Highway to Hell (song)

"Highway to Hell" is a song by the hard rock band AC/DC. It is the opening track of the group's 1979 album Highway to Hell and the twelfth track on AC/DC Live.

The song was written by Bon Scott, Angus Young and Malcolm Young while the main guitar riff was created by Malcolm Young. The track has become one of the most famous songs in rock history. AC/DC had made several studio albums before and was constantly supporting them by going on a grueling tour schedule.

The song and album's title supposedly came after a reporter asked bandmembers if they could describe what life was like being constantly on tour. Angus replied that it was "a fucking highway to Hell", and the name stuck. He stated in the magazine "Guitar World" that when you are out on the road on a bus sleeping with a guy's smelly sock in your face, it's like you're on the highway to hell. Rumours persisted that the band members were satanists, and this comment, and the album cover depicting Angus with devil horns and tail only added fuel to the fire. (The band has denied having anything to do with Satanism, Malcolm having even commented that "me mum would kill me for that!") Nevertheless, this and other songs brought AC/DC its first million-copy-selling album, and sent Highway to Hell to #17 on the charts. Scott would be found dead in the back of a friend's car just over six months later. The success of the Highway to Hell song and album set AC/DC on track to record its most famous album and tribute to Bon, Back In Black, one year later. The song "Highway to Hell" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.^[1]

1 List of accolades
2 Track listing
3 Personnel
4 Cover versions
5 References and uses in other media
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] List of accolades

Ranked #254 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Ranked #152 on the 500 Greatest Classic Rock Songs compiled by 94.5 XKR.
Ranked #23 on The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time, a book by Martin Popoff.

[edit] Track listing

[edit] UK

Released 1992 by ATCO

"Bonny"/"Highway to Hell (Live)"
"Hells Bells (Live)"
"The Jack (Live)"
"Hey little Girl From Hartfords Palace" (Unrealeased)

[edit] Germany and France

Released 1992 by ATCO

"Highway to Hell (Live)"
"Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"
"High Voltage (Live)"

[edit] Australia

Released 1992 by Albert Productions / Epic Records

"Bonny"/"Highway to Hell (Live)"
"High Voltage (Live)"
"Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"

[edit] USA and Canada

Released 1992 by ATCO

"Highway to Hell (Live)"
"Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"
"The Jack (Live)"
"High Voltage (Live)"
"Back in Black (Live)"
"Come My Children This is for You" (Unrealeased)

[edit] Personnel

Bon Scott - Lead Vocals
Angus Young - Lead Guitar
Malcolm Young - Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Cliff Williams - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Phil Rudd - Drums, Percussion

[edit] Cover versions

This song was covered by the German comedy-industrial metal band Knorkator, the heavy metal group Quiet Riot for its reunion album Alive and Well. Additionally, it was covered by power metal band Iced Earth on the tribute album Tribute to the Gods.

Marilyn Manson did a cover, albeit with a much different meaning, for the Detroit Rock City soundtrack.

A cover was made by Slash's Snakepit band. Slash also teamed up with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park to make a separate cover of the song.

Musicians who covered the song include a Brazilian singer called Pitty, the song was played live for an MtvBr especial apresentation.

Billy Joel also performed a cover during his 2007 tour. During a concert he talks of a stagehand singing in a sound check and that he would like for him to come on stage and sing for the crowd. Billy Joel then states "it's a religious song and I want y'all to think about it on the drive home, help me welcome to the Stage.....Chainsaw", and Chainsaw sings "Highway to Hell".

Phish covered "Highway to Hell" in concert. Phish's version can be heard on Live Phish Volume 15, recorded on Halloween 1996 at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia.

Irish rock band The Resin have also recently done a cover version.

American rock band Kiss has made a cover version of this song.

[edit] References and uses in other media

The song was parodied by the Ukrainian rock group Vopli Vidoplyasova in their "Galia, come" ("Галю, приходь") instrumentally and by lyrics styled as Ukrainian folk.
French comedy group "Les Robins des Bois" did a parody of the song called "Highway to Tata Yoyo" by mixing AC/DC's music with the lyrics of Annie Cordy's popular hit "Tata Yoyo".
The song was the title track for World Wrestling Federation's 1998 SummerSlam Pay-Per-View, which was subtitled "The Highway to Hell".
Professional wrestling tag team the Dudley Boyz used this song as their entrance theme in Extreme Championship Wrestling.
The song was used in the 2000 film Little Nicky during a slideshow, which is seen before the credits.
The opening of Highway to Hell was used on House when Doctor House got his new cane.
Part of the song was used during the bar explosion scene in the 2007 movie Wild Hogs.
Part of the song was used at the conclusion of The Simpsons episode Simpsons Bible Stories.
In the Jack Black film School Of Rock, when the class does their concert Black's character is dressed up like Angus Young was when recording this song.
In One Tree Hill, Peyton Sawyer, Brooke Davis and Haley James Scott are on the way to New York to preview Brookes Fashion lines 'Clothes Ova Bros' and decide to play a game where you ask a question and turn on the radio and the name of the song is your answer. Haley James Scott asks the radio about whats happening with her relationship with her husband Nathan Scott and she mentions "Highway To Hell" is the song that came on.
Bonnie Raitt has stated that "Highway To Hell" is one of the greatest examples of the power of vocals and guitars ever recorded.
The song is used as the theme song for the Australian music program RocKwiz, which airs on the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).