I always loved his singing, his lyrics and his stage presence.
When I discovered AC/DC at the age of 11 he died soon after.
That was unreal. But in retrospect I think the band made a good
choice with Brian. I lost the band mid 80s and re-discovered them
in 2000.

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GasLightStreet

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keefriffhard4life
people are really stretching. if you go look at the lyrics for albums after BiB that credit Johnson as a writer you will find many similarities between those albums and BiB. the lyrics for the album BiB are not at all in the style bon wrote in. my guess is mutt lange uncredited did a lot to help with the lyrics. that's what people seem to forget is that a professional songwriter also produced BiB

The Youngs had a hand in lyric writing. BIB and onward certainly has that more than anything prior. There's nothing to really stretch when Bon Scott's family gets royalties from BIB - that pretty much gives a nod to they used some of his lyrics.

ive never head that and why not credit the guy if he wrote some of the lyrics? people want to say that because its better than the other johnson era albums, at least lyrically. sorry but someone compared lyrics before after after BiB and there are few thins in common with bon scott lyrics

Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long I'm glad to be back. Yes, I'm
Let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I keep lookin' at the sky
Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse cause I'll never die
I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Abusin' every one of them and running wild

Those lines and others through the song Back in Black seem “Scott” like to me.

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keefriffhard4life

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GasLightStreet

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keefriffhard4life
people are really stretching. if you go look at the lyrics for albums after BiB that credit Johnson as a writer you will find many similarities between those albums and BiB. the lyrics for the album BiB are not at all in the style bon wrote in. my guess is mutt lange uncredited did a lot to help with the lyrics. that's what people seem to forget is that a professional songwriter also produced BiB

The Youngs had a hand in lyric writing. BIB and onward certainly has that more than anything prior. There's nothing to really stretch when Bon Scott's family gets royalties from BIB - that pretty much gives a nod to they used some of his lyrics.

ive never head that and why not credit the guy if he wrote some of the lyrics? people want to say that because its better than the other johnson era albums, at least lyrically. sorry but someone compared lyrics before after after BiB and there are few thins in common with bon scott lyrics

Is it legally possible to not give Bon songwriting credits, BUT also to sign an undisclosed deal with his family to compensate them with royalties? Seems like it would run afoul of ASCAP rules.

I remember watching MTV Behind the Music about AC/DC. Malcolm said that they had started writing the music for the follow up to Highway to Hell but told Bon they weren't ready yet for him to come in for the lyrics, and then he passed away.
In early 81, Atlantic released Dirty Deeds in North America which then sold a lot. Angus said one of the reasons was because they didn't make much money when Bon was alive so it would help his family out.
I personally don't think any of Bon's lyrics made it to the album. It's not as though anyone knew that the album would go on to be one of the biggest sellers of all time so if they did use any of his lyrics, I'm sure they would have credited him. The song and album were a tribute to Bon

For some reason, Rock, I find this woman, and the photo in general, incredibly sexy.

...it's the twist of her leg …….her left leg



ROCKMAN

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Paddy
Back in black
I hit the sack
I've been too long I'm glad to be back. Yes, I'm
Let loose
From the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I keep lookin' at the sky
Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse cause I'll never die
I got nine lives
Cat's eyes
Abusin' every one of them and running wild

Those lines and others through the song Back in Black seem “Scott” like to me.

so bon scott wrote a song about his own death or what?

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keefriff99

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keefriffhard4life

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GasLightStreet

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keefriffhard4life
people are really stretching. if you go look at the lyrics for albums after BiB that credit Johnson as a writer you will find many similarities between those albums and BiB. the lyrics for the album BiB are not at all in the style bon wrote in. my guess is mutt lange uncredited did a lot to help with the lyrics. that's what people seem to forget is that a professional songwriter also produced BiB

The Youngs had a hand in lyric writing. BIB and onward certainly has that more than anything prior. There's nothing to really stretch when Bon Scott's family gets royalties from BIB - that pretty much gives a nod to they used some of his lyrics.

ive never head that and why not credit the guy if he wrote some of the lyrics? people want to say that because its better than the other johnson era albums, at least lyrically. sorry but someone compared lyrics before after after BiB and there are few thins in common with bon scott lyrics

Is it legally possible to not give Bon songwriting credits, BUT also to sign an undisclosed deal with his family to compensate them with royalties? Seems like it would run afoul of ASCAP rules.

