AC/DC: High Voltage

AC/DC: High Voltage (International Version)

1976

Atlantic Records

Format I own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock N' Roll)  2. Rock 'n' Roll Singer
3. The Jack  4. Live Wire  5. T.N.T   6. Can I Sit Next To You Girl 7. Little Lover  8.She's Got Balls  9.  High Voltage

Since I don't have any plans of owning an ABBA albums in this lifetime, we're going to start with AC/DC. This is a compilation album made up of tracks from the Australia-only albums "High Voltage" and "T.N.T." Both of which I have never heard. Seven of the nine tracks come from the "T.N.T" album.

The album begins with the classic "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock N' Roll)" and similar to Haydn's Symphony # 98,  it has been composed in the key of B Flat Major, which symbolizes something of the turbulent inner emotions of the...

...Nawww,  I'm just messing with you...It ROCKS!...and it has bagpipes!

I can first recall listening to this on cassette sometime in the mid to late 80's at a family reunion. I can recall being upset that I had to be there and so I decided to bitch out and go sit in the car. As I was digging through tapes to find something to listen to (and  kill the car battery in the process),  I came across this...

(Cue Angus Young-type guitar shredding...)

Growing up, I had an acute fear of music "not rocking." I would freak out and make gagging noises whenever the album I was listening to would inevitably arrive at the obligatory power ballad...

You didn't have to worry about that kind of thing with AC/DC.  Their consistency is legendary... I still have distinct memories of repeatedly rewinding the tape to hear the song "T.N.T" over and over again...

(Actually, I just remembered the Australian version of "High Voltage" does contain the band's only power ballad...so I guess if you're listening to that version you're cool to make the gagging noises...)

I also remember looking at the cover and seeing the song title "She's Got Balls" and thinking to myself..."How could this be?!?"

After not hearing it for about 15 years, I have to say, this record is still pretty great. I really love this Bon Scott era of AC/DC... I believe he truly elevated the cock rock lyric to an art form with hilariously leering lines such as "Killed me when I saw the wet patch on your seat...Was it Coca-Cola?"  To be offended by a delivery so knowingly humorous, you'd have to be an incredibly wet blanket (and I hope it's Coca-Cola!)

Man, looking up at that old tape cover makes me kind of miss the format. I liked the uniformity of the design that they used to have. The spines usually either had the white writing on black like the "High Voltage" tape above, or they had the  cool red-on-white design like this awesome "Club Ninja" cassette that I'm really jealous of...

Either way, they looked freakin' sweet in those old school tape carriers....






Anyway, I'm not going to knock myself out explaining AC/DC to you. Everybody's familiar with the sound and they basically arrive here fully formed...

If you've somehow managed to avoid classic rock radio all your life, I have to congratulate you for missing out on Journey, and to honor this momentous occasion, I'm  posting a video for "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock N' Roll...)"

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