ACDC - Hells Bells

February 19, 1980, ACDC front man and vocalist Bon Scott passed away. Apparently, there was multiple versions about exactly how Scott perished, but the version I grew up being told was that he passed out drunk in the back seat of a car where he choked on his own vomit. This is a gruesome demise, but it is very rock and roll in its own way, so if this version is true, I suppose we can take some small comfort knowing that Bon Scott died like a rock star.

What followed was the introduction of Brian Johnson in a story I like to compare to a musical space epic:

https://colinkellymusicinreview.blogspot.com/2011/03/april-2009-acdc-for-those-about-to-rock.html

The story of ACDC should have been a truly tragic one, if not for the perseverance of the surviving members and Brian Johnson. They took was a very sad story and made it awesome.

The first ACDC album to include Brain Johnson is the appropriately named “Back in Black,” released in 1980. A lot was riding on “Back in Black,” people can be fickle and the change of an iconic front man like Bon Scott was going to be difficult. Fortunately, “Back in Black” is an absolutely amazing album, and Brian Johnson killed it on vocals. The album was so good, and Brian Johnson rocked so hard, that everyone was happy with the outcome. Bon Scott was a one of a kind strange animal, he could never be replaced, however Brian Johnson was his own sort of rock and roll beast, and his style of singing matched the ACDC sound perfectly, so everyone embraced Johnson as the chosen one.

If I had to pick my preferred lead singer for ACDC, I would go with Brian Johnson. I have nothing but love for Bon Scott, but I cannot deny how much I appreciate Johnson’s vocals and the albums he performed on. “Back in Black” is possibly my favorite ACDC album. The only uncertainty that exists in me is because of the greatest that is “The Razor Edge.”

The title track “Back in Black” is among ACDC’s most famous, as is “You Shook Me All Night Long,” but my favorite from this album has to be the opening track “Hells Bells.”

“Highway to Hell” was the last Bon Scott ACDC album, and “Back in Black” is the first Brian Johnson ACDC album, and I think there is something charming about the hell connection here.

When “Hells Bells” plays, I always get pumped. That intro with the echoing bell, then Angus Young’s killer rift, then Malcom Young plays a melody on the bass guitar, and the slow drums pushing their way in, and everything comes together, just the way I like it, and slowly escalates into a thunderous roaring sound. This intro draws the listener into a dreadful state of mind for their dark descension into hell, and then a kick ass rock song plays.

While “Highway to Hell” the song is highly uplifting and celebrates rock and hell and charging into hell to rock out, “Hells Bells” is an entirely different creation. There is a darkness in “Hells Bells,” oh sure, it is a song that feels great to listen to, and the mood and energy always gets my blood flowing for excitement and fun, but the actual content, is dark. “Highway to Hell” is about rock stars happily going to hell and looking forward to the visit. “Hells Bells” is a brooding warning to the damned.

Perhaps one of the reasons “Hells Bells” has this darker edge to it, is because it appears this song is being sang from the perspective of the devil.

“I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain,
I'm coming on like a hurricane.
My lightning's flashing across the sky,
You're only young but you're going die.

I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives,
Nobody's putting up a fight.
I got my bell, I'm going take you to hell,
I'm going get you, Satan get you.”

I think it could be understood to think the narrative voice is some sort of grim reaper, however the “Satan get you” part really sells me on the Satan interpretation.

The verses come in pairs on this song, which is a little different. The second pair of four-line lyrics further sets to stone what I am saying:

“I'll give you black sensations up and down your spine,
If you're into evil you're a friend of mine.
See the white light flashing as I split the night,
Because if good's on the left, then I'm sticking to the right.

I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives,
Nobody's putting up a fight,
I got my bell, I'm going take you to hell,
I'm going get you, Satan get you.”

ACDC found a way to make going to hell fun in “Highway to Hell” but in “Hells Bells” they found a way to make being afraid of being dragged to hell fun, somehow. A little bit of darkness never hurt anyone, and while in a reality where the devil comes for your soul should be terrifying, the song “Hells Bells” has such an intense power, it cannot fail to motive. It is creative genius and I do not know how much of it is serendipitous.

I had an idea for a theme for a pair of ACDC songs for blog reviews, “Highway to Hell” and “Hells Bells.” There is a nice symmetry there, singing about hell more than once, but as I reflected on the two albums that house “Highway to Hell” and “Hells Bells” I began to notice that there was more to these two songs than what I first perceived.

The hell connection is obvious, but the added variable of the passing of the guard and subtle change in both style and emotion adds a little more to this side by side comparison. I said before that ACDC are not a deep band, but given the volume and quality of their work, there is a lot to explore, and so much to enjoy.

We all like ACDC, how could we not? But what impresses me, is just how much they gave us with so simple of sounds and song concepts. They knew what they wanted to do and managed to make themselves absolute masters of their craft. The added bonus is fun things like strangely happy songs about going to hell.

- King of Braves