Rock 'n' Roll Damnation
"Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by AC/DC | ||||
from the album Powerage | ||||
B-side | "Cold Hearted Man" (Aus) "Sin City" (UK) "Kicked in the Teeth" (US) | |||
Released | 26 May 1978 (UK) | |||
Recorded | March 1978[1] | |||
Studio | Albert (Sydney) | |||
Genre | Hard rock | |||
Length | 3:37 (album version) 3:05 (single version) | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
AC/DC singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" on YouTube | ||||
"Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" is a single by the Australian rock band AC/DC, and the first track on their Powerage album, released in 1978. The single version is an abbreviated version of the album track, with a time of 3:05, as opposed to the album track's length of 3:37. The album track "Sin City" was the B-side in the UK, Germany, Belgium, and Japan. In the US, Canada, and the Netherlands, it was "Kicked in the Teeth," also from the album. In Australia, however, the B-side was "Cold Hearted Man," which appeared on initial UK and European pressings of the album, and was eventually removed when "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" was added (see below).
Song details
Written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, it was played live by the band during the Powerage tour, and was also played live during the 2003 world tour, sung by Brian Johnson, Scott's replacement since his death in 1980. It also appeared on the 1978 live album If You Want Blood You've Got It. The song also featured on the soundtrack album for Iron Man 2.
"Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" was the final track recorded during the Powerage sessions, after the record company persuaded the band to go back into the studio and come up with a radio-friendly single that could garner some airplay.[1] The move found some success, giving the band its first charting single in the UK where it peaked at #24.[2] The song features handclaps and maracas and does not have a traditional guitar solo, unlike most other AC/DC songs.
Record World said the song "has a monster guitar hook and rocks harder than just about anything around."[3]
On the first pressing of the UK version of Powerage, "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" does not appear; side 1 opens with "Gimme a Bullet". Some later UK and European pressings tacked the single version of "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" on as the opening track of the album. Eventually the full version of the song became the standard.
"Cold Hearted Man," which had appeared on initial UK and European pressings, was removed from the album around the time that "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" was added. However, a 10-track LP including both songs does exist in (at least) the UK (catalog number K 50483 (SD19180), which is identical to the 9-track version), Germany (ATL 50 483), and Portugal (ATL 50483 SD 19180).)[4] These versions contain the single version of "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation" and have a fade out for "Riff Raff" (UK Cassette Versions had the full version of "Riff Raff" up until the 1994 remasters).[5]
Personnel
- Bon Scott – vocals
- Angus Young – lead guitar
- Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Phil Rudd – drums
Charts
Chart (1978) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] | 83 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 21 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] | 18 |
UK Singles (OCC)[8] | 24 |
References
- ^ a b Wall, Mick (2013). AC/DC:Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be. New York: St. Martin's Press.
- ^ Warwick, Kutner & Brown (2004). The Complete Book of the British Charts, Third Edition. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 1-84449-058-0.
- ^ "Record World Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. August 12, 1978. p. 24. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ "AC/DC "Powerage"". Discogs.com. 1978. Retrieved 2014-05-26.
- ^ "AC/DC - Powerage - another question about the different mixes". Forums.stevehoffman.tv.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "AC/DC – Rock 'N' Roll Damnation". ultratop.be.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
External links
- Lyrics
- v
- t
- e
- Angus Young
- Phil Rudd
- Cliff Williams
- Brian Johnson
- Stevie Young
- Matt Laug (touring)
- Chris Chaney (touring)
- Malcolm Young
- Bon Scott
- Chris Slade
- Mark Evans
- Dave Evans
- Larry Van Kriedt
- Colin Burgess
- Rob Bailey
- Peter Clack
- Tony Currenti
- Paul Matters
- Simon Wright
- High Voltage (1975)
- T.N.T. (1975)
- High Voltage (1976)
- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976)
- Let There Be Rock (1977)
- Powerage (1978)
- Highway to Hell (1979)
- Back in Black (1980)
- For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981)
- Flick of the Switch (1983)
- Fly on the Wall (1985)
- Blow Up Your Video (1988)
- The Razors Edge (1990)
- Ballbreaker (1995)
- Stiff Upper Lip (2000)
- Black Ice (2008)
- Rock or Bust (2014)
- Power Up (2020)
- Bonfire (1997)
- Volts (1997)
- Backtracks (2009)
- If You Want Blood You've Got It (1978)
- AC/DC Live (1992)
- Live from the Atlantic Studios (1997)
- Let There Be Rock: The Movie – Live in Paris (1997)
- Live at River Plate (2012)
- '74 Jailbreak (1984)
- Who Made Who (1986)
- Last Action Hero (1993)
- Iron Man 2 (2010)
- "Can I Sit Next to You, Girl"
- "Baby, Please Don't Go"
- "High Voltage"
- "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)"
- "T.N.T."
- "Jailbreak"
- "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
- "Love at First Feel"
- "Dog Eat Dog"
- "Let There Be Rock"
- "Whole Lotta Rosie"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation"
- "Highway to Hell"
- "Girls Got Rhythm"
- "Touch Too Much"
- "Night Prowler"
- "You Shook Me All Night Long"
- "Hells Bells"
- "Back in Black"
- "Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
- "Let's Get It Up"
- "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)"
- "Guns for Hire"
- "Nervous Shakedown"
- "Flick of the Switch"
- "Danger"
- "Shake Your Foundations"
- "Who Made Who"
- "Heatseeker"
- "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll"
- "Thunderstruck"
- "Moneytalks"
- "Are You Ready"
- "Big Gun"
- "Hard as a Rock"
- "Hail Caesar"
- "Cover You in Oil"
- "Stiff Upper Lip"
- "Safe in New York City"
- "Satellite Blues"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Train"
- "Big Jack"
- "Anything Goes"
- "Money Made"
- "Shoot to Thrill"
- "Play Ball"
- "Rock or Bust"
- "Shot in the Dark"
- AC/DC: Let There Be Rock (1980)
- Fly on the Wall (1985)
- Who Made Who (1986)
- AC/DC (1989)
- Clipped (1991)
- Live at Donington (1992)
- For Those About to Rock: Monsters in Moscow (1992)
- No Bull (1996)
- Stiff Upper Lip Live (2001)
- Family Jewels (2005)
- Plug Me In (2007)
- Live at River Plate (2011)
- Highway to Hell Tour (1979–1980)
- Back in Black Tour (1980–1981)
- For Those About to Rock Tour (1981–1982)
- Flick of the Switch Tour (1983–1984)
- Fly on the Wall Tour (1985–1986)
- Who Made Who Tour (1986)
- Blow Up Your Video World Tour (1988)
- Razors Edge World Tour (1990–1991)
- Ballbreaker World Tour (1996)
- Stiff Upper Lip World Tour (2000–2001)
- Club Dates/Rolling Stones Tour (2003)
- Black Ice World Tour (2008–2010)
- Rock or Bust World Tour (2015–2016)
- Power Up Tour (2024–)
- Discography
- Songs
- Awards and nominations
- Members
- ACDC Lane
- Angus Bucks
- Tribute albums
- AC/DC (pinball)
- AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack
- Category
- Commons