When one thinks of the Australian classic rock band AC/DC, one often thinks of the hard-hitting classic, “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock ‘n’ Roll)”. This jam was released in December 1975 in Australia and a few months later in the US. It’s a hard rock classic that became the band’s first song to make it past No. 10 on the Australian charts, peaking at No. 9. By the following year, AC/DC would become sensations in the US and abroad. Though, they wouldn’t break through in superstar fashion until “Highway To Hell” dropped in 1979.
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Still, “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock ‘n’ Roll)” was a pretty big deal. I can see why it’s still a fan favorite today. How many rock bands do you know of that have used bagpipes as a core part of their song’s hook? It’s a super-memorable call-and-response type of tune. That’s a style that would only become more popular in hard rock after AC/DC did it first. And it’s an anthem of sorts for Australians today, as it’s considered one of the “most Australian songs of all time.”
Sadly, AC/DC stopped playing the song entirely in 1979. And their reasoning makes perfect sense, even if it’s bittersweet.
Why AC/DC Decided To Stop Performing “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock ‘n’ Roll)” Just a Few Years After It Was Released
Per setlist.fm, it looks like AC/DC played “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock ‘n’ Roll)” a whopping 237 times from its release until December 17, 1979, at a show in London, England. After that, AC/DC stopped playing the song entirely and have not performed it since.
The story goes that after their frontman, Bon Scott, tragically died in 1980. The remaining members of AC/DC considered giving up entirely. However, it was Scott’s parents who encouraged the band to keep going, as it’s what he would have wanted. So, the band sought out a new vocalist, which ended up being one Brian Johnson, ex-singer of the band Geordie. After he was brought on, the band shot into international fame. And AC/DC won’t play “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock ‘n’ Roll)” because Johnson refuses to perform it.
While there’s little in the way of quotes from Johnson on the subject, it’s widely accepted that he won’t perform the song out of respect for Bon Scott. I get it, honestly, as his contributions to the track were vital. Essentially, it was his song.
Other members of AC/DC have commented on the fact that the band doesn’t perform the song anymore.
“In time, it became iconic and associated with the band,” said former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans. “But oddly enough the band doesn’t play it. It has become a lot bigger song in time than when it first came out.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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