AC/DC — Back in Black

Author: tracysigler | Posted: May 15th, 2007 | | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments »

  • Artist: AC/DC
  • Title: Back in Black
  • Year: 1980
  • Format: Vinyl 12 in.
  • Rating (1-10): 10
  • Owner: Tracy
  • Acquired: I really don’t know…
  • Keeper: Yes

Even I’m Heavy Duty! needs a vacation occasionally, but we’re starting back with a winner: AC/DC’s Back in Black. Most folks probably think this one is their best record, but to me it’s a close second to Highway to Hell.

Between the all black album cover and Brian Johnson’s over-the-top lyrics if I didn’t know this was AC/DC I’d be tempted to think this record was a Spinal Tap tribute. Except that the music is infinitely better and Spinal Tap didn’t come out until four years later. My friend Gary’s favorite Spinal Tap moment is the lyric “Let me cut your cake with my knife.” Pretty hard to beat that one.

Back in Black would rate a 10 in my book just for the title track alone, but it also contains the classics “Hells Bells” and “You Shook Me All Night Long.” Some other favorites of mine are “Have a Drink on Me” and the corny-titled, but hard rocking album closer “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution.”


6 Comments on “AC/DC — Back in Black”

  1. 1 G Money said at 10:26 am on May 16th, 2007:

    …and the Spinal Tappiest lyric of all time: “Let me cut your cake with my knife.” This was, I think, the third album I ever bought w/my own money, and every track genius. Starting back w/a winner indeed!

  2. 2 G Money said at 10:28 am on May 16th, 2007:

    HA! How funny is it that I glossed over the 2nd paragraph in my haste to bring cakes ‘n’ knives into the discussion, and there it is in the writeup! Such is the genius of metal laureate Brian Johnson.

  3. 3 Jon said at 3:49 pm on May 16th, 2007:

    As much as I love the Bon-era, there are days when I think the BIB album might be AC/DC’s their finest work.

    Of course, most of the tunes were written when Bon was still alive but the question remains as to whether the band might have used some of his lyrical ideas.

    Any thoughts?

  4. 4 Tracy Sigler said at 4:45 pm on May 16th, 2007:

    Yeah, here’s what I think. Ozzy was just in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal and he listed his top five records. Highway to Hell was on there, and I’m pretty sure Ozzy knows what he’s talking about. I agree with him when he says “it sounds like they’re having a blast.”

  5. 5 kp said at 2:33 am on May 17th, 2007:

    So what were Ozzy’s other four favorites?

  6. 6 Tracy Sigler said at 9:30 am on May 17th, 2007:

    Ozzy’s other faves are Led Zeppelin’s first, Van Halen’s debut, Metallica’s self-titled (another black album), and Nirvana’s Nevermind.

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