For Those About To Rock

AC/DC

About For Those About To Rock

"For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" is a song by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. The song was first released on AC/DC's eighth studio album For Those About to Rock We Salute You in 1981, and later as a single in 1982. The single's B-side contains an edited live version of "Let There Be Rock", recorded in Landover, Maryland, in late 1981. The video to "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" was filmed at that same concert. The song was later included on AC/DC's first soundtrack album, Who Made Who, released in 1986 for the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive. The title and central lyric of the song are based on an ancient salute used by Roman prisoners to be executed in the Colosseum, "Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant" ("Hail Caesar, we who are about to die, salute you."). However, Angus Young later said that the inspiration for the cannons came from a very different source. The band was cutting the first recordings of the song on the same day as Princess Diana of Great Britain's televised wedding. Angus recalled that "someone had the wedding on in the next room ... we were playing that part of the song when the cannons were going off and we paused a second and went 'hmmm ... that actually sounds pretty good.'" This coincidence also led to a cannon being featured on the cover of the album and single, as well as life-sized Napoleonic cannons becoming a regular stage prop at AC/DC concerts. The cannons fired in the song are mixed with exploding fireworks. However the actual takes were recorded later the next month as the mobile truck used to record the album (Mobile One) was being used to record Peter Gabriel's 4th eponymous album during the marriage of Charles and Diana. more »

Year:: 2011
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AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian hard rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who have remained constant members. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal and are sometimes classified as such, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll". To date they are one of the highest-grossing bands of all time. more »

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Genre »

Rock

Style »

Hard Rock

12 facts about this song

Song Formation "For Those About To Rock" was created by the Scottish-Australian Hard rock band, AC/DC.
Album Success The song was the title track of the band’s eighth studio album "For Those About To Rock We Salute You," which was released in 1981.
Charts Achievement The "For Those About To Rock" album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the USA in 1981.
Song Inspiration The song and the album's title was inspired by a book that Angus Young read, entitled "For Those About To Die, We Salute You," about an ancient Roman salute.
Musical Arrangements The song is famous for its heavy guitar riffs and strong vocals. It includes the use of canon sound effects during its live performances.
Cultural Impact Since its release, the phrase "For Those About To Rock" has become a catchphrase and part of popular culture.
Song Length "For Those About To Rock" is approximately 5 minutes and 44 seconds long, making it one of AC/DC's longer songs.
Live Performances During live performances of the song, AC/DC's stage set-up features large cannons, which they fire as part of the climax of the song.
Commercial Success The album was certified Platinum in the US within weeks of its release, and by 2005 had achieved double Multi-Platinum status.
Distinctive Style The song carries the distinctive hard rock style of AC/DC, featuring classic rock and roll elements while providing a heavy, rhythmic sound.
Album Artwork The album's cover features one of the cannons used in the band's live performances.
Line-Up Band members involved in this song were Brian Johnson (leads vocals), Angus Young (lead guitar), Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar), Cliff Williams (bass guitar), and Phil Rudd (drums).

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"For Those About To Rock Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/23541650/AC-DC/For+Those+About+To+Rock>.

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