Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Encyclopedia
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is the third studio album
by Australia
n hard rock
band AC/DC, released in 1976. All songs were written by Angus Young
, Malcolm Young
, and Bon Scott
.
It was originally released in Australia on Albert Productions
on 20 September 1976. A modified international edition was later released on Atlantic Records
in November 1976.
The album has been certified 6x Platinum in the United States, which means that it has sold at least 6 million copies, becoming the third highest sold album by AC/DC in the U.S. after Highway to Hell
(seven times platinum) and Back in Black
(22+).
, AC/DC delivered another recording with a number of fan-favourite songs, including the title track
, "Squealer", "Problem Child", and others. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap also contains some controversial lyrics. For example "Big Balls" lyrics uses double entendre
s, referring the title phrase to costume parties
and to testicles.
The single
"Jailbreak
" preceded the album's release in Australia and the UK. After the album's release, the single for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
" was released in Australia in October 1976, in the UK in January 1977, and in the US in 1981 (when the album was finally released there).
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap also led to more AC/DC appearances on Australia's Countdown music program, following those in support of High Voltage and T.N.T.
These appearances included a live performance of the album's title track, as well as a music video
for "Jailbreak
".
A song titled "I'm a Rebel
" was recorded during this album's sessions in 1976, with music and lyrics written by Angus
and Malcolm Young
's older brother, Alex Young
. This song was never released by AC/DC and remains in Albert Productions
' vaults. German band Accept
later released it as a single and named their second album
after the song.
-esque mystery scenario.
Furthermore, the term "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is a homage to the cartoon Beany and Cecil
, which Angus Young
watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was named Dishonest John, and carried a business card
that read, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays and Special Rates."
until April 1981.
On this album, the single
s "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" and "Jailbreak
" (featured on the Australian version) were replaced by "Rocker" (from 1975's T.N.T.
) and "Love at First Feel
", the latter being one of only two tracks from international AC/DC albums not available on the band's Australian albums. (The other is "Cold Hearted Man", released on European pressings of Powerage
.) Conversely, several songs available on Australian AC/DC albums did not see overseas release until more than thirty years later. However, "Love at First Feel" was released in Australia as a single in January 1977.
Though the international album was released by Atlantic Records
in Europe in 1976, it was not picked up for U.S. release at the time. Following the American success of Highway to Hell
in late 1979, copies of the album began to appear as imports in the U.S. Some of these imports were the original Australian edition on Albert Productions
. However, Atlantic Records also pressed the international version in Australia, and many of these copies were also exported to the U.S. Strong demand for both import versions in the wake of the even greater success of Back in Black
eventually led the U.S. division of Atlantic to finally authorize an official U.S. release in April 1981, which went straight to #3 on the Billboard album charts.
Two songs on the international album were edited from the full length versions on the original Australian album. The full length "Dirty Deeds..." has the title of the song chanted four times starting at 3:09, but on the edited version the chant is heard only twice. "Ain't No Fun..." lasted 7:29 on the Australian album but was faded out early to 6:57 on the international version. However, both these full length versions were restored on the 1994 Atco Records
remastered CD of the international album. The most recent 2003 CD edition by Epic Records
goes back to the edited versions, as originally on the 1976 and 1981 international vinyl editions. The uncut versions of both songs were released on the 2009 box set Backtracks
.
On the original version of "Rocker", included on the Australian T.N.T. album, the song lasts 2:55 and cuts out abruptly as the guitar riff hits its peak. But all international editions of the "Dirty Deeds" album have a slightly shorter version where the song fades out at 2:50 before the cut.
The Australian version of the album was briefly released in the United Kingdom
, but only on the original vinyl
printings in that country.
"Jailbreak" was included on AC/DC's '74 Jailbreak
EP
, released in October 1984 in the United States
, Canada
, and Japan
.
"R.I.P. (Rock In Peace)" finally saw international release as part of the compilation Backtracks
, which was released on 10 November 2009.
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band AC/DC, released in 1976. All songs were written by Angus Young
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
, Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
, and Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
.
It was originally released in Australia on Albert Productions
Albert Productions
Albert Productions, a division of music publishing and recording company Albert Music, is one of Australia's longest established independent Australian record label to specialise in rock and roll music. The label was founded in 1964 by Ted Albert, whose family owned and operated the Australian...
on 20 September 1976. A modified international edition was later released on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in November 1976.
The album has been certified 6x Platinum in the United States, which means that it has sold at least 6 million copies, becoming the third highest sold album by AC/DC in the U.S. after Highway to Hell
Highway to Hell
Highway to Hell can refer to:*Highway to Hell , 1979 album by AC/DC**"Highway to Hell" , the title track from the album*Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell*Highway to Hell , a 1992 film starring Chad Lowe and Kristy Swanson...
(seven times platinum) and Back in Black
Back in Black
Back in Black is an album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It is the seventh Australian and sixth internationally released studio album by the band....
(22+).
