AC/DC have been quite busy of late promoting Power Up, their first new album since 2014, and the first they've released since the death of their co-founder and rhythm guitarist, Malcolm Young, in 2017.
Recently, the band's SG-wielding icon of a lead guitarist, Angus Young, sat down for a chat with Vulture. During the discussion – which revolved around the rock titans' extensive discography – Young was asked what he thought was AC/DC's "most regrettable" tune.
Young's answer was "Love Song," a track from the original, Australia-only version of the band's debut album, High Voltage. Released in 1975, it was excluded from the subsequent, internationally released version of High Voltage, and only saw the light of day again in the 2009 box set, Backtracks.
“That was very different for us,” Young said of the song. “I didn’t know if we were trying to parody love songs of the time, because Bon [Scott] wrote the lyrics. I don’t even remember what the words are.
“I remember that song because the guy who worked for us at our record label told us that’s what was on the local radio at the time – very soft music. He thought we should release that song, because it’ll probably get some airplay. I remember thinking, ‘Who in their right mind would want this to go out?’ ”
Young did point out, however, that "Love Song" had at least a few benefits for the band.
“We were very fortunate, though, because all of the radio stations who had seen us live knew this was not who we were. So these stations started to flip the record over and play the other song, which was a cover of a blues standard called 'Baby, Please Don’t Go.' We actually scored a hit from the B‑side! That was the one saving grace of the song.”
Power Up – the band's sixteenth internationally released studio album – topped the charts in well over a dozen countries upon its release last month. It's available now for download, and on all streaming services.
