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For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
Studio album by AC/DC
Released	23 November 1981
Recorded	1981
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal, blues-rock
Length	40:10
Label	Albert
Producer	Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Blender link Robert Christgau (C) link Rolling Stone link
AC/DC chronology
Back in Black (1980) For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981) Flick of the Switch (1983)
Alternate cover
Original Spanish cover

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) is the eighth album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released in 1981. The album was a follow-up to their highly successful album Back in Black. For Those About to Rock has sold over 4 million copies in the US. It was AC/DC's first and only No. 1 album in the USA until the release of Black Ice in October 2008. In their original 1981 review, Rolling Stone magazine declared it to be their best album.

The album was the third and final produced for the band by Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

The name of the album was inspired by a book Angus Young read, entitled For Those About To Die, We Salute You, about Roman gladiators. The gladiators' final words to the emperor were "Ave Caesar morituri te salutant" - or, "Hail Caesar, we who are about to die, salute you." The album was re-released in 2003 as part of the AC/DC Remasters series.

Development

After thier very successful Back in Black, the band was finding a way for them to top it and began working on a new album. All the songs of the album where composed by Brian Johnson, Malcolm Young and Angus Young. The album was produced by Robert John Lange. AThe title song was made to say that if anyone who is about to sing songs of rock or heavy metal they salute them. The album is the second album to not fature Bon Scott, who died before Back in Black was release and the second with Brian Johnson. The band began recording the album on late spring and ended on early Fall.

Track listing

1. "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" – 5:44
2. "Put the Finger on You" – 3:25
3. "Let's Get It Up" – 3:54
4. "Inject the Venom" – 3:30
5. "Snowballed" – 3:23
6. "Evil Walks" – 4:23
7. "C.O.D." – 3:19
8. "Breaking the Rules" – 4:23
9. "Night of the Long Knives" – 3:25
10. "Spellbound" – 4:39

• All songs composed by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson.

Notes

Recorded in a rehearsal space on the outskirts of Paris. The band had found it difficult to come up with their desired sound while on their previous rehearsing location (an abandoned factory in France).

The album became AC/DC's first US No. 1 album. After its release the band embarked on its first arena tour of North America (late 1981 through early 1982). For the title track, large cannons were placed on stage, set to go off in accordance with the song on the album.

In Spain, early copies of the album featured a sleeve with the colours reversed, i.e., a gold cannon on a black background.

The title track's popularity was such that in every live concert AC/DC has done thereafter, the song is performed as an encore and is always accompanied by firing cannons on stage.

It was re-released in 2003 in CD format. That edition consisted of digitally remastered material from the original masters.

References in popular culture

• In the video game Guitar Hero II, the Gibson SG's description has a line which reads: "For those about to rock, we... give you the Gibson SG".
• On Nintendo's website, the ad for the Wii version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock states "For those about to rock, Wii salute you". This tagline is also seen in the music store for Rock Band 2 Wii users.
• In the movie School of Rock, Jack Black says to the class: "In the words of AC/DC: We roll tonight... to the guitar bite... and for those about to rock... I salute you"^[1]
• The album was referenced by Beastie Boys on their 1989 single "Shadrach."
• ESPN uses it for their college football coverage.
• Mixed martial arts fighter Rich Franklin uses the title track as entrance music in the UFC.
• Artie Lange, sidekick on Howard Stern's radio program, frequently references Brian Johnson's exclamation of "FIRE!!" from the title track.
• WBCN often uses the opening guitar notes of the title track as segue ways into and out of commercials during New England Patriots radio broadcasts.

Video

For Those About to Rock was also the name of a movie including live performances by AC/DC, as well as Metallica, The Black Crowes, and Pantera.

Sales

The album's sales, although good, paled in comparison to the previous Back in Black sales. Nevertheless, the album became the first AC/DC album to ever hit #1 in the U.S.A. on the Billboard chart. The album held this position for three weeks. To date, in the United States, it has achieved 4 million sales. In the United Kindom, the album's two title track: "Let's Get It Up" and "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" made it to #13 and #15 respectively.

Personnel

• Brian Johnson - lead vocals
• Angus Young - lead guitar
• Malcolm Young - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Cliff Williams - bass guitar, backing vocals
• Phil Rudd - drums, percussion

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - UK (United Kingdom)

Certification

References