AC/DC: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

AC/DC: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (International Version)

1976 (orignal version) 1981 (U.S. Release)

Atlantic Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl
 
Track Listing: 1 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap  2.  Love at First Feel  3. Big Balls  4. Rocker  5. Problem Child  6. There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'  7. Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to Be a Millionaire)  8. Ride On  9.  Squealer


This is one of the oldest records I own. It's seriously been around since I was a kid. I thought it may have belonged to my brother, Troy, but he doesn't recall ever owning it, so I guess the identity of the original owner is a mystery forever lost to the mists of time. Oh, well. It's mine now.

I can recall looking at this cover and it held a lot of mystery to me. I don't think I quite grasped the significance of the black bars over the eyes until later in life, one thing I definitely grasped as a kid though was "Big Balls."

Yes...That's right, I said it...I grasped big balls as a kid...

Get your minds out of the gutters! This song is clearly just about the lavish parties that Mr. Scott likes to hold in his big...albeit...dirty...ballroom. Some people may say this song isn't suitable for children to hear, but I'm going to have to disagree. I would say that I most appreciated this song when I was about 8 years old.

Even though the production values seem like an improvement from "High Voltage," I actually don't find myself listening to this one as much.. That may be due to the fact they chopped the best song ("Jailbreak") from the U.S. version.and put it on a separate e.p ('74 Jailbreak.)

Oh, and I hope you like the song "Problem Child" cos you're going to be hearing it a lot in the AC/DC discography.  But since we're hearing it here for the first time, it's actually pretty incredible. Malcolm's crashing chords! Bon howling that chorus at the moon!  Hot shit! It makes you want to lean against the hood of your '76 Trans Am and hoist your beer high as you shout along....



Which brings us to the burning question...What's should we be drinking while we listen to AC/DC?



NO!!!




Nahhh....



hmmmm.... Getting closer...




YES!!!!

YES!! YES!!! Wild Turkey! The big fucker!

The title track benefits greatly from this improved production. The guitar tones on this album are incredible! That slashing rhythm guitar still manages to whoop my ass, even though I've heard it on the radio, 10 billion times...The record also contains "Ride On." Which  is actually an uncharacteristic slow blues number for the band but it's so effective in its road-worn weariness that I kind of wish they explored this side more often, as I really think it highlights Bon Scott's range...."Rocker" is possibly the band's fastest song, done in a whiplash arrangement that recalls a speedier than usual Chuck Berry style...

My vinyl copy has that Christmassy green and red label that Atlantic started using around 1968, that I instantly identify with Atlantic records...

Now that I look at it I kinda realize it's actually green and ORANGE...and white...and yellow...and pink...

Wait...that might be red in the upper left-hand corner of the "A" in Atlantic.

These early AC/DC albums are extremely consistent. Even tracks that I may consider lesser ("Ain't No Fun Waiting 'Round to be a Millionaire") are almost of the same caliber as their best material...They never truly  misstep  You don't need to worry about any ill-advised attempt at Disco or Reggaeton, or dubstep. Probably the biggest departure in their entire career consists of the bagpipes that appear on their first album, so it's easy to take their single-minded pursuit of ass-kicking for granted. Let's take a moment...grab something to drink...



(No...not that...)


 ...and salute AC/DC by checking out their big balls...

...you know what I mean...