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Hells Bells (song)

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"Hells Bells"
Artwork for one of the continental European releases
Single by AC/DC
from the album Back in Black
B-side"What Do You Do for Money Honey"
Released31 October 1980
RecordedApril – May 1980
StudioCompass Point (Nassau)
GenreHard rock[1]
Length5:12
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Robert John "Mutt" Lange
AC/DC singles chronology
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
(1980) 		"Hells Bells"
(1980) 		"Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
(1980)
Music video
"Hells Bells" on YouTube

"Hells Bells" is the first track of Back in Black, the seventh studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC and their comeback album after the death of lead singer Bon Scott. "Hells Bells" is the second single from Back in Black, released on 31 October 1980. The song also appears on Who Made Who, AC/DC's 1986 soundtrack to the Stephen King film Maximum Overdrive and on both versions of 1992's AC/DC Live.

Composition

[edit]

"Hells Bells" begins with the slow, funereal tolling of a 2,000-pound (900 kg) bronze bell.[2] Manufactured by John Taylor & Co Bellfounders in Loughborough, the sound of the bell was recorded by Tony Platt using Ronnie Lane's mobile studio inside the bell foundry following the completion of the Back in Black tracking sessions at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas.[2]

Reception

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"Hells Bells" is widely regarded as one of the band's best songs. In 2020, The Guardian ranked the song number six on their list of the 40 greatest AC/DC songs,[3] and in 2021, Kerrang! ranked the song number seven on their list of the 20 greatest AC/DC songs.[4]

Charts

[edit]
Year Chart Peak
position
1980 France (IFOP)[5] 16
1981
Australian (Kent Music Report)[6] 7
Germany (GfK)[7] 25
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[8] 50
2012 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 49
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[10] 39
France (SNEP)[11] 43
Germany (GfK)[7] 25
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[12] 51
2015 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 61
2022 Hungary (Single Top 40)[14] 32

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[15] Gold 30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[16] 4× Platinum 320,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[17] Gold 250,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[18] Gold 25,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[19] Platinum 60,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[20] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[22] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡
Ringtone
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 20,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Use in sports

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"Hells Bells" was used as the entrance music for former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Trevor Hoffman at home games from 1998 to 2010.[24][25] The song is played prior to every New Jersey Devils home game as the players come out on the ice.[26]

The German football club FC St. Pauli from Hamburg, French rugby club RC Toulonnais from Toulon and Greek football club PAOK FC from Thessaloniki open all home matches walking out to "Hells Bells", the former often with large fan displays and pyrotechnics.[27][28][29]

During the Bells Beach surf competition in Victoria, Australia, "Hells Bells" is played on the loudspeakers at the beginning of the first heat of each competing day.[30]

Use in film

[edit]

"Hells Bells" has been featured in a number of films most notably appearing in the Stephen King directed cult classic Maximum Overdrive and the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Deadpool & Wolverine.[31]

References

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  1. ^ Ertegün, Ahmet (2001). 'What'd I Say?': The Atlantic Story: 50 Years of Music. Welcome Rain Publisher. p. 546. ISBN 978-1-56649-048-1. Back in Black includes one of their best known songs, 'You Shook Me All Night Long' (#35 Pop), and hard rock classics 'Hells Bells', 'Back in Black' (#37 Pop) and 'Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution'.
  2. ^ a b "Classic Tracks: AC/DC 'Back In Black'". Sound on Sound. November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 June 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. ^ Hann, Michael (30 July 2020). "AC/DC – their 40 greatest songs, ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  4. ^ Law, Sam (3 February 2021). "The 20 greatest AC/DC songs – ranked". Kerrang!. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "AC/DC" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 11. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ a b "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  8. ^ "AC-DC Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  9. ^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  10. ^ "AC/DC Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  11. ^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  12. ^ "AC-DC Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  13. ^ "AC/DC – Hells Bells". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Canadian single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". Music Canada. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (AC/DC; 'Hells Bells')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  18. ^ "Italian single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 3 June 2022. Type AC/DC in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Hells Bells in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  20. ^ "Spanish single certifications – AC/DC – Hell's Bells". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  21. ^ "British single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Canadian ringtone certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". Music Canada.
  24. ^ Capozzi, Joe (11 January 2011). "Hell's Bells — Trevor Hoffman, who started his career with Florida Marlins, bound for Hall after retirement". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  25. ^ Center, Bill (26 September 2006). "Story of Hells Bells anthem, etc". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 26 September 2006.
  26. ^ "Devils DJ". National Hockey League. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  27. ^ "FC St. Pauli – More Than a Football Ckub". Rock'n'Roll Football – St. Pauli USA. 10 September 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  28. ^ ""Je suis bidon" à la place de "Hells Bells" à Mayol ? Mourad Boudjellal répond". Rugby Addict (in French). 19 February 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  29. ^ Τσαλγατίδης, Μάνος (5 October 2013). ""Welcome to the hell"". inpaok.com (in Greek). Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  30. ^ Pierson, Dashel (23 May 2018). "Six Things You Might Not Know About Bells Beach". Surfline. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  31. ^ "'Deadpool & Wolverine' Soundtrack: All the Songs You'll Hear". Deadline. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
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