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| "Highway to Hell" | ||||||||||
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| Single by AC/DC | ||||||||||
| from the album Highway to Hell | ||||||||||
| B-side | "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" | |||||||||
| Released | 1979 | |||||||||
| Format | 7" | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||||||||
| Genre | Hard rock, blues rock, heavy metal | |||||||||
| Length | 3:28 | |||||||||
| Label | Atlantic Records | |||||||||
| Producer | Mutt Lange | |||||||||
| AC/DC singles chronology | ||||||||||
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| "Highway to Hell (Live)" | ||||||||||
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| Single by AC/DC | ||||||||||
| from the album Live: 2 CD Collector's Edition | ||||||||||
| B-side | "Hells Bells (live)" | |||||||||
| Released | 8 November 1992 (US) | |||||||||
| Format | 7", CD | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||||||||
| Genre | Hard rock Rock 'n' roll |
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| Length | 3:53 | |||||||||
| Label | Epic Records Atco Records |
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| Producer | Bruce Fairbairn | |||||||||
| AC/DC singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Highway to Hell" is the opening track of is AC/DC's 1979 album Highway to Hell and the twelfth track on AC/DC Live. It was initially released as a single in 1979.
The song was written by Bon Scott, Angus Young and Malcolm Young while the main guitar riff was created by Malcolm Young. The track has become one of the most famous songs in rock history. AC/DC had made several studio albums before and was constantly supporting them by going on a grueling tour schedule.
The song and album's title supposedly came after a reporter asked band members if they could describe what life was like being constantly on tour. Angus replied that it was "a fucking highway to Hell"[citation needed]. He stated in the magazine Guitar World that when you are out on the road on a bus sleeping with a guy's smelly sock in your face, it's like you're on the highway to hell. Rumours persisted that the band members were satanists, and this comment, and the album cover depicting Angus with devil horns and tail only added fuel to the fire. (The band has denied having anything to do with Satanism, Malcolm having even commented that "me mum would kill me for that!") Nevertheless, this and other songs brought AC/DC its first million-copy-selling album, and sent Highway to Hell to #17 on the charts. Scott would be found dead in the back of a friend's car just over six months later. In October 2009 Brian Johnson, who replaced Scott, explained to The Metro: "It was written about being on the bus on the road where it takes forever to get from Melbourne or Sydney to Perth across the Nullabor Plain. When the Sun's setting in the west and you're driving across it, it is like a fire ball. There is nothing to do, except have a quick one off the wrist or a game of cards, so that's where Bon came up with the lyrics." [1] The success of the Highway to Hell song and album set AC/DC on track to record its most famous album and tribute to Bon, Back In Black, one year later. The song "Highway to Hell" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.[2] The master ringtone was certified Gold by the RIAA in June 2007 for sales in excess of 500,000.
The song was originally inspired by Bon Scott driving along the Canning Highway in peak traffic, from his home in Fremantle to his favourite pub in Applecross.
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Live recordings
"Highway to Hell" has been included on two official live albums:
- Live: This was also released as a single. A video for the single was also released, containing a montage of footage from the Live at Donington home video.
- Let There Be Rock: The Movie
List of accolades
- Ranked #254 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
- Ranked #152 on the 500 Greatest Classic Rock Songs compiled by 94.5 XKR.
- Ranked #23 on The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time, a book by Martin Popoff.
Chart performance
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 47 |
Track listing
UK
Released 1992 by ATCO
- "Bonny"/"Highway to Hell (Live)"
- "Hells Bells (Live)"
- "The Jack (Live)"
Germany and France
Released 1992 by ATCO
- "Highway to Hell (Live)"
- "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"
- "High Voltage (Live)"
Australia
Released 1992 by Albert Productions / Epic Records
- "Bonny"/"Highway to Hell (Live)"
- "High Voltage (Live)"
- "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"
USA and Canada
Released 1992 by ATCO
- "Highway to Hell (Live)"
- "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"
- "The Jack (Live)"
- "High Voltage (Live)"
- "Back in Black (Live)"
Personnel
- Bon Scott - Lead Vocals
- Angus Young - Lead Guitar
- Malcolm Young - Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Cliff Williams - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocal
- Phil Rudd - drums
Cover versions
- Phish - Live cover. Phish's version can be heard on Live Phish Volume 15, recorded on Halloween 1996 at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia. Phish played the song for a second time on Friday, June 12, 2009 at the Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester, Tennessee.
