Hells Bells (song)
| "Hells Bells" | |||||||||
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| Single by AC/DC | |||||||||
| from the album Back in Black | |||||||||
| B-side | "What Do You Do for Money Honey" | ||||||||
| Released | November 1980 | ||||||||
| Format | 7 inch | ||||||||
| Recorded | Spring, 1980 at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas | ||||||||
| Genre | Hard rock, heavy metal | ||||||||
| Length | 5:12 | ||||||||
| Label | Atlantic Records | ||||||||
| Producer | Mutt Lange | ||||||||
| AC/DC singles chronology | |||||||||
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"Hells Bells" is the first track of Australian hard rock band AC/DC's album Back in Black. It is the first song on their comeback album after the death of vocalist Bon Scott, introducing his successor Brian Johnson.
The song starts off with the slow tolling of a bell four times (out of 13 times total, with the last one at 1:10) followed by an intro played by lead guitarist Angus Young; he is then accompanied by his brother and bandmate Malcolm Young. Eventually drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Cliff Williams start playing. The lyrics, sung by Brian Johnson, explain how the narrator will attack and drag a victim to hell, comparing his actions with natural phenomena such as rain, thunder and hurricanes.
The song was written to commemorate the death of AC/DC's former lead singer, Bon Scott.
The song also appears on Who Made Who, AC/DC's 1986 soundtrack to the Stephen King movie Maximum Overdrive, and on both versions of 1992's AC/DC Live.
In 2010, the band Gregorian covered "Hells Bells" and it is included in their album Dark Side of the Chant.
[edit] Chart positions
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart [1] | 25 |
| U.S. Mainstream Rock[2] | 50 |
[edit] In popular culture
The song was used as the entrance music for former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Trevor Hoffman at home games from 1998–2010, thrilling the crowd as he emerged.[3][4] The San Diego Padres' usage of "Hells Bells" for Hoffman was a forerunner in the heavy metal theme songs for closers used throughout MLB stadiums.[5][6] San Jose Mercury News and ESPN.com wrote that the song should be honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.[7][8] At Hoffman's number retirement ceremony, Brian Johnson paid tribute in a video to Hoffman for "rocking the mound."[9][10]
[edit] References
- ^ musicline.de / PhonoNet GmbH. "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/AC%A5DC/single. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- ^ "AC/DC Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Archived from the original on March 4, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5wvZOeUDN. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
- ^ Center, Bill. Story of Hells Bells Anthem, etc. San Diego Union-Tribune, September 26, 2006.
- ^ Capozzi, Joe (January 11, 2001). "Hell’s Bells — Trevor Hoffman, who started his career with Florida Marlins, bound for Hall after retirement". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5w2ENdOuD. Retrieved January 28, 2011. "I’ll never forget games I’ve covered at Petco Park when Hoffman trotted in from the bullpen to pitch the ninth inning to the ear-shattering sounds of AC/DC’s Hell’s Bells — perhaps some of the loudest, most electrifying crowd noise I’ve ever heard."
- ^ Tarantino, Anthony (April 19, 2004). "For whom the bell tolls: Who'd have thought 'Trevor Time' would start a majorswide trend?". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5w4QAOc1m. Retrieved January 28, 2011. "Since using the idea, the Padres have become a forerunner in the closer-theme explosion."
- ^ Engber, Daniel (April 14, 2006). "Hear My Song, Fear My Fastball". Slate (magazine) (The Washington Post Company). Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5w2FqzHcz. Retrieved January 28, 2011. "The closer songs of the early '90s tended to mix a cranky bravado with the threat of mental instability—don't mess with me, I'm so mean and crazy."
- ^ Peterson, Gary (March 20, 2011). "Baseball Hall of Fame should honor AC/DC". San Jose Mercury News: p. C-2. Archived from the original on March 20, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5xKnRZ58W.
- ^ Daly, Kaitee (July 28, 2010). "John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' sparks a list". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5xKnky6W6.
- ^ Hayes, Dan (August 21, 2011). "PADRES NOTES: Hoffman ceremony filled with surprises". North County Times. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/618fupqBw.
- ^ Sullivan, Tim (August 21, 2011). "Grand gesture is prime Trevor Time for good reason". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/618h4HTMz.
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