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==Composition==
==Composition==
The title track would become one of the band's most famous songs, with the narrator invites people experiencing problems to either call him on 36-24-36, an actual phone number in Australia at the time, or visit him at his home, at which point he will perform assorted unsavoury acts to resolve said problems. Situations in which he offers assistance include those involving lewd high school headmasters and significant others who are either adulterous or who persistently find fault with their partners. In 1981, after the album was released in the U.S., Norman and Marilyn White of [[Libertyville, Illinois]] filed a $250,000 [[lawsuit]] in [[Lake County, Illinois]] Circuit Court against [[Atlantic Records]] and its distributors because, they alleged, their telephone number was included in the song, resulting in hundreds of prank phone calls. Their attorney told the [[Chicago Tribune]] that the song's 36-24-36 digits were followed by what to his clients sounded like an "8," thus creating the couple's phone number.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Hirsley |coauthors= |title='Dirty Deeds' bring suit |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |page=W3 |date=October 10, 1981 |accessdate=|quote= |url= }}</ref>
The title track would become one of the band's most famous songs, with the narrator invites people experiencing problems to either call him on 36-24-36, an actual phone number in Australia at the time, or visit him at his home, at which point he will perform assorted unsavoury acts to resolve said problems. Situations in which he offers assistance include those involving lewd high school headmasters and significant others who are either adulterous or who persistently find fault with their partners. The term "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is an homage to the cartoon ''[[Beany and Cecil]]'', which Angus watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was named Dishonest John, and carried a [[business card]] that read, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays and Special Rates." In 1981, after the album was released in the U.S., Norman and Marilyn White of [[Libertyville, Illinois]] filed a $250,000 [[lawsuit]] in [[Lake County, Illinois]] Circuit Court against [[Atlantic Records]] and its distributors because, they alleged, their telephone number was included in the song, resulting in hundreds of prank phone calls. Their attorney told the [[Chicago Tribune]] that the song's 36-24-36 digits were followed by what to his clients sounded like an "8," thus creating the couple's phone number.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Hirsley |coauthors= |title='Dirty Deeds' bring suit |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |page=W3 |date=October 10, 1981 |accessdate=|quote= |url= }}</ref>


