Shake A Leg
THE MANY FACES OF AC/DC Lyrics

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Idle juvenile on the street, on the street
Who is kicking everything with his feet, with his feet
Fighting on the wrong side of the law, of the law
Don't kick, don't fight, don't sleep at night
It's shake a leg, shake a leg, shake a leg, shake it yeah

Keeping out of trouble with eyes in the back of my face
Kicking ass in the class and they tell me you're a damn disgrace

They tell me what they think but they stink and I really don't care
Got a mind of my own, move on, get out of my hair

Shake a leg, shake your head
Shake a leg, wake the dead
Shake a leg, get stuck in
Shake a leg, shake a leg yeah

Magazines, wet dreams, dirty women on machines for me
Big licks, skin flicks, tricky dick's are my chemistry
Goin' against the grain, trying to keep me sane with you
So stop your grinnin' and drop your linen for me

Shake a leg, shake your head
Shake a leg, wake the dead
Shake a leg, get stuck in
Shake a leg, shake a leg yeah shake it
Come on!

Idle juvenile on the street, on the street
Kicking everything with his feet, with his feet
Fighting on the wrong side of the law, of the law
Spitting and bitin' and kicking and fightin' for more

Shake a leg, shake your head
Shake a leg, wake the dead
Shake a leg, get stuck in
Shake a leg, we're in it to win
Shake a leg, shake your head
Shake a leg, wake the dead
Shake a leg, get stuck in

Shake a leg, shake a leg
Shake it!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to AC/DC's "Shake A Leg" describe the rebellious spirit and bravado of a young troublemaker, who kicks and fights his way through life without a care in the world. The first verse describes this juvenile delinquent as someone who is constantly in trouble with the law, and cannot sleep at night due to his penchant for violence. The chorus then implores him to "shake a leg" and keep on moving, as if to suggest that he should keep causing trouble because that's just who he is.

The second verse puts the focus on the singer, who is also a bit of a rebel but in a different way. Rather than causing physical harm, he defies authority by excelling in school despite being labeled a "damn disgrace" by his teachers. He acknowledges the negative opinions of others but ultimately doesn't care because he has his own mind and won't be held back by anyone. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the idea of shaking a leg and getting into the action.

The final verse goes back to the original character, painting a vivid picture of his wild lifestyle filled with "magazines, wet dreams, dirty women on machines." He goes against the norm and tries to maintain some semblance of sanity, but ultimately just wants to have fun and enjoy himself. The chorus then repeats a final time, ending the song on a high note and encouraging the listener to shake a leg and join in on the excitement.

Line by Line Meaning

Idle juvenile on the street, on the street
A young person with nothing to do finds themselves on the street.

Who is kicking everything with his feet, with his feet
They are aimlessly damaging property around them.

Fighting on the wrong side of the law, of the law
They find themselves on the wrong end of the law after taking their destructive tendencies too far.

Don't kick, don't fight, don't sleep at night
They're being told to stop their harmful actions, or risk feeling guilty about them later.

Keeping out of trouble with eyes in the back of my face
The singer is vigilant in avoiding trouble, keeping their head on a swivel to avoid danger.

Kicking ass in the class and they tell me you're a damn disgrace
Despite succeeding academically, they are still looked down upon by others.

They tell me what they think but they stink and I really don't care
The opinions of others don't matter to the singer if they don't have value or validity.

Got a mind of my own, move on, get out of my hair
The singer is confident in their own decision-making and doesn't want anyone interfering in their life.

Magazines, wet dreams, dirty women on machines for me
The singer is indulging in their sexual desires, fantasizing about pornographic images.

Big licks, skin flicks, tricky dick's are my chemistry
They are drawn to sexually explicit material and the allure of it.

Goin' against the grain, trying to keep me sane with you
The singer's actions differ from societal norms, but they find comfort in someone close to them.

So stop your grinnin' and drop your linen for me
The singer is making sexual advances to someone, telling them to stop being coy and give in to their desires.

Spitting and bitin' and kicking and fightin' for more
The young person from earlier has escalated their harmful actions, behaving in a violent and reckless manner.

Shake a leg, shake your head
The singer is giving the command to move and dance.

Shake a leg, wake the dead
The power of the music and dancing is strong enough to stir the deceased.

Shake a leg, get stuck in
The singer wants everyone to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

Shake a leg, we're in it to win
The singer is calling on everyone to give their all and enjoy the moment.

Shake it!
The final call to fully embrace the music and let loose.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian Johnson, Angus Mckinnon Young, Malcolm Mitchell Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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