"Party gonna happen at the Union Hall… shaking to the rhythm ‘til everybody fall…"
From 1988’s Blow up Your Video LP, "That’s The Way" reached #28 on the US mainstream rock singles chart, but did not crossover to the Billboard Hot 100. It managed a little better "across the pond" by peaking at #22 on the UK singles chart.
A hard rock interpretation of a classic blues and rockabilly blend, "That’s The Way" is a tribute to the formative days of rock and roll, and contains lyrical references to early rock classics "Blue Suede Shoes" (both Carl Perkins, and Elvis, 1956), "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps, 1956), and "What'd I Say" (Ray Charles, 1959).
At one point, Brian Johnson sings the line "Be bop a lula baby what I say", stringing two different song titles together. It took me a little while to recall where I had heard that exact phrase before. I re-listened to the original songs from the 50s, but this line merging the two song titles does not appear in either the Gene Vincent or Ray Charles tunes. Then it occurred to me… that same lyric can be found in Dire Straits’ 1985 smash hit "Walk of Life"! ("Here comes Johnny singing "oldies-goldies"… Be bop a lula baby what I say")
Was AC/DC tossing in a shout out to Mark Knopfler’s group, or is this just a strange coincidence? Either way, it’s really cool.
"Picking up my woman in my Chevrolet… Glory hallelujah gonna rock the night away."
Featuring Brian’s growling vocals, powerful lead and rhythm guitar work by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, bass slappin’ by Cliff Williams, and Simon Wright pounding on the skins, the music video humorously features a guy in a full body cast in the hospital, who many believe is a reference to GNR's Slash. He does have a Les Paul guitar which he eventually wails on, and big hair as Slash does... hmmmm...
It’s also interesting to note that while AC/DC earned no less than TWENTY-NINE (!) US Mainstream Rock hits spanning a quarter of a century from 1980 through 2015, including four that topped that chart, the boys from Australia only managed THREE top 40 singles in the states! The classics "You Shook Me All Night Long" (#35/’80), "Back in Black" (#37/’81), and "Money Talks" (#23/’90) are those three, though they nearly had a total of five top 40 hits, with "Highway to Hell" (#47/’79), and "Let's Get it Up" (#44/’82) knocking on the door to the top 40.
"We’re gonna roll roll roll… We’re gonna roll roll roll… We’re gonna take this town, turn it around, We’re gonna roll roll roll…"
When I was a kid, I mainly listened to current top 40, occasional country, and my parents’ "oldies" (50s and 60s pop and soul), so I was never part of the headbangers crowd. In fact, my Mom essentially raised me that anything with hard rock or heavy metal stylings had no merit and was only listened to by people that I had no business associating with. So, whenever I would see anything Metallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, or even AC/DC (albums, cassettes, t-shirts, posters, band logos scribbled on textbooks by classmates…) I felt it was the worst thing ever. Ya know, because that type of music was associated with people who do drugs and use profanity and get in trouble in school and all that stuff.
It wasn’t until my later teenage years that I started to go back and listen to these bands and appreciate them for what they are… powerful, unapologetic rock and roll that has, at its core, much of the same rhythms and structure found in early rock and blues. And then, I became a fan. Just don’t tell Mom.
"I’m gonna blow up my video… shut down my radio…"
Sadly, this legendary Australian act was dealt two crushing blows in the latter half of last year, as long time AC/DC producer George Young (older brother to Angus and Malcom), passed in October, and then Malcolm himself left us in November.
George produced the Blow up Your Video LP alongside co-producer Harry Vanda, in addition to the band’s classic ‘70’s albums "If You Want Blood You've Got It", "High Voltage", "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", "Let There Be Rock", and "Powerage".
Malcolm, of course, was a co-founder of the group, who retired from the band in 2014 due to dementia. He has since been replaced by his nephew Stevie Young. 2008’s "Black Ice" is his final album with the band. Malcolm is regularly lauded as one of the greatest and most influential rock guitarists ever and his legacy will continue to be felt all across the rock universe.
So to honor George and Malcolm, you totally need to check out this classic cut from "The Thunder from Down Under"… those boys from Sydney… AC/DC! And be sure to tune in at the beginning of next month for our annual "April Fools" selection, to find a song with a humorous slant from radio’s past. Kyle’s Radio Dial… the more you listen… the MORE you remember!
"Told boss man where to go… Turned off my brain control. That’s the way I want my rock and roll".
🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
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