Hells Bells (song)

"Hells Bells"
"Hells Bells"
Song
B-side	"What Do You Do for Money Honey"

"Hells Bells" is the first track of Australian hard rock band AC/DC's first album without Bon Scott, Back in Black. The song represents the first song on Brian Johnson's debut album for the band. "Hells Bells" is the second single from Back in Black, released in the fall of 1980. 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.

Composition

The song begins with the slow tolling of a bell, followed by an intro played by Angus Young, with Malcolm Young then joining to create the classic Back in Black double-guitar sound, followed by Phil Rudd on drums and Cliff Williams on bass, creating a wall of sound.

The bell used in the song was a 2000-pound cast bronze bell made by John Taylor Bellfounders in Loughborough, and is a replica of the Denison Bell. The AC/DC logo and "Hells Bell" are engraved on the bell. The band first attempted to record the Denison Bell at the Carillon Tower and War Museum in Leicestershire, England for the song, but this proved insufficient due to the disruption of pigeons nesting in the bell tower.^[3]

In 2010, the band Gregorian covered "Hells Bells" and it is included in their album Dark Side of the Chant.

Personnel

Brian Johnson – lead vocals
Angus Young – lead guitar
Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
Phil Rudd – drums

Chart positions

Chart (1980)	Peak position
France (IFOP)^[4]	16

Chart (1981)	Peak position
Invalid chart entered Germany2	25
US Billboard Top Tracks^[5]	50

Chart (2012)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[6]	43
France (SNEP)^[7]	43
US Billboard Hot Digital Songs^[5]	51

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.^[8] 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.^[9] San Jose Mercury News and ESPN.com wrote that the song should be honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.^[10] At Hoffman's number retirement ceremony, Brian Johnson paid tribute in a video to Hoffman for "rocking the mound".^[11]

The song was heard in a 2014 TV commercial for Terminix.

References

^ "AC/DC- Hells Bells (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
^ Floman, Scott. "AC/DC > Back In Black (Atlantic '80)". Retrieved 5 June 2014.
^ "Issue No. 13". Carillon Chimes. Leicestershire, England. November 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "AC/DC" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Back in Black – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
^
- 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 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 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. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
- Center, Bill (26 September 2006). "Story of Hells Bells anthem, etc". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 26 September 2006.
^
- Engber, Daniel (14 April 2006). "Hear My Song, Fear My Fastball". Slate. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 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. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
- Tarantino, Anthony (19 April 2004). "For whom the bell tolls". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Since using the idea, the Padres have become a forerunner in the closer-theme explosion. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^
- Daly, Kaitee (28 July 2010). "John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' sparks a list". ESPN.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
- Peterson, Gary (19 March 2011). "Peterson: Baseball Hall of Fame should honor AC/DC". San Jose Mercury News. p. C-2. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^
- Hayes, Dan (21 August 2011). "PADRES NOTES: Hoffman ceremony filled with surprises". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
- Sullivan, Tim (21 August 2011). "Grand gesture is prime Trevor Time for good reason". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[1] "AC/DC- Hells Bells (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2014.

[2] Floman, Scott. "AC/DC > Back In Black (Atlantic '80)". Retrieved 5 June 2014.

[3] "Issue No. 13". Carillon Chimes. Leicestershire, England. November 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2015.

[4] "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "AC/DC" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 6 June 2014.

[awards-5] "Back in Black – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 5 June 2014.

[sc_Austria_AC/DC-6] "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.

[sc_France_AC/DC-7] "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 June 2014.

[8] 
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 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 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. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Center, Bill (26 September 2006). "Story of Hells Bells anthem, etc". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 26 September 2006.

[9] 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 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 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. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[10] Center, Bill (26 September 2006). "Story of Hells Bells anthem, etc". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 26 September 2006.

[9] 
Engber, Daniel (14 April 2006). "Hear My Song, Fear My Fastball". Slate. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 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. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Tarantino, Anthony (19 April 2004). "For whom the bell tolls". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Since using the idea, the Padres have become a forerunner in the closer-theme explosion. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[12] Engber, Daniel (14 April 2006). "Hear My Song, Fear My Fastball". Slate. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 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. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[13] Tarantino, Anthony (19 April 2004). "For whom the bell tolls". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Since using the idea, the Padres have become a forerunner in the closer-theme explosion. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[10] 
Daly, Kaitee (28 July 2010). "John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' sparks a list". ESPN.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Peterson, Gary (19 March 2011). "Peterson: Baseball Hall of Fame should honor AC/DC". San Jose Mercury News. p. C-2. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[15] Daly, Kaitee (28 July 2010). "John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' sparks a list". ESPN.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[16] Peterson, Gary (19 March 2011). "Peterson: Baseball Hall of Fame should honor AC/DC". San Jose Mercury News. p. C-2. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[11] 
Hayes, Dan (21 August 2011). "PADRES NOTES: Hoffman ceremony filled with surprises". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Sullivan, Tim (21 August 2011). "Grand gesture is prime Trevor Time for good reason". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[18] Hayes, Dan (21 August 2011). "PADRES NOTES: Hoffman ceremony filled with surprises". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[19] Sullivan, Tim (21 August 2011). "Grand gesture is prime Trevor Time for good reason". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

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