AC/DC announced its name with many successful albums, such as the sixth album, entitled ‘Highway To Hell,’ released in 1979. The record had a considerable impact on the band’s music career. AC/DC’s reputation continued with the 1980 album called ‘Back In Black,’ which was another best-selling album of the group. The band’s following works reached a broad audience worldwide, bringing recognition to their material.
This fame brought attention to the band’s works, especially their lyrics. Some religious communities reversed the lyrics of AC/DC and argued they had subliminal messages. These people advocated that the subtext of the songs contained satanic expressions. Lead guitarist Angus Young touched upon this subject in the past, mocking how people spend money to look into their pieces closely.
Angus Young Stressed AC/DC Didn’t Use Hidden Messages
AC/DC was at the peak of its career with successful works in the ’80s. The band gained considerable recognition and reached many people who appreciated their music style. On the other hand, some people did not support the music the group played. The lyrics of the band were reversed and interpreted as satanic meanings. One of the reasons for the comments about the group was that the people learned that the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, was listening to AC/DC.
In a 1985 interview, Angus Young talked about these interpretations. According to Young, some people in America did the same thing with their songs as they analyzed movies and books deeply. The Moral Majority tried to read the lyrics backward, but the band did not intend to put hidden meanings into their songs. The musician mentioned that they just created the titles and lyrics straight, so there weren’t subliminal messages. Young noted that while many issues should receive attention in society, he did not find it reasonable to concentrate on their lyrics.
Angus Young explained about people believing they have hidden messages in songs:
“I think in one way it’s stupid. There’s always that mentality in America. You get that thing where they always want to carve up something, whether a movie or a book. When it comes to something like us, The Moral Majority loves playing our records backward. Though, with us, we just put it straight on the title ‘Highway The Hell.’ I think they don’t appreciate our honesty.
When it comes to people like that, the one thing I do get annoyed at is the way they waste public money by bringing up senators and people like this. I wonder where they get the power, the people who vote them in. Such a clown who can sit there, and that’s all he’s got to do all day, sit there and go, ‘Oh, I’ll read some rock lyrics.’
It’s a bit silly when they should be out there grafting for something else. We’re not politicians; we’re musicians. That’s what these people ought to stick to politics, which they do a very rough job of anyhow, and we’ll stick to be musicians.”
As Angus Young stated, the group had no other purpose than to make music. They have been just writing and singing what they feel. Unlike what some people thought, their songs do not contain subliminal statements and subtexts. Instead, they directly give the messages they want to the world.