Another fan-favorite from the album is "[[Ride On]]." Atypically for an AC/DC song, it has a sad, slow blues feel and features Scott's reflective lyrics and restrained, soulful delivery. The lyrics concern a man ruminating on the mistakes he has made in a relationship while drinking. It has frequently been cited as one of AC/DC's best songs.<ref>http://ultimateclassicrock.com/best-bon-scott-acdc-songs/</ref><ref>http://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/mar/25/australian-anthems-acdc-its-a-long-way-to-the-top-if-you-wanna-rocknroll</ref><ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-ac-dc-songs-20141015/ride-on-20141015</ref> The track is also significant for Angus Young's stunning guitar solo. AC/DC biographer Murray Engleheart observes in his 2006 band memoir, "Overall, ''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' was rougher than ''T.N.T.'' and highlighted the difficulties of recording between increasingly demanding touring commitments. Song's like 'Ain't No Fun,' 'RIP,' '[[Jailbreak]],' and particularly the lonely resignation of 'Ride On,' were almost character studies of Bon and had a sense of impatience...breaking free and just plain loneliness." In an interview with Anthony O'Grady of ''[[RAM]]'' in August, 1976, Scott stated that "Ride On" was "about a guy who gets pissed around by chicks...can't find what he wants." "Ride On" was covered by the French band [[Trust (French band)|Trust]] on their self-titled 1979 debut album after supporting AC/DC in [[Paris, France]] in the fall of 1978. Bon Scott jammed the song with Trust at Scorpio Sound Studios in [[London, England]] on February 13, 1980, six days before his death. A recording of it would later surface on the ''Bon Scott Forever Volume 1'' bootleg. In the same 1976 [[RAM]] interview, Scott that "Squealer" (which includes another blistering, blues-drenched solo from Young) was about a sexual encounter with a virgin and that "Problem Child" was based on Angus.
Another fan-favorite from the album is "[[Ride On]]." Atypically for an AC/DC song, it has a sad, slow blues feel and features Scott's reflective lyrics and restrained, soulful delivery. The lyrics concern a man ruminating on the mistakes he has made in a relationship while drinking. It has frequently been cited as one of AC/DC's best songs.<ref>http://ultimateclassicrock.com/best-bon-scott-acdc-songs/</ref><ref>http://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/mar/25/australian-anthems-acdc-its-a-long-way-to-the-top-if-you-wanna-rocknroll</ref><ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-ac-dc-songs-20141015/ride-on-20141015</ref> The track is also significant for Angus Young's stunning guitar solo. AC/DC biographer Murray Engleheart observes in his 2006 band memoir, "Overall, ''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' was rougher than ''T.N.T.'' and highlighted the difficulties of recording between increasingly demanding touring commitments. Song's like 'Ain't No Fun,' 'RIP,' '[[Jailbreak]],' and particularly the lonely resignation of 'Ride On,' were almost character studies of Bon and had a sense of impatience...breaking free and just plain loneliness." In an interview with Anthony O'Grady of ''[[RAM]]'' in August, 1976, Scott stated that "Ride On" was "about a guy who gets pissed around by chicks...can't find what he wants." "Ride On" was covered by the French band [[Trust (French band)|Trust]] on their self-titled 1979 debut album after supporting AC/DC in [[Paris, France]] in the fall of 1978. Bon Scott jammed the song with Trust at Scorpio Sound Studios in [[London, England]] on February 13, 1980, six days before his death. A recording of it would later surface on the ''Bon Scott Forever Volume 1'' bootleg. In the same 1976 [[RAM]] interview, Scott that "Squealer" (which includes another blistering, blues-drenched solo from Young) was about a sexual encounter with a virgin and that "Problem Child" was based on Angus.


==International Releases==
==International Releases==
Line 64: Line 64:
:The tough rock acts only got what little airwave attention they did because they'd built up a fan base through tears on the road. AC/DC hadn't had the opportunity to marshal troops throught touring the U.S. and at the time there was no way something as raw and gritty as ''Dirty Deeds'' was going to make it onto American radio playlists by itself. It was a brutally simple [[catch-22]]...Americans were said to have trouble understanding Bon, and if the people working with the band couldn't make out the lyrics, how was his voice going to work on the all-important U.S. radio networks?
:The tough rock acts only got what little airwave attention they did because they'd built up a fan base through tears on the road. AC/DC hadn't had the opportunity to marshal troops throught touring the U.S. and at the time there was no way something as raw and gritty as ''Dirty Deeds'' was going to make it onto American radio playlists by itself. It was a brutally simple [[catch-22]]...Americans were said to have trouble understanding Bon, and if the people working with the band couldn't make out the lyrics, how was his voice going to work on the all-important U.S. radio networks?