Overview
Following up on the preceding Australian album, 1975's T.N.T.T.N.T. (album)
T.N.T. is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in December 1975. Seven of the album's nine songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott...
, AC/DC delivered another recording with a number of fan-favourite songs, including the title track
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (song)
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the title track and first track of their album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....
, "Squealer", "Problem Child", and others. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap also contains some controversial lyrics. For example "Big Balls" lyrics uses double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s, referring the title phrase to costume parties
Costume party
A fancy dress party or a costume party , mainly in contemporary Western culture, is a type of party where guests dress up in a costume.-Fancy dress parties in Britain:...
and to testicles.
The single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Jailbreak
Jailbreak (AC/DC song)
"Jailbreak" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the ninth and final track of their third Australian album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976...
" preceded the album's release in Australia and the UK. After the album's release, the single for "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (song)
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the title track and first track of their album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott....
" was released in Australia in October 1976, in the UK in January 1977, and in the US in 1981 (when the album was finally released there).
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap also led to more AC/DC appearances on Australia's Countdown music program, following those in support of High Voltage and T.N.T.
T.N.T. (album)
T.N.T. is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in December 1975. Seven of the album's nine songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott...
These appearances included a live performance of the album's title track, as well as a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Jailbreak
Jailbreak (AC/DC song)
"Jailbreak" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the ninth and final track of their third Australian album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976...
".
A song titled "I'm a Rebel
I'm a Rebel (song)
I'm a Rebel is a hard rock song written by Alex Young, elder brother of AC/DC guitarists Angus and Malcolm Young, on 15 September 1976.-AC/DC version:...
" was recorded during this album's sessions in 1976, with music and lyrics written by Angus
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
and Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young
Malcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
's older brother, Alex Young
Alexander Young (musician)
Alexander Young aka George Alexander was a Scottish guitarist and session musician.Alexander Young was born in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland...
. This song was never released by AC/DC and remains in Albert Productions
Albert Productions
Albert Productions, a division of music publishing and recording company Albert Music, is one of Australia's longest established independent Australian record label to specialise in rock and roll music. The label was founded in 1964 by Ted Albert, whose family owned and operated the Australian...
' vaults. German band Accept
Accept
Accept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled by former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes. Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s...
later released it as a single and named their second album
I'm a Rebel
I'm a Rebel is the second album by the heavy metal band Accept, recorded in 1979 and released in 1980 . It was the first of three consecutive Accept records to utilize Dirk Steffens as producer. The album finds Accept continuing to search for their musical direction, experimenting with a more...
after the song.
Influences
On the Live At Donington DVD, Angus and Malcolm Young explain that the concept of this album was to make it a Humphrey BogartHumphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was an American actor. He is widely regarded as a cultural icon.The American Film Institute ranked Bogart as the greatest male star in the history of American cinema....
-esque mystery scenario.
Furthermore, the term "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is a homage to the cartoon Beany and Cecil
Beany and Cecil
Beany and Cecil was an animated cartoon series created by Bob Clampett, who had previously worked for Warner Bros.. As a puppet show entitled Time for Beany, it originally aired in 1949, with the animated series first appearing in Matty's Funday Funnies in 1959, later renamed Matty's Funnies with...
, which Angus Young
Angus Young
Angus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was named Dishonest John, and carried a business card
Business card
Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company affiliation and contact information such as street addresses, telephone...
that read, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays and Special Rates."
Sales
The album was released in April 1981 in the US and reached #3 on the Billboard charts. Currently, the album is certified 6xPlatinum, selling 6 million copiesInternational release
The international edition of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released November 1976, is considerably different from the original Australian edition, and features a different cover and track order. It was not released in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
until April 1981.
On this album, the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" and "Jailbreak
Jailbreak (AC/DC song)
"Jailbreak" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the ninth and final track of their third Australian album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976...
" (featured on the Australian version) were replaced by "Rocker" (from 1975's T.N.T.
T.N.T. (album)
T.N.T. is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in December 1975. Seven of the album's nine songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott...
) and "Love at First Feel
Love At First Feel
"Love at First Feel" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the second track of the international version of their album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in November 1976 , and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott...
", the latter being one of only two tracks from international AC/DC albums not available on the band's Australian albums. (The other is "Cold Hearted Man", released on European pressings of Powerage
Powerage
Powerage is the fifth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in May 1978. It is also AC/DC's fourth international studio album. All songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott....
.) Conversely, several songs available on Australian AC/DC albums did not see overseas release until more than thirty years later. However, "Love at First Feel" was released in Australia as a single in January 1977.
Though the international album was released by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in Europe in 1976, it was not picked up for U.S. release at the time. Following the American success of Highway to Hell
Highway to Hell
Highway to Hell can refer to:*Highway to Hell , 1979 album by AC/DC**"Highway to Hell" , the title track from the album*Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell*Highway to Hell , a 1992 film starring Chad Lowe and Kristy Swanson...
in late 1979, copies of the album began to appear as imports in the U.S. Some of these imports were the original Australian edition on Albert Productions
Albert Productions
Albert Productions, a division of music publishing and recording company Albert Music, is one of Australia's longest established independent Australian record label to specialise in rock and roll music. The label was founded in 1964 by Ted Albert, whose family owned and operated the Australian...
