly.


If you're into evil you're a friend of mine
If you are wicked and embrace evil, you are my ally.


See the white light flashing as I split the night
Even in the darkness, my power is so bright and intense that it illuminates the sky.


'Cause if good's on the left, Then I'm stickin' to the right
I don't care about being on the side of good, I am committed to evil.


Hell's bells, Satan's comin' to you
I am symbolized by the sound of these bells, and I am coming to punish you.


Hell's bells, he's ringing them now
The bells are ringing and that means I am here to bring destruction.


Hell's bells, the temperature's high
The atmosphere is charged with my power and destruction.


Hell's bells, across the sky
My power is so great that it lights up the entire sky.


Hell's bells, they're takin' you down
I'm bringing you down to hell.


Hell's bells, they're draggin' you around
In hell, you will be tormented and constantly moved and disturbed.


Hell's bells, gonna split the night
My power and destruction will be so intense that they will disrupt the peace of night.


Hell's bells, there's no way to fight, yeah
There's no way to resist or win against my power and evil nature.


Ow, ow, ow, ow
The sound of pain and suffering caused by my destructive power.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN JOHNSON, ANGUS MCKINNON YOUNG, MALCOLM MITCHELL YOUNG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Flichter

Uh, expand your music repertoire bruh lol


because there are literally THOUSANDS of songs that sound as good or much better live than on the recorded album.

there are countless bands who's live performances are 100x better than anything they've put on wax -

Amon Amarth, Black Sabbath, Dio, Heaven & Hell, Down, Clutch, Type O Negative, Black Label Society, Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, Fear Factory, Ohgr and the list goes on and on and on.

If you actually believe this is "one of very few cases" of the live version being infinitely better than the album's recording, you REALLY need to broaden your musical horizons.



All comments from YouTube:

@Carr4563

AC/DC even admitted this was the most alive crowd they’d ever had.

@lisascarrott6142

Yep that's correct

@flaviodappiano3823

Next 10 december you will see in Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, the most beautiful party in history.

@beateneuenschwander4369

:)

@TheVovkazz

hell no
monsters of rock '91 in Moscow was from 500 000 official to 750 000 unofficial (no exact number, because it was free)

@edits0257

I’d say this is one of the most alive crowds in the history of music

67 More Replies...

@-cfh-architector7963

One of the greatest recorded live in the music history

@darrinskeels8773

yes best ever live show in ts entirety

@stpletmedie

The best version ever! Every time I want to listen AC/DC music, always type river plate behind.

@IgnacioDure

The cinema cameras the band the crow everything is perfect

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