It's up to however they want it divvied out.

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Rockman
For some reason, Rock, I find this woman, and the photo in general, incredibly sexy.

...it's the twist of her leg …….her left leg

It's the whole thing, really. The twist of the leg, the smile on her face, the way she has one finger on Bon's chin, the way she is holding that bottle, and the short shorts.

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VoodooLounge13
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It's the whole thing, really. The twist of the leg, the smile on her face, the way she has one finger on Bon's chin, the way she is holding that bottle, and the short shorts.

C'mon guys don't tell me you like skanks! Mick and Keef would be ashamed of you!

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Elmo Lewis
I'm pretty sure Bon could have and would have written something like "Giving The Dog A Bone".

Yeah, but there's a lack of cleverness to Given the Dog a Bone.

Compare those lyrics to Go Down...both are crass songs about blowjobs, but Go Down has Bon's impish sense of humor (and even a little sweetness), while Given the Dog a Bone is all macho posturing.

Both are awesome songs by the way...GTDAB has a hypnotic, ferocious riff. I'm just saying Bon would have written it differently.

Bon must have had a decent amount to do with the early writing on pre-Back In Black stuff because, like you say, the lyric writing is just SO much more clever. And I love Brian, Back In Black is a flat out phenomenal record and I listen to it all the time. But the lyric writing is totally different and the only difference on that record is Bon is no longer there. I'm not sure who is responsible for the new direction: Brian entering or if it was simply the brothers were writing the songs now with no Bon input (not sure if you guys have settled that earlier on). I've always heard Angus and Malcolm wrote all the songs and lyrics, and that in the early days Bon was part of that process. Not sure of Brian's involvement once Bon died.

But yeah, like you say, the Bon stuff has an unmistakable him quality to them that the songs never had once he unfortunately passed. Its just too much to be coincidental I'd have to think. Also hard to tell whether its coincidence that the band never really put out another GREAT album after Back In Black. Bon was really the key to a lot of the greatness to that band.

Brian tells a story about being inspired to write Hells Bells in the Bahamas based on a storm rolling in. I think Mutt Lange said that the storm was "coming on like a hurricane", and Brian cranked the lyrics that afternoon.

A lot of artists only have a finite amount of inspiration...maybe Brian peaked lyric-wise on BiB and couldn't really follow up effectively.

But I don't think Brian is a bad writer, even on their later '80s albums...very basic, but not bad. I don't the lyrics truly took a nosedive until Angus and Malcolm took over starting with The Razor's Edge...as I said, they make Brian look like peak Bob Dylan.

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keefriff99
Brian tells a story about being inspired to write Hells Bells in the Bahamas based on a storm rolling in. I think Mutt Lange said that the storm was "coming on like a hurricane", and Brian cranked the lyrics that afternoon.

A lot of artists only have a finite amount of inspiration...maybe Brian peaked lyric-wise on BiB and couldn't really follow up effectively.

But I don't think Brian is a bad writer, even on their later '80s albums...very basic, but not bad. I don't the lyrics truly took a nosedive until Angus and Malcolm took over starting with The Razor's Edge...as I said, they make Brian look like peak Bob Dylan.

well the razors edge album was fine. it was after that it went kaboom

In one of their books it is Angus who writes Heels Bells while on his honeymoon. Angus compares the hurricane to "something else" I won't mention to follow the site rules. In the same book it mentions Brian wrote a lot of lyrics for YSMANL. But Brian was hesitant to give too many ideas. He didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Angus and Malcolm likes his suggestions and encouraged him to speak his mind with lyrics.

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TumblinDice76
In one of their books it is Angus who writes Heels Bells while on his honeymoon. Angus compares the hurricane to "something else" I won't mention to follow the site rules. In the same book it mentions Brian wrote a lot of lyrics for YSMANL. But Brian was hesitant to give too many ideas. He didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Angus and Malcolm likes his suggestions and encouraged him to speak his mind with lyrics.

Well this is Brian's account:

Brian on the inspiration for Hell's Bells

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keefriffhard4life

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keefriff99
Brian tells a story about being inspired to write Hells Bells in the Bahamas based on a storm rolling in. I think Mutt Lange said that the storm was "coming on like a hurricane", and Brian cranked the lyrics that afternoon.