In hindsight, these concerns seem preposterous, considering that the LP - finally released in the States in March 1981 in the wake of ''[[Back in Black]]'''s success - would go on to become the highest-selling Bon Scott album and is considered one of the band's classic albums. The international release does contain significant alterations from the original album, however, with "Jailbreak" and "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" jettisoned in favor of "Rocker" (from the 1975 Australian edition of ''High Voltage''), "Big Balls" and "Love at First Feel." "Jailbreak" did not see a release in the United States, Canada, and Japan until October 1984 as part of the international ''[['74 Jailbreak]]'' [[Extended play|EP]]. A [[Promotional recording|promo-only single]], with "[['74 Jailbreak|Show Business]]" as its B-side, was released to radio stations in the US at the time. "Love at First Feel" is one of only two tracks from international AC/DC albums not available on the band's Australian albums (The other is "[[Cold Hearted Man]]", released on European pressings of ''[[Powerage]]''). However, "Love at First Feel" was released in Australia as a [[Single (music)|single]] in January 1977, with "[[Problem Child (AC/DC song)|Problem Child]]" as its [[A-side and B-side|B-side]], which peaked in the [[Kent Music Report]] Singles Chart Top&nbsp;100.<ref name="Kent">{{Cite book | title = [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970–1992]] | last1 = Kent | first1 = David | authorlink1 = David Kent (historian) | publisher = Australian Chart Book Ltd | location = [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives, NSW]] | year = 1993 | isbn = 0-646-11917-6 }} Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] (ARIA) created their own [[ARIA Charts|charts]] in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.</ref> The international release of ''Dirty Deeds'' also contains "Big Balls," one of the band's most infamous compositions that finds Scott, a deceptively clever lyricist, using [[double entendre]]s by using [[ballroom]] and [[costume party|costume parties]] to obviously reference his own [[testicles]]. AC/DC had mined this territory before on "The Jack" and would again later on songs like "Given the Dog a Bone" but "Big Balls" could be their funniest attempt at sexual innuendo, although the song was controversial in its day and drew the ire of some critics who missed the band's subtle sense of humor, especially Scott's.
In hindsight, these concerns seem preposterous, considering that the LP - finally released in the States in March 1981 - would go on to become the highest-selling Bon Scott album and is considered one of the band's classic albums. Following the American success of ''[[Highway to Hell]]'' in late 1979, copies of the album began to appear as imports in the US. Some of these imports were the original Australian edition on Albert Productions. However, Atlantic also pressed the international version in Australia, and many of these copies were also exported to the US. Strong demand for both import versions in the wake of the even greater success of ''[[Back in Black]]'' eventually led the US division of Atlantic to finally authorize an official US release in April 1981, which went straight to #3 on the Billboard album charts. The international release does contain significant alterations from the original album, however, with "Jailbreak" (which had preceded the LP's release in Australia and the U.K.) and "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" jettisoned in favor of "Rocker" (from the 1975 Australian edition of ''High Voltage''), "Big Balls" and "Love at First Feel." "Jailbreak" did not see a release in the United States, Canada, and Japan until October 1984 as part of the international ''[['74 Jailbreak]]'' [[Extended play|EP]]. A [[Promotional recording|promo-only single]], with "[['74 Jailbreak|Show Business]]" as its B-side, was released to radio stations in the US at the time. "Love at First Feel" is one of only two tracks from international AC/DC albums not available on the band's Australian albums (The other is "[[Cold Hearted Man]]", released on European pressings of ''[[Powerage]]''). However, "Love at First Feel" was released in Australia as a [[Single (music)|single]] in January 1977, with "[[Problem Child (AC/DC song)|Problem Child]]" as its [[A-side and B-side|B-side]], which peaked in the [[Kent Music Report]] Singles Chart Top&nbsp;100.<ref name="Kent">{{Cite book | title = [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970–1992]] | last1 = Kent | first1 = David | authorlink1 = David Kent (historian) | publisher = Australian Chart Book Ltd | location = [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives, NSW]] | year = 1993 | isbn = 0-646-11917-6 }} Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] (ARIA) created their own [[ARIA Charts|charts]] in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.</ref> The international release of ''Dirty Deeds'' also contains "Big Balls," one of the band's most infamous compositions that finds Scott, a deceptively clever lyricist, using [[double entendre]]s by using [[ballroom]] and [[costume party|costume parties]] to obviously reference his own [[testicles]]. AC/DC had mined this territory before on "The Jack" and would again later on songs like "Given the Dog a Bone" but "Big Balls" could be their funniest attempt at sexual innuendo, although the song was controversial in its day and drew the ire of some critics who missed the band's subtle sense of humor, especially Scott's. ''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' also led to more AC/DC appearances on Australia's ''[[Countdown (music show)|Countdown]]'' music programme, following those in support of ''[[High Voltage (Australian album)|High Voltage]]'' and ''T.N.T.'' These appearances included a live performance of the album's title track, as well as a [[music video]] for "Jailbreak".<ref>Video Footage and Liner Notes, Family Jewels 2-Disc DVD Set 2005</ref>