- Knorkator - Featured on their 1999 album Hasenchartbreaker as a soft-rock/ballad version.
- Quiet Riot - heavy metal band; for their 1999 reunion album Alive and Well.
- Marilyn Manson - for the 1999 Detroit Rock City soundtrack, albeit with a much different meaning.
- Iced Earth - power metal band; on their 2002 tribute album Tribute to the Gods.
- Maroon 5 - On their 2003 live album 1.22.03.Acoustic, features the lead singer Adam Levine on drums and drummer Ryan Dusick on vocals, live from Hamburg, Germany.
- Billy Joel - performed a cover during his 2007 tour. During a concert he talks of a stagehand singing in a sound check and that he would like for him to come on stage and sing for the crowd. Billy Joel then states "it's a religious song and I want y'all to think about it on the drive home, help me welcome to the Stage.....Chainsaw", and Chainsaw sings "Highway to Hell".
- Pitty - played live during a 2008 MtvBr especial apresentation.
- Slash's Snakepit[3]
- Slash also teamed up with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park to make a separate cover of the song.
- The Resin - Irish rock band; Live Covers.[4]
- Kiss
- Nightranger has covered the song during numerous live performances.
- P!nk covers the song in her introductory video for her Funhouse Tour.
- Hayseed Dixie cover the song in a bluegrass style in the album A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC.
- Nickelback covered the song on the UK leg of their Dark Horse Tour with Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry on lead vocals. On the second leg of their North American Dark Horse Tour, they covered it with Austin Winkler of Hinder on lead vocals.
- Tiny Tim covered the song on his album Live in Chicago with the New Duncan Imperials.
- Sam Kinison covered the song on his album Leader of the Banned.
References and uses in other media
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (August 2009) |
- The song was parodied by the Ukrainian rock group Vopli Vidoplyasova in their "Galia, come" ("Галю, приходь") instrumentally and by lyrics styled as Ukrainian folk.
- French comedy group "Les Robins des Bois" did a parody of the song called "Highway to Tata Yoyo" by mixing AC/DC's music with the lyrics of Annie Cordy's popular hit "Tata Yoyo".
- The song was the title track for World Wrestling Federation's 1998 Pay-Per-View SummerSlam, as well as being the tag line for the event.
- Professional wrestling tag team the Dudley Boyz used this song as their entrance theme in Extreme Championship Wrestling.
- The song was used in the 2000 film Little Nicky during a slideshow, which is seen before the credits.
- The opening of Highway to Hell was used on House when Doctor House got his new cane, which has flames on it.
- Part of the song was used during the bar explosion scene in the 2007 movie Wild Hogs.
- Part of the song was used at the conclusion of The Simpsons episode "Simpsons Bible Stories".
- In the 2003 Jack Black film School Of Rock, when the class does their concert Black's character is dressed up like Angus Young was when recording this song. He also taught Zack the riff of this song.
- In One Tree Hill, Peyton Sawyer, Brooke Davis and Haley James Scott are on the way to New York to preview Brookes Fashion lines 'Clothes Ova Bros' and decide to play a game where you ask a question and turn on the radio and the name of the song is your answer. Haley James Scott asks the radio about what's happening with her relationship with her husband Nathan Scott and she mentions "Highway to Hell" is the song that came on.
- Bonnie Raitt has stated that "Highway to Hell" is one of the greatest examples of the power of vocals and guitars ever recorded.
- New Zealand sports spoof show Pulp Sport uses "Highway to Hell" as the theme song for their Sporting Hell segment.
- The song is plays a pivotal foreshadowing part in the 2003 film Final Destination 2.
- Part of the song was played at the end of the pilot episode (right after Sammy drives the car into the woman in whites house) of Supernatural and also played during Australian advertisements.
- The song, was the title song for the April 3rd, 2009 Fun Friday in Kalamazoo, MI also was the name of the Fun Friday tournament.
- There is an Australian AC/DC cover band named Highway to Hell.
- In the French novel Les Thanatonautes the punks at the Mountain play "Highway to Hell".
- In the video game Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, there is a large, mazelike corridor called "Hell's Highway". It should also be noted that the main protagonist of the franchise Dante is a known lover of heavy metal.
See also
References
- ^ Highway To Hell Songfacts
- ^ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "500 songs that shaped rock and roll" [1]
- ^ YouTube Link to Slash's Snakepit Cover
- ^ Resin Sample Setlist
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