When I started writing about my all time top favorite songs from rock and roll bands from the past, I found that writing about the songs is much easier than selecting only ten of my favorites.
In the case of Led Zeppelin, I found it easy, because I knew which songs I liked and which songs were played a lot on the radio. I just chose ten that I personally liked that I didn't feel had received as much credit or air time as other more popular Led Zeppelin songs. When I wrote about Van Halen, I just gave up and narrowed it down to twelve songs.
AC/DC was no exception. I tried desperately to keep to my limit or goal of narrowing it down to ten songs. Unfortunately, I had to go as far as ignoring entire albums, to get it done.
What is happening is I am choosing songs from various rock bands and coming up with ten of my personal favorites songs. I have found that I am creating "My Personal Greatest Hits" collections. It is just not possible to narrow these great rock and roll bands from the past into just ten songs. Put simply, I think these ten songs typify the band AC/DC.
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is AC/DC's 3rd album, which is where I start my list of favorite AC/DC songs. I know that die hard AC/DC fans are going to be upset that I started a list of favorite AC/DC's songs that entirely skips their first two albums- High Voltage and T.N.T. Admittedly some of the songs on those albums are great and is some of Bon Scott's best work. All that I can say to those fans is maybe you should - ride on, keep on riding on and on and on cause I'm gonna have myself a good time.
1. AC/DC's - Ride On
The song "Ride On" is from their Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap album that was released in 1976. Jailbreak and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap were very popular songs from that album, but for me there was always something special about the song: Ride On. By this time AC/DC was becoming polished and refined, in my opinion. Their style was becoming more and more sophisticated. They were proving that they were here to stay. Ride On is a smooth, slow, laid back bluesy rock song. I think Ride On really shows the talents of both Bon Scott, (the bands original singer) and Angus Young's great rock guitar expertise. The song is slow enough and for lack of a better word, calm enough, to really hear Bon Scott's incomparable voice. No one sang like Bon Scott. The song, Ride On is also slow enough that you can really hear and appreciate the excellent leads being generated by Angus Young.
2.AC/DC's - Whole Lotta Rosie
Whole Lotta Rosie is from their album, Let There Be Rock, which was released in 1977. Back in those days you might hear the song called Dog Eat Dog, from the same album. But it would be the song Whole Lotta Rosie that I just had to include in my list. Whole Lotta Rosie is supposedly based on a true story about Bon Scott having an interlude with a woman of some conspicuousness. Apparently Mr. Scott was impressed with her, to say the least. At concerts or videos of live concerts, sometimes you will see a large inflatable Rosie during the concert. The song starts and finishes hard and fast. Phil Rudd on drums and rhythm guitar playing by Malcolm Young set the scene for this driving rock song. As Bon Scott tells his story of "rock and roll true love", Phil Rudd and Malcolm Young drive the song home, all accentuated by sharp, sometimes on fire riffs, throughout by Angus.
3.AC/DC's - Walk All Over You
From their Highway to Hell album, released in 1979, comes Walk All Over You. While everyone listened to Highway To Hell, Girls Got Rhythm (great song BTW) or Touch Too Much, I kept coming back to Walk All Over You and my next choice Night Prowler. I love the changes in Walk All Over You. I like the backup vocals and how they remind me of older rock groups and older AC/DC songs. Highway to Hell will sadly be Bon Scott's last album, but still be some of his best vocals in my opinion and Walk All Over You and Night Prowler is Bon Scott at his best.
4. AC/DC's - Night Prowler
Also from their Highway to Hell album, released in 1979, comes Night Prowler. Night Prowler is one of the most reserved hard rock songs that I know of. AC/DC were masters at taking three or four basic cords and making them the best hard rock songs you will ever hear. Bon Scott's singing in Night Prowler doesn't hardly get any better than that. Night Prowler is the type of song that is great to have playing in your car, cranked up. It's bluesy, it's hard rock. I don't think its possible that this song could ever be turned up too loud. That's just me, I guess, talking. I got it maxed on my headphones as we speak. True story!
5. AC/DC's - Shoot to Thrill
Shoot to Thrill is from AC/DC's Back in Black album that was released in 1980. Brian Johnson is now the lead singer because of the death of Bon Scott. There are undoubtedly some great songs on Back In Black, such as Hells Bells, Back In Black, Have A Drink On Me, and really all of the others. I chose Shoot to Thrill. In Shoot to Thrill, Malcolm and Angus crank it up, and they seem pissed. Shoot to Thrill is another AC/DC song that needs to be shoved into your cars stereo and turned up to deafening levels to fully appreciate. Serious levels.
6.AC/DC's - Inject the Venom
I chose three songs from AC/DC's album titled: For Those About to Rock We Salute You, which was released in 1981. Inject the Venom, Snowballed and Evil Walks. I was lucky to have seen this particular tour in concert. They had a real cannon. Or at least it seemed real. It was one of the loudest concerts I had ever seen. Inject the Venom is a very upbeat and catchy sounding song to me. I love the beat.
7. AC/DC's - Snowballed
Snowballed is also from their album: For Those About to Rock We Salute You. I love the amp sound Malcolm and Angus are getting in these particular songs. Snowballed has some of the best changes too. By changes I mean they will be playing a certain rhythm, then change gears so to speak. By this time Brian Johnson, the singer that has replaced Bon Scott is sounding like he has been singing for AC/DC since the beginning by belting out these great hard rock songs.
8. AC/DC's - Evil Walks
Evil Walks is from AC/DC's album: For Those About to Rock We Salute You, as well. I like the way Brian Johnson is really fitting like a glove in this song. Who would have ever thought that Bon Scott could ever be replaced? Brian Johnson proves that it is possible, in Evil Walks. Evil Walks is low down, bluesy, with some really great chording.
9. AC/DC's - Nervous Shakedown
From the Flick of the Switch album released in 1983 comes Nervous Shakedown. I absolutely love this down and dirty, hard rock song. Yet another AC/DC song that deserves to be turned up to levels that most parents, neighbors, or ear specialist would not recommend. Nervous Shakedown is the definition of hard rock in my opinion.
10. AC/DC's - Danger
The song "Danger" comes from their album titled: Fly on the Wall, which was released in 1985. I love the amp sounds they are getting, I love the chording and all the breaks or changes in Danger. For me it has a simple but catchy melody created by rhythm guitar. All of AC/DC songs have a crunchy amp sound, which I like, but some of their songs really bring that sound out. Both Angus and Malcolm are said to use Marshall amplifiers, with Angus using his Gibson SG. When I listen to AC/DC I generally hear that combination of Gibson SG and Marshall amplifiers crunching out hard rock songs that AC/DC has done best.
