Mistress For Christmas

Album: The Razors Edge (1990)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Long before Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States, he was a prominent business magnate who was famous for being rich. In the early '90s, he made tabloid headlines for his affair with model Marla Maples, his soon-to-be second wife, and caught the attention of AC/DC, who were readying their comeback album, The Razors Edge. The Australian rockers imagined what a wealthy Lothario's Christmas list would look like and came up with "Mistress For Christmas." In the tongue-in-cheek holiday tune, lead singer Brian Johnson anticipates a yuletide season full of carefree sexual exploits of the extramarital variety, including a threesome.

    Angus Young, who co-wrote the bluesy number with his bandmate brother Malcolm Young, called it the funniest song on the album.

    "That song's about Donald Trump," the guitarist confirmed in a 1991 Guitar World interview. "He was big news at the time, so we thought we'd have a bit of fun and humor with it."
  • AC/DC often weathered criticism for sexist lyrics that objectify women, but the band maintains that they're just a bunch of pranksters whose words aren't meant to be taken seriously - especially on "Mistress For Christmas," which, if anything, is a comical jab at an actual misogynist.

    "I'd like three in a bed, I can tell you!" Angus Young joked in a 1990 interview with Auckland Star. "That's no moral issue! Nah, we're not there to preach people morals, or dictate how someone wants to live. For us, a song like that is good fun and meant to be taken that way. I've never worried about being called sexist. They'll think that anyhow. A lot of people read other meanings into our songs, like the sheriff of one county in Los Angeles who said 'this band was directly involved in a murder' because some guy on a radio station had said our lyrics inspired some maniac to go out and carve up people."
  • Despite being big rock stars, AC/DC have no love for rich folks who flaunt their wealth, and they aren't afraid to sing about it. Songs like this one and "Moneytalks," both from The Razors Edge, skewer ostentatious one-percenters.
  • The Razors Edge, featuring the hit single "Thunderstruck," helped AC/DC bounce back after a commercial decline. They recorded the album in Vancouver, Canada, with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who previously helmed Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet and Aerosmith's Permanent Vacation. The band embarked on a world tour to promote the release, which spawned the acclaimed 1992 album AC/DC Live.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Brandi Carlile

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.

Who Wrote That Song?

Who Wrote That Song?Music Quiz

Do you know who wrote Patti Smith's biggest hit? How about the Grease theme song? See if you can match the song to the writer.

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.