Let There Be Rock (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Let There Be Rock


Artist = AC/DC
from Album = "Let There Be Rock"
B-side = "Problem Child"
Released = October, 1977
Format = CD
Recorded = 1977, 1976
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 6:05
Label = ATCO
Producer = Harry Vanda, George Young
Chart position =
Last single = "Dog Eat Dog / Carry Me Home" (1977)
This single = "Let There Be Rock" (1977)
Next single = "Whole Lotta Rosie / Dog Eat Dog" (1978)Song_infobox
Name = Let There Be Rock


Artist = AC/DC
Album = Let There Be Rock
Released = March 1977
track_no = 3
Recorded = January-February 1977
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 6:06
Writer = Angus Young, Bon Scott, Malcolm Young
Label = ATCO
Producer = Harry Vanda, George Young
[ Chart Position = ]
prev = Dog Eat Dog
prev_no = 2
next = Bad Boy Boogie
next_no = 4Song_infobox
Name = Let There Be Rock
Artist = AC/DC
Album = Let There Be Rock
Released = June 23, 1977
track_no = 3
Length = 6:06
prev = Dog Eat Dog
prev_no = 2
next = Bad Boy Boogie
next_no = 4

"Let There Be Rock" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the third and title track of their Australian album "Let There Be Rock", released in March 1977, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott. It is also the third and title track on the international version of "Let There Be Rock", released in October 1977.

It was also released as a single, with a B-side of "Problem Child", in 1977. The song is a playable track on "Rock Band 2".

Composition

The song provides an encapsulated, fictionalized version of the history of rock 'n' roll. Building on a line from the Chuck Berry song "Roll Over Beethoven" (in which the speaker says, "...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.

Following rock's birth, rock bands appeared everywhere, musicians found fame (while businesses made money off their efforts), and millions of people learned how to play electric guitar. The third and final verse speaks of a "42-decibel" rock band playing good, loud music in an establishment called "The Shaking Hand."

Influences

"Let There Be Rock"'s title and chorus take inspiration from The Bible's Book of Genesis, echoing God's demand of "Let there be light," et al, with repeated calls for:

*Light
*Sound
*Drums
*Guitar
*Rock

The song is also influenced by Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven," whose lyrics"...go tell Tchaikovsky the news" is reflected in the lyrics "but Tchaikovsky had the news."

Live recordings

Being one of AC/DC's most popular songs, "Let There Be Rock" has been included on three of the band's five official live albums: "If You Want Blood You've Got It" (sung by Bon Scott, 1978), ' (sung by Scott's replacement Brian Johnson, 1992), ' (Scott, 1979), released in 1997 as part of the "Bonfire" box set, and "Stiff Upper Lip Tour Edition" (Johnson, 2001) with the last recorded from Plaza De Toros in Madrid from 1996.

Live performances of the song often go into a section not included on the studio version, with Angus Young performing an extend solo without accompaniment. It is best known for a section in which he plays varying arpeggios starting on B major and ending on E major.

It is the final song played in "" and at the immediate conclusion the words, "To Bon," appear on the screen. On recent tours, the song has concluded the regular set before the band reappears for encores.

In several live recordings, the verse "there was a 42-decibel rockin' band" is actually sung as "there was a 92-decibel rockin' band", perhaps to partially correct the severe understatement of the actual decibel value that would be associated with a live rock performance.

Music video

The music video for "Let There Be Rock" was filmed in July 1977 (see 1977 in music). It was recorded in a church, and featured Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Phil Rudd, and Cliff Williams, who replaced Mark Evans as the band's bassist shortly after the "Let There Be Rock" album was released. This marked one of Williams' first public appearances with AC/DC. Scott was dressed as a priest and the rest of the band as altar boys, with Angus Young wearing a halo prop on his head. [Video Footage and Liner Notes, Family Jewels 2-Disc DVD Set 2005] According to an interview with the Young brothers, Bon Scott injured himself in the final jump from the podium. In the video and studio recording, Bon also sings the pre-chorus incorrectly, introducing sound before light. This is corrected during live performances of the song.

Appearances in popular media

"Let There Be Rock" is a playable song in the music video game "Rock Band 2". A television advertisement for the game features Vaeda lip-syncing to a short clip of "Let There Be Rock", which resembles the music video. Others are shown playing the guitar and drum-simulating game controllers in time to the music.

Personnel

*Bon Scott - lead vocals
*Angus Young - lead guitar
*Malcolm Young - rhythm guitar
*Mark Evans - bass
*Phil Rudd - drums

Production

*Producers: Harry Vanda, George Young

References

External links

* [http://www.acdcrocks.com/letthereberock.html Lyrics] on AC/DC's official website