⚫
Two songs on the international album were edited from the full length versions on the original Australian album. The full length "Dirty Deeds..." has the title of the song chanted four times starting at 3:09, but on the edited version the chant is heard only twice. "Ain't No Fun..." lasted 7:29 on the Australian album but was faded out early to 6:57 on the international version. This means they trim off the [[Chuck Berry]] licks and title chanting to the end. However, both these full length versions were restored on the 1994 [[Atco Records]] remastered CD of the international album. The most recent 2003 CD edition by [[Epic Records]] goes back to the edited versions, as originally on the 1976 and 1981 international vinyl editions. The uncut versions of both songs were released on the 2009 box set ''[[Backtracks (AC/DC album)|Backtracks]]''. On the original version of "Rocker", included on the Australian ''T.N.T.'' album, the song lasts 2:55 and cuts out abruptly as the guitar riff hits its peak. Conversely, all international editions of the "Dirty Deeds" album have a slightly shorter version where the song fades out at 2:50 before the cut. "Squealer" appears to be longer by thirteen seconds on the international version; this is due to it having a bumper of silence at the end, as it is the final track on the record. "Ride On" has a four-second difference (longer on the international version) which appears to be from a minor speed issue, although the last guitar slide can be heard better on the shorter Australian version.<ref name="Music Legends">{{cite web |publisher=Music Legends| url=http://musiclegends.ca/interviews/mark-evans-acdc-interview/| title=Mark Evans Interview| accessdate=6 May 2013|date=30 September 2011|last=Saulnier|first=Jason}}</ref>
It was originally released on 20 September 1976 in Australia on [[Albert Productions]]. A modified international edition was later released on [[Atlantic Records]] on 17 December 1976. It was finally released in the US on 27 March 1981.


⚫
==Reception==
The album has been certified 6x platinum both in Australia and in the US, selling at least six million copies, becoming the third-highest selling album by AC/DC in the US after ''[[Highway to Hell]]'' (7x platinum) and ''[[Back in Black]]'' (22x platinum).
''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' has been certified 6x platinum both in Australia and in the US, selling at least six million copies, becoming the third-highest selling album by AC/DC in the US after ''[[Highway to Hell]]'' (7x platinum) and ''[[Back in Black]]'' (22x platinum). [[Allmusic]] gives the album gave it five out of five stars and said that "it captured the seething malevolence of Bon Scott...encouraged by the maniacal riffs of Angus and Malcolm Young" and that there was a "real sense of danger to this record."<ref name="allmusic"/>

==Overview==
Following up on the preceding Australian album, 1975's ''[[T.N.T. (album)|T.N.T.]]'', AC/DC delivered another recording with a number of fan-favourite songs, including the [[Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (song)|title track]], "Squealer", "Problem Child" and others. ''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' also contains some controversial lyrics. For example "Big Balls" lyrics uses [[double entendre]]s, referring the title phrase to [[costume party|costume parties]] and to [[testicles]].

The single "[[Jailbreak (AC/DC song)|Jailbreak]]" preceded the album's release in Australia and the UK. After the album's release, the single for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" was released in Australia in September 1976, in the UK in December 1976, and in the US in April 1981 (when the album was finally released there).

