Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCXLV--AC/DC: You Shook Me All Night Long

As I've noted a time or two here on Friday Night Jukebox, rock and roll for me never ceases to come up with new surprises that delight me.  I'd always liked this week's tune, but wasn't all that familiar with the album from whence it came (mostly because I'm not exactly Mr. Heavy Metal--this week's feature is about as hard rocking as I get).  A few years back I picked up a copy of Back in Black because my younger son adores the title track and I figured I could add it to his playlist.  On a whim, I put it in the CD player in my car for a listen or two as I drove to work...and spent the next two months head banging away.  As a good friend of mine used to say, "Ah, but you never know...."

As with now numerous other bands whose tunes have graced these blog posts for the last few years, AC/DC has a long and storied history that's difficult to summarize in a paragraph...but here goes, anyway.  The band was originally formed in 1973 in Sydney, Australia (not Nebraska) by the brothers Malcolm and Angus Young.  They put out several albums without much success outside of their native Australia and Europe until 1979 when their album Highway to Hell became a hit.  Sadly, shortly thereafter lead singer Bon Scott died of acute alcohol poisoning.  The band considered calling it a career, but stuck it out when Scott's parents told them he would have wanted them to continue.  They hired Brian Johnson to be their lead singer, released Back in Black the next year, and the rest, as they say, is history.  AC/DC has released 17 studio albums (two of which have hit number one on the Billboard 200, with five others going top five), four live albums, and overall have sold over 200 million records worldwide, making them the 14th best selling artist of all-time.  Unfortunately, Malcolm Young had to retire in 2014 due to early onset dementia, and died in 2017.  Brian Johnson suffered from severe hearing loss and had to take some time off (Guns 'n Roses' Axl Rose was the band's lead singer for a time), but the band continues to tour and rumor has it that another studio album will make the rounds eventually.

Fun Fact:  In their native Australia--and only in their native Australia--the band is often referred to as "Acca Dacca."  Why the hell that is I have no fucking clue, but it is kind of interesting (or not...).

"You Shook Me All Night Long" was the first single released from AC/DC's seminal work, Back in Black.  It would eventually reach #35 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.  The album would sell just a wee bit better, reaching #4 on the album chart and to date has sold over fifty million copies, making it the third best selling album of all-time.

One of the traits I've discovered over the last few years while listening to AC/DC more than I ever have before, is what great pop sensibilities they have for a hard rocking band (for the record, AC/DC refuses to label themselves, saying they just play rock and roll--which I find oddly refreshing in a business where labels have increasingly become the norm).  "You Shook Me All Night Long" most assuredly showcases those sensibilities.  Ostensibly a somewhat humorous story of a man who has joyously found himself a good loving woman, from the guitars to the drums the song not only allows you to play an unabashed air guitar, but lets you shake a tail feather as you're doing it.  Brian Johnson may never get to sing in an opera, but he is one of those vocalists who voice was made for rock and roll--and he uses it to good effect on "You Shook Me All Night Long," capturing not only the protagonists ecstasy but also his wonder at the ray of sunshine the Gods of Good Loving have sent his way.  I'd be the last person I'd want to sing the praises of a hard rock song...but that in itself may be reason enough to understand why "You Shook Me All Night Long" has entered the hallowed (or not) halls of Friday Night Jukebox.

Lyric Sheet:  "She had the sightless eyes telling me no lies/Knocking me out with those American thighs..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,

emaycee