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Hells Bells (song)

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"Hells Bells"
Artwork for one of the continental European releases
Single by AC/DC
from the album Back in Black
B-side"What Do You Do for Money Honey"
Released31 October 1980
RecordedApril – May 1980
StudioCompass Point (Nassau)
GenreHard rock[1]
Length5:12
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Robert John "Mutt" Lange
AC/DC singles chronology
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
(1980) 		"Hells Bells"
(1980) 		"Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
(1980)
Music video
"Hells Bells" on YouTube

"Hells Bells" is the first track of Back in Black, the seventh studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC and their comeback album after the death of lead singer Bon Scott. "Hells Bells" is the second single from Back in Black, released on 31 October 1980. The song also appears on Who Made Who, AC/DC's 1986 soundtrack to the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive and on both versions of 1992's AC/DC Live.

Composition

"Hells Bells" begins with the slow, funeral tolling of a 2,000-pound (900 kg) bronze bell.[2] Manufactured by John Taylor & Co Bellfounders in Loughborough, the sound of the bell was recorded by Tony 'the hat' Platt using Ronnie 'big ron' Lane's mobile studio inside the bell foundry following the completion of the Back in Black tracking sessions at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas.[2]

Reception

"Hells Bells" is widely regarded as one of the band's best songs. In 2020, The Guardian ranked the song number six on their list of the 40 greatest AC/DC songs,[3] and in 2021, Kerrang! ranked the song number seven on their list of the 20 greatest AC/DC songs.[4]

Charts

Year Chart Peak
position
1980 France (IFOP)[5] 16
1981
Australian (Kent Music Report)[6] 7
Germany (GfK)[7] 25
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[8] 50
2012 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 49
France (SNEP)[10] 43
Germany (GfK)[7] 25
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[11] 51
2015 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 61
2022 Hungary (Single Top 40)[13] 32

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)[14] Gold 25,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[15] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 200,000‡
Ringtone
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Gold 20,000*
United States (RIAA)[18] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Use in sports

"Hells Bells" was used as the entrance music for former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Trevor Hoffman at home games from 1998 to 2010.[19][20]

The song is listed on the NHL's website as part of the New Jersey Devils in-arena playlist.[21]

The German football club FC St. Pauli from Hamburg and French rugby club RC Toulonnais from Toulon open all home matches walking out to AC/DC's Hells Bells. The former often with large fan displays and pyrotechnics.[22][23]

During the Bells Beach surf competition in Victoria, Australia, "Hells Bells" is played on the loudspeakers at the beginning of the first heat of each competing day.[24]

When the Oakland Raiders force a third down, they play Hells Bells, with the bell being known as the “Raider Bell.”

References

  1. ^ Ertegün, Ahmet (2001). 'What'd I Say?': The Atlantic Story: 50 Years of Music. Welcome Rain Publisher. p. 546. ISBN 978-1-56649-048-1. Back in Black includes one of their best known songs, 'You Shook Me All Night Long' (#35 Pop), and hard rock classics 'Hells Bells', 'Back in Black' (#37 Pop) and 'Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'.
  2. ^ a b "Classic Tracks: AC/DC 'Back In Black'". Sound on Sound. November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 June 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. ^ Hann, Michael (30 July 2020). "AC/DC – their 40 greatest songs, ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  4. ^ Law, Sam (3 February 2021). "The 20 greatest AC/DC songs – ranked". Kerrang!. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "AC/DC" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 11. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ a b "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  8. ^ "AC/DC Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  9. ^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  10. ^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  11. ^ "AC/DC Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  12. ^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Italian single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 13 July 2022. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Hells Bells" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  15. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 3 June 2022. Type AC/DC in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Hells Bells in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  16. ^ "British single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Canadian ringtone certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". Music Canada.
  18. ^ "American ringtone certifications – AC/DC – Hell's Bells". Recording Industry Association of America.
  19. ^ Capozzi, Joe (11 January 2011). "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 20 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  20. ^ Center, Bill (26 September 2006). "Story of Hells Bells anthem, etc". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 26 September 2006.
  21. ^ "Devils DJ". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  22. ^ "FC St. Pauli – More Than a Football Ckub". Rock'n'Roll Football – St. Pauli USA. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  23. ^ ""Je suis bidon" à la place de "Hells Bells" à Mayol ? Mourad Boudjellal répond". Rugby Addict (in French). 19 February 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  24. ^ Pierson, Dashel (23 May 2018). "Six Things You Might Not Know About Bells Beach". Surfline. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
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