''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' also led to more AC/DC appearances on Australia's ''[[Countdown (music show)|Countdown]]'' music programme, following those in support of ''[[High Voltage (Australian album)|High Voltage]]'' and ''T.N.T.'' These appearances included a live performance of the album's title track, as well as a [[music video]] for "Jailbreak".<ref>Video Footage and Liner Notes, Family Jewels 2-Disc DVD Set 2005</ref>

A song titled "[[I'm a Rebel (song)|I'm a Rebel]]" was recorded during this album's sessions in 1976, with music and lyrics written by Angus and Malcolm Young's older brother, [[Alexander Young (musician)|Alex Young]].<ref>[http://www.crabsodyinblue.com/acdcimarebel.htm AC/DC crabsodyinblue.com]</ref><ref>[http://www.kolumbus.fi/nononsense/rebel.htm NO NONSENSE AC/DC - I'M A REBEL]</ref> This song was never released by AC/DC and remains in [[Albert Productions]]' vaults. German band [[Accept (band)|Accept]] later released it as a single and named their [[I'm a Rebel|second album]] after the song.

AC/DC's record label at the time, [[Albert Productions]], was not happy with the album's vocals and production. According to bassist [[Mark Evans (musician)|Mark Evans]], the band's manager Michael Browning told him he assumed Bon Scott would be fired as a result.<ref>Mark Evans Discusses Life In and Out of AC/DC http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ac-dc-mark-evans-interview/</ref>

==Influences==
On the [[Live at Donington (AC/DC album)|Live At Donington DVD]], Angus and Malcolm explain that the concept of this album was to make it a [[Humphrey Bogart]]-esque mystery scenario.

Furthermore, the term "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is an homage to the cartoon ''[[Beany and Cecil]]'', which Angus watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was named Dishonest John, and carried a [[business card]] that read, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays and Special Rates."{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}

==International release==
The international edition of ''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'', released on 17 December 1976, is considerably different from the original Australian edition, and features a different cover and track order. It was not released in the US until 27 March 1981.

On this album, the singles "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" and "Jailbreak" (featured on the Australian version) were replaced by "Rocker" (from ''T.N.T.'') and "[[Love at First Feel]]", the latter being one of only two tracks from international AC/DC albums not available on the band's Australian albums. (The other is "[[Cold Hearted Man]]", released on European pressings of ''[[Powerage]]''.) Conversely, several songs available on Australian AC/DC albums did not see overseas release until more than thirty years later. However, "Love at First Feel" was released in Australia as a single in January 1977.

Though the international album was released by [[Atlantic Records]] in Europe in 1976, it was not picked up for a US release at the time. Following the American success of ''[[Highway to Hell]]'' in late 1979, copies of the album began to appear as imports in the US. Some of these imports were the original Australian edition on Albert Productions. However, Atlantic also pressed the international version in Australia, and many of these copies were also exported to the US. Strong demand for both import versions in the wake of the even greater success of ''[[Back in Black]]'' eventually led the US division of Atlantic to finally authorize an official US release in April 1981, which went straight to #3 on the Billboard album charts.

Two songs on the international album were edited from the full length versions on the original Australian album. The full length "Dirty Deeds..." has the title of the song chanted four times starting at 3:09, but on the edited version the chant is heard only twice. "Ain't No Fun..." lasted 7:29 on the Australian album but was faded out early to 6:57 on the international version. This means they trim off the [[Chuck Berry]] licks and title chanting to the end. However, both these full length versions were restored on the 1994 [[Atco Records]] remastered CD of the international album. The most recent 2003 CD edition by [[Epic Records]] goes back to the edited versions, as originally on the 1976 and 1981 international vinyl editions. The uncut versions of both songs were released on the 2009 box set ''[[Backtracks (AC/DC album)|Backtracks]]''.

⚫
On the original version of "Rocker", included on the Australian ''T.N.T.'' album, the song lasts 2:55 and cuts out abruptly as the guitar riff hits its peak. Conversely, all international editions of the "Dirty Deeds" album have a slightly shorter version where the song fades out at 2:50 before the cut. "Squealer" appears to be longer by thirteen seconds on the international version; this is due to it having a bumper of silence at the end, as it is the final track on the record. "Ride On" has a four-second difference (longer on the international version) which appears to be from a minor speed issue, although the last guitar slide can be heard better on the shorter Australian version.<ref name="Music Legends">{{cite web |publisher=Music Legends| url=http://musiclegends.ca/interviews/mark-evans-acdc-interview/| title=Mark Evans Interview| accessdate=6 May 2013|date=30 September 2011|last=Saulnier|first=Jason}}</ref>

The Australian version of the album was briefly released in the UK, but only on the original [[gramophone record|vinyl]] pressings in that country.

