In the pumped-up disco era of the late '70s, Tanya Tucker, a full six years after her debut -- and all of 19 years old -- was still tearing up the charts and exploiting her now fully developed womanhood. Hooking up for the first time with Jerry Goldstein, who was about as far from Billy Sherrill as you could get, Tucker issued a mostly up-tempo, steamy record that rocked as hard or harder than it twanged. Opening with Phil Everly's rocker "Lover Goodbye," complete with synth drums, and following it with the torch and twang of "I'm the Singer, You're the Song," co-written with Goldstein, it was pure eros wrapped in strings and electric guitars. But the real tale of the tape is told beginning with track three: a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," with Mickey Raphael on blues harmonica, which funked almost as much as it rocked. Cross this with a riveting read of John Prine's "Angel From Montgomery" that rivals Bonnie Raitt's and a scorching "Heartbreak Hotel," and you have a side that can be played over and again ad infinitum. But side two is charged on with a scorching, sensual "Brown Eyed Handsome Man." While it never gains the same momentum as that track, the ballads and honky tonk numbers are steeped in a pop sound that wears surprisingly well over two decades later. Oh yes, on the beautiful mid-tempo ballad "The River and the Wind," Seals & Crofts help on the backing vocals; it's probably the best thing they ever did given how awful their own records are. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
John Prine (Vocals), John Prine (Vocals (Background)), Phil Everly (Vocals), Phil Everly (Vocals (Background)), Lonnie Jordan (Organ), Mickey Raphael (Harmonica), Joe Chemay (Vocals), Joe Chemay (Vocals (Background)), Ed Barton (Engineer), Ed Barton (Remixing), Curt Becher (Vocals), Curt Becher (Vocals (Background)), Milan Bogdan (Digital Editing), Bob Bullock (Assistant Engineer), Dash Crofts (Vocals), Dash Crofts (Vocals (Background)), Venetta Fields (Vocals), Venetta Fields (Vocals (Background)), Jerry Goldstein (Vocals), Jerry Goldstein (Vocals (Background)), Jerry Goldstein (Producer), John Hobbs (Piano), La Costa (Vocals), Paul Leim (Percussion), Paul Leim (Drums), Michael McGinnis (Vocals), Michael McGinnis (Vocals (Background)), Glenn Meadows (Mastering), Larry Muhoberac (String Arrangements), Brent Nelson (Vocals), Brent Nelson (Vocals (Background)), Joey Paige (Vocals), Joey Paige (Vocals (Background)), Jody Payne (Vocals), Jody Payne (Vocals (Background)), Julia Tillman Waters (Vocals), Jerry Scheff (Bass), Jim Seals (Vocals), Jim Seals (Vocals (Background)), Jerry Swallow (Dobro), Jerry Swallow (Guitar), Jerry Swallow (Mandolin), Jerry Swallow (Guitar (Electric)), Tanya Tucker (Vocals), Tanya Tucker (Main Performer), Luther Waters (Vocals), Luther Waters (Vocals (Background)), Oren Waters (Vocals), Oren Waters (Vocals (Background)), Lorna Willard (Vocals), Lorna Willard (Vocals (Background)), Simon Levy (Art Direction), Katie Gillon (Coordination), Sherri Halford (Coordination), Julia Tillman (Vocals (Background)), Billy Joe Walker (Guitar (Acoustic)), Billy Joe Walker (Guitar), Billy Joe Walker (Mandolin), Billy Joe Walker (Guitar (Electric)), Olivier Ferrand (Photography)
Two singles were released from the album - "High Voltage" (July 1975) and "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" (December 1975).
T.N.T. also led to more AC/DC appearances on Australia's Countdown music programme, following those in support of the Australian High Voltage album. These appearances included a live performance of the song "T.N.T.", as well as a music video for "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)". Filmed on 23 February 1976, the video featured the band's then-current lineup, along with members of the Rats of Tobruk Pipe Band, on the back of a flat-bed truck travelling on Swanston Street in Melbourne, Australia.[1] On 1 October 2004, Melbourne's Corporation Lane was renamed ACDC Lane as a tribute to AC/DC, with the decision being based in part on this video.[2]
International release
T.N.T. is the only Australian AC/DC studio album for which there is no international counterpart. However, seven of its nine songs comprise the international version of High Voltage, released in May 1976. The other two, "Rocker" and "School Days", saw worldwide release as part of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap's international version (1976/1981) and the Bonfire box set (1997) respectively.
This is the original version with the lyrics about Bon having sex with a woman with Gonorrhea who lied about being a virgin, but is more subtle. The lyrics are altered when it is played live.
Original release vs. Remastered release
The original 1975 LP release featured longer versions of "Can I Sit Next to You Girl", "High Voltage" and "Rocker" compared to the versions heard on later CD releases:
"Rocker" originally cuts out abruptly as the riff hits its peak, but on the 1986 CD release and the 1995 remastered CD release the song fades out before the cut.
“High Voltage” originally finished with a sustained guitar note followed by a single hit of the snare drum. This version was included on the 1986 CD release, however the 1995 remastered CD release contains the version heard on the international High Voltage album release, which has the song fade out before the sustained note.
Both of these original versions were finally released worldwide on the 2009 box set Backtracks.
Canadian punk rock band Dayglo Abortions covered "The Jack" from this album for the tribute to AC/DC entitled A Punk Rock Tribute to AC/DC. Also, Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator covered "Live Wire" on a recorded live concert on the album Bag of Tricks.