. However, Atlantic Records also pressed the international version in Australia, and many of these copies were also exported to the U.S. Strong demand for both import versions in the wake of the even greater success of Back in Black
Back in Black
Back in Black is an album by Australian rock band AC/DC. It is the seventh Australian and sixth internationally released studio album by the band....
eventually led the U.S. division of Atlantic to finally authorize an official U.S. release in April 1981, which went straight to #3 on the Billboard album charts.
Two songs on the international album were edited from the full length versions on the original Australian album. The full length "Dirty Deeds..." has the title of the song chanted four times starting at 3:09, but on the edited version the chant is heard only twice. "Ain't No Fun..." lasted 7:29 on the Australian album but was faded out early to 6:57 on the international version. However, both these full length versions were restored on the 1994 Atco Records
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
remastered CD of the international album. The most recent 2003 CD edition by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
goes back to the edited versions, as originally on the 1976 and 1981 international vinyl editions. The uncut versions of both songs were released on the 2009 box set Backtracks
Backtracks (AC/DC album)
Backtracks is a box set by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was announced on 29 September 2009 and was released on 10 November 2009. This is a collection of the band's studio and live rarities together in one boxset. There are two editions; a Deluxe Edition and a Standard Edition...
.
On the original version of "Rocker", included on the Australian T.N.T. album, the song lasts 2:55 and cuts out abruptly as the guitar riff hits its peak. But all international editions of the "Dirty Deeds" album have a slightly shorter version where the song fades out at 2:50 before the cut.
The Australian version of the album was briefly released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, but only on the original vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
printings in that country.
"Jailbreak" was included on AC/DC's '74 Jailbreak
'74 Jailbreak
- Personnel :* Bon Scott – lead vocals* Angus Young – lead guitar, rhythm guitar* Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, lead guitar, backing vocals* George Young – bass guitar, production, backing vocals* Rob Bailey – bass guitar...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, released in October 1984 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
"R.I.P. (Rock In Peace)" finally saw international release as part of the compilation Backtracks
Backtracks (AC/DC album)
Backtracks is a box set by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was announced on 29 September 2009 and was released on 10 November 2009. This is a collection of the band's studio and live rarities together in one boxset. There are two editions; a Deluxe Edition and a Standard Edition...
, which was released on 10 November 2009.
Australian
International
- Most editions of this album contain the edited versions of the title track and "Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)." The 1994 remastered CD on Atco Records contains the full-length Australian versions of both songs.
- The track "Rocker" was originally released on T.N.T.T.N.T. (album)T.N.T. is the second studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in December 1975. Seven of the album's nine songs were written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott...
in 1975 in a slightly longer version without the fade out. - The track "Ride On" also appears on the soundtrack Who Made WhoWho Made WhoWho Made Who is a hard rock album by Australian band AC/DC, released in 1986 as the soundtrack to the Stephen King movie Maximum Overdrive...
for the Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
movie Maximum OverdriveMaximum OverdriveMaximum Overdrive is a 1986 American action-horror-science fiction film written and directed by novelist Stephen King. The screenplay was inspired by and loosely based on King's short story, Trucks, which was included in King's first collection of short stories, Night Shift.Maximum Overdrive is...
.
Personnel
- Bon ScottBon ScottRonald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
– lead vocals - Angus YoungAngus YoungAngus McKinnon Young is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances,...
– lead guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, backing vocals on "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" - Malcolm YoungMalcolm YoungMalcolm Young is a Scottish-born Australian guitarist, best known as a founding member, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. Young was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, along with the other members of AC/DC...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals - Mark EvansMark Evans (musician)Mark Whitmore Evans is an Australian bass guitarist who was an early member of hard rock band AC/DC from March 1975 to June 1977. His playing featured on their albums T.N.T, High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock and 74 Jailbreak...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Phil RuddPhil RuddPhillip Hugh Norman Rudd is an Australian drummer. He is best known for his membership of rock band AC/DC from 1975 until 1983, and again from 1994 to present. After the 1977 departure of bass guitarist Mark Evans, he became the only Australian-born member of the band...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... Albums Chart |
|
| 1981 | US Billboard The 200 Albums Chart |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | "Big Balls" | Mainstream Rock | 26 |
| 1981 | "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" | Mainstream Rock | 4 |
Certification
| Country | Sales | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 6,000,000 | 6x Platinum |
Reviews
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap received generally favorable reviews; an Allmusic review of the international version of the album gave it a rating of five out of five stars and said that it "it captured the seething malevolence of Bon Scott [...] encouraged by the maniacal riffs of Angus and Malcolm Young" and that there was a "real sense of danger to this record."External links
- Lyrics on AC/DC's official website