"Jailbreak" was included on AC/DC's ''[['74 Jailbreak]]'' [[extended play|EP]], released in October 1984 in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], and [[Japan]].

"R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" finally saw international release as part of ''Backtracks''.

⚫
==Reception==
''Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'' received generally favourable reviews; an [[Allmusic]] review of the international version of the album gave it five out of five stars and said that "it captured the seething malevolence of Bon Scott [...] encouraged by the maniacal riffs of Angus and Malcolm Young" and that there was a "real sense of danger to this record."<ref name="allmusic"/>


==Track listing==
==Track listing==

Revision as of 21:53, 26 May 2015

For the title track, see Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (song).

Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic (Australian version)[1]
Allmusic (International version)[2]
Blender[3]
Robert Christgau(C+)[5]
Rolling Stone[4]

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is an album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was the band's second internationally released studio album and the third to be released in Australia. All songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott.

Background

AC/DC began recording what would become Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap in January 1976 at Albert Studios with Harry Vanda and George Young (older brother of guitarists Malcolm and Angus) producing. In April, the band went on their first tour of the U.K. where "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" was released as a single. According to the book AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll, Vanda and Young traveled to the U.K. to record several songs with the band at Vineland Studios for a scheduled EP, which was eventually scrapped. One song, "Love at First Feel," would surface on international Dirty Deeds release while the others, "Carry Me Home" and "Dirty Eyes," would remain unreleased, the latter being reworked into "Whole Lotta Rosie" on 1977's Let There Be Rock. A song titled "I'm a Rebel" was recorded at Maschener Studios as well with music and lyrics written by Angus and Malcolm Young's older brother, Alex Young.[6][7] This song was never released by AC/DC and remains in Albert Productions' vaults. German band Accept later released it as a single and named their second album after the song. In September, High Voltage was released in the United States but, hampered by visa problems and a disinterested Atlantic Records label in America, the band returned to Australia to finish their third album.

Composition

The title track would become one of the band's most famous songs, with the narrator invites people experiencing problems to either call him on 36-24-36, an actual phone number in Australia at the time, or visit him at his home, at which point he will perform assorted unsavoury acts to resolve said problems. Situations in which he offers assistance include those involving lewd high school headmasters and significant others who are either adulterous or who persistently find fault with their partners. The term "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is an homage to the cartoon Beany and Cecil, which Angus watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was named Dishonest John, and carried a business card that read, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays and Special Rates." In 1981, after the album was released in the U.S., Norman and Marilyn White of Libertyville, Illinois filed a $250,000 lawsuit in Lake County, Illinois Circuit Court against Atlantic Records and its distributors because, they alleged, their telephone number was included in the song, resulting in hundreds of prank phone calls. Their attorney told the Chicago Tribune that the song's 36-24-36 digits were followed by what to his clients sounded like an "8," thus creating the couple's phone number.[8]

