AC/DC Discography, The Bon Scott Years: Favorite Song On Each CD

DAILY MUSIC TRIVIA QUESTION:  AC/DC is from Australia but what nationality are Angus & Malcolm Young?   Yesterday's Answer:   University of Miami

1976  "LIVE WIRE"  from HIGH VOLTAGE

When the U.S. version of High Voltage was released, it was actually a compilation of the first two Australian AC-DC albums, High Voltage and T.N.T.  You have probably the greatest hard rock debut album of all-time.   Here's the first 5 songs:   1.  It's A Long Way To The Top If You Want To Rock & Roll,    2.  Rock & Roll Singer,    3.   The Jack     4.  Live Wire and   5.  T.N.T.   - five of classic rock's biggest hits on their first album!   "Live Wire" is not only my favorite song on this CD, it's one of my favorite AC-DC songs of all time, complete with an Angus solo and Cowbell!

1976 "JAILBREAK"  from DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP

The band's third best selling album of all-time behind Back In Black and Highway To Hell.   The band added their first ballad, the blues workout, "Ride On", and some cheeky songs like "There Will Be Some Rocking" and "Big Balls".   You can't help but sing along with Bon on the title track!  Classic Rock Magazine named Bon Scott the #1 all-time frontman over Freddy Mercury, Roger Daltrey, even Robert Plant!  This video for "Jailbreak" was supposedly shot in Bon's garage and their first attempt at a video, Angus is amazing in it, enjoy!

1977 - "LET THERE BE ROCK" from LET THERE BE ROCK

This was a key album for the band.   They released their first concert film with this title and the band introduced their signature logo with the lightning bolt on this record.   My favorite song is the title track which was on a previous blog, here's the link:  Let There Be Rock



1978 - "DOWN PAYMENT BLUES" from POWERAGE

AC/DC got a new producer, Mutt Lange (ex-husband of Shania Twain), who also produced their two biggest albums, Back In Black and Highway To Hell.  Powerage didn't have any hits on it but it's a favorite of many rock critics.  Artists like Keith Richards list it as their Favorite AC/DC album.   The slow blues guitar jam at the end of Down Payment Blues is priceless.  Love that lyric, "got myself a Cadillac but can't afford the gasoline".

1979 - "IF YOU WANT BLOOD YOU GOT IT" from HIGHWAY TO HELL

The first 15 seconds of Highway To Hell are as good as ANY rock record of all-time.   Their multi-platinum album was sadly the last for Bon Scott.   His death is still somewhat of a mystery, alcohol poisoning?  choking on exhaust fumes?  It was labeled as "death by misadventure".   The classic album created controversy when serial killer, Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, credited their song "Night Prowler" as his theme song.   When he drew Satanic pentagrams at the trial, the band was caught up in the crossfire.   AC/DC is not evil and Satanic, "Highway To Hell" is about living too hard and fast, anyone who's listened to the band knows who they are.   They're simply five guys from Australia who grew up loving hard rock, blues, impressing girls, and partying.   This video captures the band at their peak with Bon Scott.

  

Needs More Cowbell: Motley Crue, Alice In Chains, Saigon Kick

"LIVE WIRE"             MOTLEY CRUE

The debut song from 1982 from Motley Crue might be their best song ever.   Saw them in concert this summer, they sound as good as they did back in the 80s!     I went skydiving this summer and used "Kickstart My Heart" as my theme song.     "Live Wire" is the greatest use of COWBELL ever in a song!    The tight rhythm section of Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Nikki Sixx put Motley Crue on top of all of all of the 80's hair bands.    

"LOVE IS ON THE WAY"          SAIGON KICK

From 1992, this Miami based hair band put out one of the most beautiful of the power ballads of the decade.   The song features a Spanish guitar strumming throughout the song.   Although the song only hit #12 on the charts, it gave Saigon Kick their 15 minutes of well-deserved fame.

"NUTSHELL"              ALICE IN CHAINS

Layne Staley had one of the most intense, haunting lead vocals ever in Rock Music.   The guitar solo by Jerry Cantrell on this one is as sad as it is uplifting.   Layne was the heart and soul of the Seattle Grunge sound and he left us way too early.     This one is from 1994 from the Jar Of Flies CD.


I saw them perform this live when they opened for Guns N Roses in the early 90s and Daughtry covered it when I saw him in 2008.