Highway to Hell (song)

"Highway to Hell"
Song
B-side	"If You Want Blood (You've Got It)"

"Highway to Hell"
Song
B-side	"Hells Bells (live)"

"Highway to Hell" is the opening track of AC/DC's 1979 album Highway to Hell and the twelfth track on AC/DC Live. It was initially released as a single in 1979.

The song was written by Bon Scott, Angus Young and Malcolm Young while the main guitar riff was created by Angus Young. AC/DC had made several studio albums before and were constantly promoting them via a grueling tour schedule. In 2009, "Highway to Hell", won the 'Most Played Australian Work Overseas' category at the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Awards.

Background

The song and album's title supposedly came after a reporter asked band members if they could describe what life was like being constantly on tour. Angus replied that it was "a fucking highway to hell". 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. However, rumours circulated that the band members were Satanists and the cover of the album named after the song, depicting Angus with devil horns and tail, added fuel to the fire. The band has denied having anything to do with Satanism, with Malcolm Young commenting: "my mum would kill me for that!"

The single spent 45 weeks on the German Singles Chart, even though it peaked at only No. 30, in its 19th week on that chart.

Scott was found dead, in the back of a friend's car, just over six months after the song was released.

The album named after it became the first million-selling album for AC/DC, reaching No. 17 on the charts. The success of the song and album cemented the career of AC/DC, which — with new lead singer Brian Johnson — recorded a tribute to Bon Scott, the album Back In Black, a year later.

Johnson has speculated at least twice about the origins of the lyrics. In October 2009, Johnson told British newspaper Metro: "it was written about being on the bus on Mt. Hood Highway in Oregon, USA. When the Sun's setting in the west and you're driving across it, it is like a fire ball. There is nothing to do, except have a quick one off the wrist or a game of cards, so that's where Bon came up with the lyrics." In a 2010 interview in The Sydney Morning Herald on the day of AC/DC's first Black Ice concert in Sydney, Johnson stated that the lyrics were about the 2,000 miles drive from cities like Sydney and Melbourne to Scott's home town of Perth.

According to legend from Bon Scott however, the meaning is similar, yet slightly different from these other theories. Scott used to frequent a bar called the Raffles Hotel in Perth, a very 'Rock n Roll' pub. He frequently would race down the Canning Highway, a road with many twists and turns that was notorious for numerous road deaths. Scott saw himself as 'living easy, living free' when he was at Raffles.

Live recordings

"Highway to Hell" has been included on two official live albums:

• Live: This was also released as a single. A video for the single was also released, containing a montage of footage from the Live at Donington home video.
• Let There Be Rock: The Movie

List of accolades

• Ranked No. 254 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
• Ranked No. 152 on the 500 Greatest Classic Rock Songs compiled by 94.5 XKR.
• Ranked No. 23 on The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time, a book by Martin Popoff.
• The song "Highway to Hell" is part of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.
• The master ringtone was certified Gold by the RIAA in June 2007 for sales in excess of 500,000.

Chart performance

Chart	Peak position
German Singles Chart	30
US Billboard Hot 100	47

Track listing

UK

Released 1992 by ATCO

1. "Bonny"/"Highway to Hell (Live)"
2. "Hells Bells (Live)"
3. "The Jack (Live)"

Germany and France

Released 1992 by ATCO

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

Australia

Released 1992 by Albert Productions / Epic Records

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

US and Canada

Released 1992 by ATCO

1. "Highway to Hell (Live)"
2. "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be (Live)"
3. "The Jack (Live)"
4. "High Voltage (Live)"
5. "Back in Black (Live)"

Personnel

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

Use in popular culture

• The song is featured in the 2011 TV Show How I Met Your Mother; Season 7 Episode 12 Symphony of Illumination.
• The song is featured in the 2011 TV Show Family Guy; Season 10 Episode 7 Amish Guy.
• The song is featured in the 2010 20th Century Fox film Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.
• The song is featured in the 2010 Paramount Pictures film Iron Man 2.
• The song is featured in the 2010 Paramount Pictures film Megamind, along with its trailers.
• The song is featured in the 2008 TV Show Top Gear; season 12 episode 1.
• The song is featured in the 2007 TV Show House; Season 3 Episode 21 Family.
• The song is featured in the 2005–present TV show Supernatural.
• The song is featured in the 2003 New Line Cinema film Final Destination 2.
• The song is featured in the 2000 New Line Cinema film Little Nicky.
• The song is featured in the 1999 TV Show The Simpsons; Season 10 Episode 18 Simpsons Bible Stories.
• The song is featured in the 1998 WWE pay per view SummerSlam.

See also

• Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell
• Quiet Riot covered the song on their 1999 studio release, Alive & Well.