Another fan-favorite from the album is "Ride On." Atypically for an AC/DC song, it has a sad, slow blues feel and features Scott's reflective lyrics and restrained, soulful delivery. The lyrics concern a man ruminating on the mistakes he has made in a relationship while drinking. It has frequently been cited as one of AC/DC's best songs.[9][10][11] The track is also significant for Angus Young's stunning guitar solo. AC/DC biographer Murray Engleheart observes in his 2006 band memoir, "Overall, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap was rougher than T.N.T. and highlighted the difficulties of recording between increasingly demanding touring commitments. Song's like 'Ain't No Fun,' 'RIP,' 'Jailbreak,' and particularly the lonely resignation of 'Ride On,' were almost character studies of Bon and had a sense of impatience...breaking free and just plain loneliness." In an interview with Anthony O'Grady of RAM in August, 1976, Scott stated that "Ride On" was "about a guy who gets pissed around by chicks...can't find what he wants." "Ride On" was covered by the French band Trust on their self-titled 1979 debut album after supporting AC/DC in Paris, France in the fall of 1978. Bon Scott jammed the song with Trust at Scorpio Sound Studios in London, England on February 13, 1980, six days before his death. A recording of it would later surface on the Bon Scott Forever Volume 1 bootleg. In the same 1976 RAM interview, Scott that "Squealer" (which includes another blistering, blues-drenched solo from Young) was about a sexual encounter with a virgin and that "Problem Child" was based on Angus.

International Releases

A modified international edition was released on Atlantic Records on 17 December 1976 but Atlantic Records in America rejected it, unhappy with its vocals and production. According to bassist Mark Evans, the band's manager Michael Browning told him he assumed Bon Scott would be fired as a result.[12] As band biographer Murray Engleheart observes in his book AC/DC: Maximum Rock & Roll, the band had not even toured the States yet, a market the band longed to conquer:

The tough rock acts only got what little airwave attention they did because they'd built up a fan base through tears on the road. AC/DC hadn't had the opportunity to marshal troops throught touring the U.S. and at the time there was no way something as raw and gritty as Dirty Deeds was going to make it onto American radio playlists by itself. It was a brutally simple catch-22...Americans were said to have trouble understanding Bon, and if the people working with the band couldn't make out the lyrics, how was his voice going to work on the all-important U.S. radio networks?

In hindsight, these concerns seem preposterous, considering that the LP - finally released in the States in March 1981 - would go on to become the highest-selling Bon Scott album and is considered one of the band's classic albums. Following the American success of Highway to Hell in late 1979, copies of the album began to appear as imports in the US. Some of these imports were the original Australian edition on Albert Productions. However, Atlantic also pressed the international version in Australia, and many of these copies were also exported to the US. Strong demand for both import versions in the wake of the even greater success of Back in Black eventually led the US division of Atlantic to finally authorize an official US release in April 1981, which went straight to #3 on the Billboard album charts. The international release does contain significant alterations from the original album, however, with "Jailbreak" (which had preceded the LP's release in Australia and the U.K.) and "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" jettisoned in favor of "Rocker" (from the 1975 Australian edition of High Voltage), "Big Balls" and "Love at First Feel." "Jailbreak" did not see a release in the United States, Canada, and Japan until October 1984 as part of the international '74 Jailbreak EP. A promo-only single, with "Show Business" as its B-side, was released to radio stations in the US at the time. "Love at First Feel" is one of only two tracks from international AC/DC albums not available on the band's Australian albums (The other is "Cold Hearted Man", released on European pressings of Powerage). However, "Love at First Feel" was released in Australia as a single in January 1977, with "Problem Child" as its B-side, which peaked in the Kent Music Report Singles Chart Top 100.[13] The international release of Dirty Deeds also contains "Big Balls," one of the band's most infamous compositions that finds Scott, a deceptively clever lyricist, using double entendres by using ballroom and costume parties to obviously reference his own testicles. AC/DC had mined this territory before on "The Jack" and would again later on songs like "Given the Dog a Bone" but "Big Balls" could be their funniest attempt at sexual innuendo, although the song was controversial in its day and drew the ire of some critics who missed the band's subtle sense of humor, especially Scott's. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap also led to more AC/DC appearances on Australia's Countdown music programme, following those in support of High Voltage and T.N.T. These appearances included a live performance of the album's title track, as well as a music video for "Jailbreak".[14]

