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Highway to Hell (song)

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Wikipedia article




{{Infobox song

| name = Highway to Hell

| image = Highway to Hell by ACDC US single side-A.png

| alt =

| caption = One of side-A labels of the US single

| type = single

| artist = AC/DC

| album = Highway to Hell

| B-side = "If You Want Blood" (Aus/UK)
"Night Prowler" (US)

| released = 27 July 1979

| recorded = MarchApril 1979

| studio =

| genre = Hard rock

| length = 3:27

| label = Albert Productions

| writer = *Bon Scott

*Angus Young

*Malcolm Young

| producer = Mutt Lange

| prev_title = Rock 'n' Roll Damnation

| prev_year = 1978

| next_title = Girls Got Rhythm

| next_year = 1979

| misc =

}}

"'Highway to Hell'" is a song by Australian rock band AC/DC. It is the opening track of their 1979 album 'Highway to Hell'. It was initially released as a single in 1979.

The song was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, with Angus Young credited for writing the guitar riff which became an instant classic. AC/DC had made several studio albums before and were constantly promoting them via a grueling tour schedule, referred to by Angus Young as being on a highway to hell, hence the name.

Background



The song is in the key of A Major. The title and lyrics reflect the arduous nature of touring constantly and life on the road. The highway that inspired the title, Canning Highway, connects the Perth Kwinana freeway to its port Fremantle and was home to many of Bon Scott's favourite pubs and hotels, including the Raffles Hotel.

"There were hundreds of riffs going down every day," recalled Malcolm Young. "But this one, we thought, 'That's good.' It just stuck out like a dog's balls."

'Cash Box' called it a "bone crunching, gut-wrenching exercise in primal guitar rock" with "simple yet effective riffing" and "ballsy vocals."

The single spent 45 weeks on the German Singles Chart, peaked at #30 in its 19th week on the chart. Bon Scott was found dead in the back of a friend's car, just over six months after the song was released.

Production



"Highway to Hell" was produced by Mutt Lange as part of the album by the same name, and his work is regarded as a significant factor in delivering one of the classic AC/DC albums, the emergence of the double-guitar sound, which was later perfected on 'Back in Black', and improved backing vocals with Malcolm Young, joined by Cliff Williams for the first time.

Legacy



"Highway to Hell" won the 'Most Played Australian Work Overseas' category at the 2009 APRA Awards. In 2013, an internet campaign attempted to get it to number one in the UK Christmas singles chart.

In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Highway to Hell" was ranked number 40.

In 2020, 'The Guardian' ranked the song number seven on their list of the 40 greatest AC/DC songs, and in 2021, 'Kerrang' ranked the song number five on their list of the 20 greatest AC/DC songs.

List of accolades

*Ranked No. 258 on 'Rolling Stone' magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/ac-dc-highway-to-hell-19691231 500 Greatest Songs of All Time] Highway to Hell 'The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]

*Ranked No. 152 on the 500 Greatest Classic Rock Songs compiled by 94.5 XKR.

*Ranked No. 23 on 'The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time', a book by Martin Popoff.

*

*The master ringtone was certified Gold by the RIAA in June 2007 for sales in excess of 500,000.

Personnel



*Bon Scott – lead vocals

*Angus Young – lead guitar

*Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals

*Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals

*Phil Rudd – drums

Charts



{| class="wikitable"

!Chart (1979/80)

!Peak
position

|-

|Australian (Kent Music Report)

|align="center"|24

|-

|Austrian Singles Chart

|align="center"|52

|-

|Belgian Singles Chart

|align="center"|14

|-

|Dutch Singles Chart

|align="center"|17

|-

|French Singles Chart

|align="center"|23

|-

|German Singles Chart

|align="center"|30

|-

|Spanish Singles Chart

|align="center"|24

|-

|Swedish Singles Chart

|align="center"|36

|-

|UK Singles Chart

|align="center"|56

|-

|US 'Billboard' 100

|align="center"|47

|}

Certifications



Live recordings



{{Infobox song

| name = Highway to Hell (live)

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = AC/DC

| album = AC/DC Live

| B-side = Hells Bells (live)

| released = November 1992

| recorded = 1991

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hard rock, blues rock

| length = 3:53

| label = Atco

| writer = Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young

| producer = Bruce Fairbairn

| prev_title = Are You Ready

| prev_year = 1991

| next_title = Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (live)

| next_year = 1992

| misc =

}}

"Highway to Hell" has been performed multiple times in live concert. Including:

*'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'

*'Live at River Plate'

See also



*'Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell'

References





Category:1979 songs

Category:1979 singles

Category:1992 singles

Category:AC/DC songs

Category:Albert Productions singles

Category:APRA Award winners

Category:Atco Records singles

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Epic Records singles

Category:Marilyn Manson (band) songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange

Category:Songs written by Angus Young

Category:Songs written by Bon Scott

Category:Songs written by Malcolm Young

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