The story of AC/DC's Back In Black single

25 July 2025, 17:01 | Updated: 25 July 2025, 17:13

Celebrate the band's 1980 single from their album of the same name by delving into its history.

AC/DC's Back In Black was album was released on 25th July 1980.

The seventh studio album from the Aussie rockers, Back In Black was the first to feature Brian Johnson as lead singer, following the tragic death of their frontman Bon Scott, who died suddenly in February that year.

The album is best known for spawning the hit singles Hells Bells, Shoot To Thrill, You Shook Me All Night Long and of course its title track Black In Black.

As Acca Dacca's seminal album turns 45 years old, we delve into the single that shares its name and has lived on to become the band's stand out anthem.

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Despite Back In Black being the album's title track and being largely considered one of the band's most recognisable anthems, it wasn't its lead single. It actually followed You Shook Me All Night Long, which was released in August 1980.

Following in December that year, Back In Black was a defiant celebration of life, evoking imagery of an inimitable daredevil, who has an insatiable thirst for life.

Some may think the song is sees new singer Brian Johnson introducing himself to the band, but it's actually a tribute to their fallen frontman, Bon Scott who died of alcohol poisoning just months before the album was released.

Geordie rocker Johnson previously talked about being tasked with writing lyrics for the song, which he recalled the band told him had to be a "celebration" rather than sad or "morbid".

Despite this, Johnson's lyrics don't hold back as he talks about being "let loose/From the noose" and having "nine lives".

It's bold and it's brazen, but it certainly does the job.

"They said: 'It can't be morbid – it has to be for Bon and it has to be a celebration,'" he told MOJO magazine.

"I thought, 'Well no pressure there, then' (laughs). I just wrote what came into my head, which at the time seemed like mumbo, jumbo. 'Nine lives. Cats eyes. Abusing every one of them and running wild.'

"The boys got it though. They saw Bon's life in that lyric."

AC/DC - Back In Black (Official 4K Video)

45 years later and the song's unmistakable riff is a rock staple and a live mainstay- a fitting tribute from Johnson to the hellraiser who came before him.

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