Who knew that sitting outside could get old so quickly? Either winter has to go or this COVID thing does, because the combination is decidedly unfunny. I guess I should be thankful I don’t live in Toronto. Anyway, here’s some music from a place where it is currently springtime!
Disc 1422 is…. ’74 Jailbreak
Artist: AC/DC
Year of Release: 1984 in North America, but featuring music from 1975-1976
What’s up with the Cover? Angus plays guitar. If you are seeing more than one Angus, you may want to lay off the LSD.
How I Came To Know It: ’74 Jailbreak was a classic party and driving song of my youth, but I didn’t own it until 2003 when it was re-released and remastered. Remastering isn’t always the best thing for an album, but the ACDC remasters are excellent.
How It Stacks Up: I have just recently added to my ACDC collection and now have 10 albums. “’74 Jailbreak” is really more of an EP, but I’m going to count it anyway, and put it in at #7. That sounds low, but there are a lot of good ACDC records, my friends.
Ratings: 4 stars
“74 Jailbreak” is a short (5-song EP) featuring songs that were left off of the North American releases of their first two albums. Listening to this collection you will be moved to ask, “what were you thinking, North America?”
The record is a combination of four songs that are on the Australian version of the band’s 1975 debut, “High Voltage” (Disc 856) and their 1976 follow up “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (Disc 619) but not released into North America until 1984. I often advocate on this blog for albums to be a few songs shorter, but the five songs on “74 Jailbreak” are every much the equal of the ones that were exported from Down Under back in the mid-seventies.
The whole thing starts off with “’Jailbreak,” one of hard rock’s all-time classics and slated for the “Dirty Deeds” record, where it would have fit perfectly. The song features singer Bon Scott at his greasy best, half-talking his way through the tale of a failed jailbreak. When you are 14 years old this song speaks to every bit of rebellion in your hormone-infused body. Sure the guy in the song is escaping jail under gunfire, and you just want to hang out at the mall a little longer, but the desire for freedom? That shit is universal.
“Jailbreak” also has one of rock and roll’s most enduring and classic guitar riffs, and while that middle section where Angus uses his guitar to represent spotlights, sirens and rifles is awesome, it is the riff that carries the tune. RIP Malcom Young.
The record has some of the best musicianship in the band’s career. I’ve always felt Angus Young’s guitar solos are a little overrated (if only because we all enjoy watching him skip across the stage, crouched over his guitar) but the songs on this record showcase him at his best. This is particularly evident on “Soul Stripper,” where he delivers some blues licks that are exceptional. Angus’ opening solo on this album may not be as celebrated as some others, but it is one of rock’s great moments.
Much more surprising, are the nuanced (for them) lyrics on “Soul Stripper.” ACDC is not known for their subtlety (I see their writing as a series of “non-tendres” because when a double entendre is this obvious, it ceases to be one). They also love to talk about sex and booze, so on a song like “Soul Stripper” you’d expect them to focus on the stripper side of the equation. But no, they surprise you. This is a song about a woman who digs into your psyche and tears down your emotional defences. And not in a romantic or sexy way. She hollows out the narrator and leaves him psychologically naked. But there’s no certainty anyone actually gets naked. In fact, beyond an early hand on a lap, I don’t think this song has any sex at all.
The album ends with a cover of the Big Joe Williams’ blues classic, “Baby, Please Don’t Go” which may be my favourite version of this song. Again, the guitar work is brilliant, and Bon Scott’s natural growl was born to make the blues as dirty as they can be.
The biggest problem I had with “74 Jailbreak” is it was too short, which is a weak criticism when you’re talking about an EP. I don’t know what marketing, distribution, or legal considerations when into taking these songs off their original LPs, but I’m glad in 1984 everyone came to their senses and let us North Americans join in on the fun.
Best tracks: ’74 Jailbreak, You Ain’t Got a Hold On Me, Soul Stripper
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