A lot of artists only have a finite amount of inspiration...maybe Brian peaked lyric-wise on BiB and couldn't really follow up effectively.

But I don't think Brian is a bad writer, even on their later '80s albums...very basic, but not bad. I don't the lyrics truly took a nosedive until Angus and Malcolm took over starting with The Razor's Edge...as I said, they make Brian look like peak Bob Dylan.

well the razors edge album was fine. it was after that it went kaboom

That album really leaves me cold. The production is too polished and Chris Slade's drumming is way too stiff.

All the good songs off that album sound much better on AC/DC Live, and the rest are forgettable. Honestly, I've probably listened to even Fly on the Wall and Blow Up Your Video more than The Razor's Edge over the years.

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dcba

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VoodooLounge13
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It's the whole thing, really. The twist of the leg, the smile on her face, the way she has one finger on Bon's chin, the way she is holding that bottle, and the short shorts.

C'mon guys don't tell me you like skanks! Mick and Keef would be ashamed of you!

Nuthin' wrong with her for a short while. Besides, most of Mick's taste is questionable at best.

Keef-I'm with you on The Razor's Edge. And I am one of the strange people taht actually enjoys Fly on the Wall. Is it great no, but Back in Business and Playing with Girls are solid AC/DC IMHO. Plus I remember loving the video for Danger on MTV in the Summer of '85. Something about AC/DC playing a seedy pool hall just worked for me.

The "short film" AC/DC made for that Fly On The Wall album is hysterical. The 80s were a wild time. 5 music videos in one short film. Its fun though and personally my friends and I love it. The singles off that album were great: Sink The Pink and Shake Your Foundations. And the title track is a great song. Their last GREAT album was Back In Black IMO, but the last album I really thought had the old time AC/DC feel was Fly On The Wall. I liked scattered singles after that, but overall it became very cookie cutter which, contrary to the cliche, AC/DC never really were pre-1986, I'd argue.

fly on the wall and blow up your video the issue is the vocals sound buried in the mix badly

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keefriffhard4life
fly on the wall and blow up your video the issue is the vocals sound buried in the mix badly

Definitely. Those albums get a bad rap, but the biggest problem is the production, especially FOTW.

Simon Wright got way closer to replicating Phil Rudd's groove than Chris Slade. Slade is a great technical drummer, no doubt, but he was over-qualified for the AC/DC gig, although he was a machine on The Razor's Edge tour.

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TumblinDice76
Keef-I'm with you on The Razor's Edge. And I am one of the strange people taht actually enjoys Fly on the Wall. Is it great no, but Back in Business and Playing with Girls are solid AC/DC IMHO. Plus I remember loving the video for Danger on MTV in the Summer of '85. Something about AC/DC playing a seedy pool hall just worked for me.

Fly On the Wall is actually one of my very favorite AC/DC albums! Love that one. Flick of the Switch is their worst, IMO.

Agree, I understand what they were trying to do with FOTS but there isn't one song you can't do without on that album.

Ah, now see, Flick of the Switch is probably my favorite Brian-era album after BiB.

Just off the top of my head, I'd probably rank the Brian-era albums something like:

Back in Black
Flick of the Switch
Black Ice
Stiff Upper Lip
Blow Up Your Video
Ballbreaker
Fly on the Wall
Rock Or Bust
For Those About To Rock
The Razor's Edge

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keefriff99
Ah, now see, Flick of the Switch is probably my favorite Brian-era album after BiB.

Agree.

Also the last AC/DC album I bought ...

C

Back in Black
For Those About to Rock
Fly on the Wall
Stiff Upper Lip
The Razor's Edge
Black Ice
Blow up Your Video
Rock or Bust
Ballbreaker
Flick of the Switch

The Razor's Edge
Fly on the Wall
For Those About to Rock
Who Made Who
Back in Black
Stiff Upper Lip
Ballbreaker
Rock or Bust
Black Ice
Blow Up Your Video
Flick of the Switch


Partial to The Razor's Edge because that was the first album that came out after I'd really gotten into music and them. And Thunderstruck, to this day, is still my 2nd favorite of theirs, and my favorite Rocker. Ride On is my all-time favorite song.

And Just for fun I'll do the Bon era:

Highway to Hell
High Voltage
Let There Be Rock
Dirty Deeds
Powerage

All winners!

Powerage
Dirty Deeds
High Voltage
Let There Be Rock
Highway to Hell