Every one knows that AC/DC have pretty much released the same album over and over again. There is some misconception there. Seventies Bon Scott era sounds different from eighties Brian Johnson era for the most part. Yes they are Blues based albums, but the feel is different. Fly On The Wall is the perfect example of what 1980's AC/DC had to offer. Which was polished, well arranged Rock.
The album kicks off with the album's title track. This track reminds me a lot of the album tracks off For Those About To Rock. For some reason COD comes to mind. It's a solid start to the album, but it's a pretty basic track.
Next up is Shake Your Foundation, which is a decent song. I think some people make it into a bigger track than it really is, but with very singable lyrics it's hard to knock it too much. "You gotta see me leanin' on the bar / I got my head in a whiskey jar [jug ?] / Feelin' good 'cos the city's alive / I'm gettin' ready to rock and jive / I get up and I slide across the floor / You wanna come and I'll meet you at the door / No one can stop us 'cos we're feelin' too right / We're gonna steal our way around tonight / (Alright, alright) / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it to the floor / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it / I was takin' no liberties / She's gettin' hotter off the heat on me / I was oilin', she was slick / Lickin' off the sweat, her favorite trick / She cried help me, help me, please / Tame this animal, help me to breathe / I said no, no way / You gotta come with me all of the way / (OK, I'll play) / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it to the floor / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it to the floor / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it / We had the night, we had the time / She had the sugar and I had the wine / Took my hand, shook me to the core / Told her not to touch, but she was coming back for more / (You know what for) / Aye, aye, aye, aye / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it to the floor / Aye, aye, oh, shake your foundations / Aye, aye, oh, shake it".
First Blood is different for AC/DC. It's a little Pop-ish, and has a bit of that eighties commercial vibe to it. It's a solid album filler, but that's pretty much all it is.
That's followed up by Danger. This is one of those tracks that could have been a popular radio single, if it was released in another time, or by another band. It's a decent track, but when performed by AC/DC it sounds like just another song, with a commercial production. The solo on this track, brings to mind my feelings about the soloing on this album in general. It's wild, over played, and sounds more thrown in and thrashed out, than being something that compliments the song.
Sink The Pink was probably the biggest song on the album. With lyrics that are found on here it's not hard to see why. "Put your gear into fire / Lay your bullets on the ground / Turn your head to desire / There's a woman going down / She said she'll rough you up, all the way / And she gonna spit you out, count your days / She says choice is yours, casually / So why don't you do what comes naturally / Sink the pink, it's all the fashion / Drink the drink, it's old-fashioned / Gimme water, gimme wine / Gonna show you a good time / Sink the pink / Sink the pink / Got a fever runnin' high / Give you wings to make you fly / She school you like a fool / She make you break the rules / She wanna get a shot, hit the spot / Then I'm gonna rack 'em up, get that hot / She said make it good, satisfy / You know that woman got jealous eyes / Sink the pink, it's all the fashion / Drink the drink, it's old-fashioned / Gimme water, gimme wine / Gonna show you a good time / Sink the pink / Sink the pink", then it's on to one of the few solos on the album that works with the song, and followed by one last round of the chorus. "Sink the pink, it's all the fashion / Drink the drink, it's old-fashioned / Gimme water, gimme wine / Gonna show you a good time / Sink the pink / Sink the pink".
The second side of the album opens with Playing With Girls. I dig this song because it has an almost Aerosmith boogie woogie to it. I could picture this track on Permanent Vacation with no real effort. This is one of those songs that I think years from now will be thought of as a hidden gem, if it isn't already. But, only because it is a different vibe for them.
Stand Up is pretty much like fifty percent of the album fillers found in the 1980's AC/DC catalog. It sounds great on this album, but it's pretty much as you would expect. There is some experimental sounding stuff during the solo which is worth a listen, I think, but other wise I've said it already.
By the time you get to Hell Or High Water you can really start to figure out what this side of the album is really about. It's pretty much what Blues morphed into in the 1980's after Pop radio and mainstream Top 40 started sucking the soul out of music. It's the same idea of what happened to ZZ Top during this period. That twisted morph to try and stay contemporary. Which AC/DC pulled off.
I don't remember if Back in Business was ever radio friendly, or a single, and I really don't care. it always stood out on this album for me. It's one of those tracks that are just bad ass and full of a whole lot of nasty mood. "Breaking out, about to shout / Feel the need, for one more round / Don't you struggle, don't try to bite / You want some trouble, I'm the king of vice / I'm a wrecking ball, I'm a stinging knife / Steal your money, gonna take your life / You got screaming murder, lock up your door / Double dealing, gotta have more / Call me dirty, trash my name / Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be / Back in business again, back in business again / Back in business again, back in business again / Back in business / Flesh and blood, I'm a rag 'n' bone / Bad luck message on the telephone / Don't you worry, play my game / I'll do you a favour put your soul for sale / Like a cannon ball going down the track / Need good loving, but I want it back / I was born in trouble, they gave up on me / Teacher preaching what not to be / Call me dirty, trash my name / Just tell the boys that I'm gonna be / Back in business again, back in business again / Back in business again, back in business again / Back in business / Back in business again, back in business again / Back in business again, back in business again / Back in business again, back in business, back in business again / Back in business again, back in business, back in business again / Back in business again, and I'm looking for you". This is one of those songs that by the end of it, you are ready to go raise hell.
The album ends with Send For The Man, and it's a very solid and decent ending to to the album. I think I may have switched the last two tracks, but this one closes out the album well enough. It's a good angry drinking kind of song, the type that you'd expect to hear in a biker bar right before someone opens up on some stupid shmucks face with a fist or boot.
I would suggest any AC/DC fan should own this album. If you are a Bon Scott fan you may not be as into it, but if you like Brian Johnson you should enjoy this a lot. If you like both vocalists you should also get this one. It's great thrown into a mix, and still very enjoyable on it's own. You may not listen to it a lot after you first give it a few good listens, but it's one of those albums you look at from time to time and go, "Hell yeah, let's give that one a spin."
7/10 - content
7/10 - production
7/10 - personal bias
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