Let There Be Rock by AC/DC

Album: Let There Be Rock (1977)

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Songfacts®:

"Let There Be Rock" was co-written by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, and lyricist Bon Scott.

The title track of and the third track on the band's fourth album, it was released as a single in October 1977 backed by "Problem Child."

Running to a shade over 6 minutes, it was produced by Harry Vanda and George Young.
In spite of its appearing to be nothing more than a typically mindless rock anthem, this is actually quite a sophisticated track:

In the beginning
Back in 1955
The white man had the schmaltz
The black man had the blues

is an allusion to the birth of rock 'n' roll. The genre developed from boogie woogie; the first rock 'n' roll song is generally acknowledged to be "Rocket 88," to which Ike Turner was a very unlikely contributor considering the way his music was to develop, but then the two men who gave rock 'n' roll to the world in the first instance were if anything even more unlikely. There was the white man - who had performed as Yodelling Bill Haley - and the black man, a qualified beautician named Chuck Berry. Both Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" and Berry's "Maybellene" were released in 1955, and as they say, the rest is history. >>
Suggestion credit:
Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2
An anthem for the band, AC/DC has played this song at every concert since 1978. They often play it very fast and the solo can be extended all the way to 20 minutes as Angus rises above the stage and does the "spasm." >>
Suggestion credit:
Joe - Saugus, MA
Angus Young said of this song: "I remember the amp literally exploded during the recording session. My brother watched it with crazed eyes, and he told me 'Come on! Keep on playing!' while the stuff was steaming." >>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 21

Luna Loud from Royal Woods, MichiganI just wanted to say that this is one of the most kick-ass rock songs of all time. It's the highlight of any AC/DC show when Angus gets on the riser, shreds the crap out of his guitar, and does the spasm! It's always played as the last song of the main set.
Ebc1973 from Williamsburg, VirginiaI came here specifically to get info on Bon's jump at the end of the song. Was he hurt? It certainly looks like he overshot his target. I've always wanted information on the making of this video.
Marco from GermanyThe german word "Schmalz" means exactly the same (fat or overly sentimental [love] songs). Probably 'shmaltz' has its origin in Germany.
Ted Dennison from Tulsa, OklahomaFor those asking, I'm pretty sure the word is "shmaltz", which is a Yiddish word that literally means poultry fat, but informally means (according to Wikipedia) "excessively sentimental or florid music or art". Now what a kid from Australia is doing casually dropping Yiddish, I can't explain, although he was clearly immersed in enough American media to by a Little Richard fan.
Rob R from Dundee, ScotlandWhy Tchaikovsky you may ask? Well, Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture, famously the loudest piece of music in the symphonic music cannon (get it, works with both meanings, as its about a war). So maybe Tchaikovsky would have appreciated a form of music that goes all the way to 11, volume wise.
Valmiki from OntarioThe white man has the schmaltz (sound slike'smoltz' via australian accent? ) I always thought he said 'smarts' and could be a clever way of getting that in.
Steve from PerthDoes anybody have a copy of Let There Be Rock with the original riff (behind the 2nd solo) before they changed it slightly?
Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm {10-23-2017}
George Young, guitarist with the Easybeats and co-writer of their hit, “Friday On My Mind” (#16 in 1967), died Sunday (October 22nd, 2017) at the age of 70...
George was the brother of Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC and produced the group’s early albums such as 'Let There Be Rock' and 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap'*...
George also wrote the John Paul Young tune, “Love Is In The Air” (#7 in 1977)...
May he R.I.P.
Zero from Nowhere, NjOn Metallica's "Live At Grimey's" CD, after "Seek and Destroy" they burst into the main riff of this song before ending the set.
Yasin from Marietta, Ganear the end of the song, are they talking about themselves when Bon sings about some band at a club
Barry from Dublin, IrelandBuilding on a line from the Chuck Berry song "Roll Over Beethoven": "...tell Tchaikovsky the news", "Let There Be Rock" reveals that Tchaikovsky did in fact receive the message and subsequently shared it with the masses, resulting in the rise of rock 'n' roll. God bless Wiki!
Homer from Springfield, KyI thought it was "The white man had the smokes/The black man had the booze." Whatever. Awesome song
John from North Lauderdale, FlYeah, I signed up just for the purpose of correcting this lyric. "Smoltz" is a baseball player (John Smoltz). The word is "schmaltz", which means an overly-sentimental, sappy song. Like the crooners of the 40's such as Sinatra, etc. Why almost every lyric site says it's "smoltz" I have no idea.
Greg from Waterford, CtThe line is "The white man had the schmaltz" Schmaltz means highly sentimental and banal music, or overly sentimental esp. in music.
Austin from Bristow, VaLove in in studio and love it live. Psalm 3:16 said, "And the Lord said 'Let There Be Rock'".
Nick from Vancouver, Wa"Anyone know what "smoltz" means, if that really is what Bon's saying? I also find it interesting that Bon used Tchaikovsky when the composer had nothing to do with rock at all. I wonder why he did that?
- Bess, San Diego, CA"

The "Smoltz" question is the same reason I came here. But as for Tchaikovsky, it would refer to the Chuck Berry Song "Roll over Beethoven" where he says: Roll over Beethoven, and tell Tchaikovsky the news. Instead of telling him the news, in this song he would already have gotten it.
Bess from San Diego, CaAnyone know what "smoltz" means, if that really is what Bon's saying? I also find it interesting that Bon used Tchaikovsky when the composer had nothing to do with rock at all. I wonder why he did that?
Mike from Ponoka, AbAngus Is The Greatest Guitarist That Ever Lived!!!!!!! This Song It Really Makes Me Want To Party! This Band Is My Favorite And Always Will Be Because They Never Stop Rockin' Out!!!!! Definetly One Of My Fav Songs By AC/DC!!!! :)
Selina from Perth, AustraliaHe slices the ligaments in his ankle actually....... Such a great song, great idea using words from the opening of the Bible and shaping them into anthemic lyrics :) ! Great riff too, love the sound of Malcolm playing the A chord and then hitting it muted- gives it such a great rythmic sound
Aussie from Fffff, Australiabertrand - Paris, France is correct Angus smoked the JTM 45 Marshall & was sh*tting bricks. It was his brother George Young of Easybeats fame who urged him on whilst the amp was smoking. In the film clip where Bon Leaps of the pulpit he actually badly damaged his leg. If you watch closely you will see him hit the pews in the front row
Ev from Tuscaloosa, AlThis song is on the family jewels DVD with Bon Scott in Priests robes at an alter,and several times during the video it zooms in on his face smiling and he looks very creepy. About halfway thruogh the video he takes off the robes and jumps over the drums and falls off the stage

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