High Voltage

Album: High Voltage (1975)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • An early AC/DC track, this one plays off their band name, keeping with the electricity theme as Bon Scott sings about their "high voltage rock and roll." The band would produce many more songs about rock and roll over the next four decades, and these tracks were often the showstoppers at their concerts.
  • AC/DC's first album, released in 1975 only in Australia, was called High Voltage, but this song wasn't part of it. "High Voltage" the song was released as a standalone single, reaching #6 in Australia and goosing sales of the album.

    Another Australia-only album (T.N.T.) followed later that year, and in 1976 tracks from these first two albums were compiled, along with this song, for another album called High Voltage that was given international release and set the stage for the band's rise to stardom. The "High Voltage" single was also released internationally in 1976, and a video was made to promote the song.
  • This was the first AC/DC song on which drummer Phil Rudd played.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

U2

U2Fact or Fiction

How did The Edge get his name? Did they name a song after a Tolkien book? And who is "Angel of Harlem" about?

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

The Punk Photography of Chris Stein

The Punk Photography of Chris SteinSong Writing

Chris Stein of Blondie shares photos and stories from his book about the New York City punk scene.