Two songs on the international album were edited from the full length versions on the original Australian album. The full length "Dirty Deeds..." has the title of the song chanted four times starting at 3:09, but on the edited version the chant is heard only twice. "Ain't No Fun..." lasted 7:29 on the Australian album but was faded out early to 6:57 on the international version. This means they trim off the Chuck Berry licks and title chanting to the end. However, both these full length versions were restored on the 1994 Atco Records remastered CD of the international album. The most recent 2003 CD edition by Epic Records goes back to the edited versions, as originally on the 1976 and 1981 international vinyl editions. The uncut versions of both songs were released on the 2009 box set Backtracks. On the original version of "Rocker", included on the Australian T.N.T. album, the song lasts 2:55 and cuts out abruptly as the guitar riff hits its peak. Conversely, all international editions of the "Dirty Deeds" album have a slightly shorter version where the song fades out at 2:50 before the cut. "Squealer" appears to be longer by thirteen seconds on the international version; this is due to it having a bumper of silence at the end, as it is the final track on the record. "Ride On" has a four-second difference (longer on the international version) which appears to be from a minor speed issue, although the last guitar slide can be heard better on the shorter Australian version.[15]

Reception

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap has been certified 6x platinum both in Australia and in the US, selling at least six million copies, becoming the third-highest selling album by AC/DC in the US after Highway to Hell (7x platinum) and Back in Black (22x platinum). Allmusic gives the album gave it five out of five stars and said that "it captured the seething malevolence of Bon Scott...encouraged by the maniacal riffs of Angus and Malcolm Young" and that there was a "real sense of danger to this record."[2]

Track listing

Australian

All tracks are written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"4:13
2."Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to Be a Millionaire)"7:31
3."There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'"3:17
4."Problem Child"5:46
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Squealer"5:18
2."Big Balls"2:40
3."R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)"3:36
4."Ride On"5:53
5."Jailbreak"4:41

International

All tracks are written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"3:52
2."Love at First Feel"3:12
3."Big Balls"2:38
4."Rocker"2:50
5."Problem Child"5:46
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'"3:18
2."Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to Be a Millionaire)"6:54
3."Ride On"5:53
4."Squealer"5:10
  • Most editions of this album contain the edited versions of the title track and "Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)". The 1994 remastered CD on Atco Records contains the full-length Australian versions of both songs.
  • "Rocker" was originally released on T.N.T. in a slightly longer version without the fade out.
  • "Ride On" also appears on the soundtrack Who Made Who for the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive.

Personnel

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ^ Weber, Barry. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australian Version)". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  2. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (International Version)". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  3. ^ Twist, Carlo. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap". Blender. Retrieved 6 August 2009.[dead link]
  4. ^ Kot, Greg (25 February 2003). "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 November 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert. "AC/DC: Dirty Deeds Done Cheap [Atlantic, 1981]". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  6. ^ AC/DC crabsodyinblue.com
  7. ^ NO NONSENSE AC/DC - I'M A REBEL
  8. ^ Hirsley, Michael (10 October 1981). "'Dirty Deeds' bring suit". Chicago Tribune. p. W3. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ http://ultimateclassicrock.com/best-bon-scott-acdc-songs/
  10. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/mar/25/australian-anthems-acdc-its-a-long-way-to-the-top-if-you-wanna-rocknroll
  11. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-ac-dc-songs-20141015/ride-on-20141015
  12. ^ Mark Evans Discusses Life In and Out of AC/DC http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ac-dc-mark-evans-interview/
  13. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
  14. ^ Video Footage and Liner Notes, Family Jewels 2-Disc DVD Set 2005
  15. ^ Saulnier, Jason (30 September 2011). "Mark Evans Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  16. ^ Engleheart, Murray & Arnaud Durieux (2006). AC/DC: Maximum Rock N Roll. p. 142. ISBN 0-7322-8383-3.
  17. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  18. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (AC/DC; 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  19. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – AC/DC – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  21. ^ "American album certifications – AC/DC – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap". Recording Industry Association of America.
  • Lyrics on AC/DC's official website
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