Hells Bells (song)

"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.

"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"
Released	31 October 1980
Recorded	Spring 1980 at Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas
Genre	Hard rock[1]
Length	5:12
Label	Atlantic Records
Songwriter(s)	Angus Young Malcolm Young Brian Johnson
Producer(s)	Robert John "Mutt" Lange
AC/DC singles chronology
"You Shook Me All Night Long" (1980) "Hells Bells" (1980) "Back in Black" (1980)
Audio sample
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Music video
"Hells Bells" on YouTube

Composition

"Hells Bells" begins with the slow, funereal-sounding tolling of a 2000-pound bronze bell.[2] Manufactured by John Taylor & Co Bellfounders in the Leicestershire town of Loughborough, this 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]

Personnel

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

Charts

Year	Chart	Peak position
1980	France (IFOP)[3]	16
1981	Germany (Official German Charts)[4]	25
	US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[5]	50
2012	Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6]	49
	France (SNEP)[7]	43
	Germany (Official German Charts)[4]	25
	US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[8]	51
2015	Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9]	61

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[10] (Ringtone)	Gold	20,000^*
United States (RIAA)[11] (Mastertone)	Platinum	1,000,000^*
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

In baseball

The song was used as the entrance music for former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Trevor Hoffman at home games from 1998 to 2010, thrilling the crowd as he emerged.[12][13] The San Diego Padres' usage of "Hells Bells" for Hoffman was a forerunner in the heavy metal theme songs for closers used throughout MLB stadiums.[14][15] The San Jose Mercury News and ESPN.com wrote that the song should be honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.[16][17] At Hoffman's number retirement ceremony, Brian Johnson paid tribute in a video to Hoffman for "rocking the mound".[18][19]

References

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. "Classic Tracks: AC/DC 'Back In Black'". Sound on Sound. November 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
3. "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "AC/DC" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
4. "Offiziellecharts.de – AC/DC – Hells Bells". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
5. "AC/DC Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
6. "Austriancharts.at – AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
7. "Lescharts.com – AC/DC – Hells Bells" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
8. "AC/DC Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
9. "Swisscharts.com – AC/DC – Hells Bells". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
10. "Canadian single certifications – AC/DC – Hells Bells". Music Canada.
11. "American single certifications – AC/DC – Hell's Bells". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
12. 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. I'll never forget games I've covered at Petco Park when Hoffman trotted in from the bullpen to pitch the ninth inning to the ear-shattering sounds of AC/DC's Hell's Bells—perhaps some of the loudest, most electrifying crowd noise I've ever heard.
13. Center, Bill (26 September 2006). "Story of Hells Bells anthem, etc". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 26 September 2006.
14. Engber, Daniel (14 April 2006). "Hear My Song, Fear My Fastball". Slate. Archived from the original on 24 January 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011. The closer songs of the early '90s tended to mix a cranky bravado with the threat of mental instability—don't mess with me, I'm so mean and crazy.
15. Tarantino, Anthony (19 April 2004). "For whom the bell tolls". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Since using the idea, the Padres have become a forerunner in the closer-theme explosion.
16. Daly, Kaitee (28 July 2010). "John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' sparks a list". ESPN.com. p. 2. Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
17. Peterson, Gary (19 March 2011). "Peterson: Baseball Hall of Fame should honor AC/DC". San Jose Mercury News. p. C-2. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
18. Hayes, Dan (21 August 2011). "PADRES NOTES: Hoffman ceremony filled with surprises". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
19. Sullivan, Tim (21 August 2011). "Grand gesture is prime Trevor Time for good reason". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2014.