Highway to Hell ( song ) - wikipedia Highway to Hell ( song ) `` Highway to Hell '' A-side label of one of Australian vinyl releases Single by AC / DC from the album Highway to Hell B - side `` If You Want Blood ( You 've Got It ) '' Released 27 July 1979 Format 7 - inch single Recorded March -- April 1979 Genre Hard rock Length 3 : 27 Label Albert Productions Songwriter ( s ) Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young Producer ( s ) Mutt Lange AC / DC singles chronology `` Rock ' n ' Roll Damnation '' ( 1978 ) `` Highway to Hell '' ( 1979 ) `` Girls Got Rhythm '' ( 1979 ) `` Rock ' n ' Roll Damnation '' ( 1978 ) `` Highway to Hell '' ( 1979 ) `` Girls Got Rhythm '' ( 1979 ) Highway to Hell track listing `` Highway to Hell '' ( 1 ) `` Girls Got Rhythm '' ( 2 ) Music video `` Highway to Hell '' on YouTube `` Highway to Hell '' is the opening track of AC / DC 's 1979 album Highway to Hell. It was initially released as a single in 1979. The song was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, with Angus Young credited for writing the guitar riff which became an instant classic. AC / DC had made several studio albums before and were constantly promoting them via a grueling tour schedule, referred to by Angus Young as being on a highway to hell. Contents 1 Background 2 Personnel 3 Production 4 Live recordings 5 List of accolades 6 Bruce Springsteen Version 7 Covers 8 Chart performance 9 Track listing 9.1 UK 9.2 Germany and France 9.3 Australia 9.4 US and Canada 10 See also 11 References Background The song 's title reflects the incredibly arduous nature of touring constantly and life on the road. The single spent 45 weeks on the German Singles Chart, even though it peaked at only No. 30, in its 19th week on that chart. Bon Scott, whose talent as a singer and rock frontman was at a peak, was found dead in the back of a friend 's car just over six months after the song was released. `` Highway to Hell '' won the ' Most Played Australian Work Overseas ' category at the 2009 APRA Awards. Personnel Bon Scott -- lead vocals Angus Young -- lead guitar Malcolm Young -- rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams -- bass guitar, backing vocals Phil Rudd -- drums Production `` Highway to Hell '' was produced by Mutt Lange as part of the album by the same name, and his work is regarded as a significant factor in delivering one of the classic AC / DC albums, the emergence of the double - guitar sound, which was later perfected on Back in Black, and improved backing vocals with Malcolm Young, joined by Cliff Williams for the first time. Live recordings `` Highway to Hell ( live ) '' Single by AC / DC from the album AC / DC Live B - side `` Hells Bells ( live ) '' Released 8 November 1992 Format 7 - inch single, CD single Recorded 1991 Genre Hard rock, blues rock Length 3 : 53 Label Atco Songwriter ( s ) Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young Producer ( s ) Bruce Fairbairn AC / DC singles chronology `` Are You Ready '' ( 1991 ) `` Highway to Hell ( live ) '' ( 1992 ) `` Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap ( live ) '' ( 1992 ) `` Are You Ready '' ( 1991 ) `` Highway to Hell '' ( live ) ( 1992 ) `` Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap ( live ) '' ( 1992 ) Live track listing `` You Shook Me All Night Long '' ( 11 ) `` Highway to Hell '' ( 12 ) `` T.N.T. '' ( 13 ) Music video `` Highway to Hell '' ( AC / DC Live ) on YouTube `` Highway to Hell '' has been included on three official live albums : Live : This was also released as a single. A video for the single was also released, containing a montage of footage from the Live at Donington home video. Let There Be Rock : The Movie Live at River Plate List of accolades Ranked No. 258 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Ranked No. 152 on the 500 Greatest Classic Rock Songs compiled by 94.5 XKR. Ranked No. 23 on The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time, a book by Martin Popoff. The song `` Highway to Hell '' is part of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list. The master ringtone was certified Gold by the RIAA in June 2007 for sales in excess of 500,000. Bruce Springsteen Version `` Highway to Hell '' A-side label of one of Australian vinyl releases Single by Bruce Springsteen from the album High Hopes B - side `` Thunder Road '' Released 26 February 2014 Format 7 - inch single Recorded 2014 Genre Hard rock Length 3 : 27 Label Albert Productions Songwriter ( s ) Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young Producer ( s ) Mutt Lange Bruce Springsteen singles chronology `` Thunder Road '' ( 1975 ) `` Highway to Hell '' ( 2014 ) `` The Ties That Bind '' ( 2015 ) `` Thunder Road '' ( 1975 ) `` Highway to Hell '' ( 2014 ) `` The Ties That Bind '' ( 2015 ) High Hopes track listing `` Highway to Hell '' ( 1 ) `` You Never Can Tell '' ( 2 ) Music video `` Highway to Hell '' on YouTube Covers Sam Kinison covered the song in 1996 for his comedy album Leader of the Banned. Tiny Tim covered the song on his 1993 album `` Rock ''. Ukrainian folk - punk band Vopli Vidopliassova used the music as the basis for a bayan - based song, `` Galyu, prykhod ' ! '', in 1987. The song was released for the first time on the band 's debut album Kraina Mriy in 1994. Marilyn Manson covered it as part of the soundtrack for the 1999 film Detroit Rock City. In 2002, Angry Samoan covered it for the punk tribute album For Those About To Rawk : A Punk Tribute to AC / DC. American band Lazlo Bane recorded the song for their 1970s covers album Guilty Pleasures, though hard rock is not their typical music style. Maroon 5 performed it on their Songs About Jane Tour, with Ryan Dusick ( drummer ) on vocals and lead guitar. Their version of it is also on their live EP 1.22. 03. Acoustic. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed the song several times through their tour of Australia in 2014. Quiet Riot covered the song on their 1999 studio release, Alive & Well. In 2010, the song was covered by Jonathan Groff in the Glee episode, `` Hell - O ''. X Factor UK 2014 contestant Ben Haenow covered at 4th live show. Billy Joel has performed it live regularly throughout the years. Stary Olsa, a medieval folk music band from Belarus included a `` Highway to Hell '' on an album of classic rock cover songs, done on medieval instruments. Chart performance Chart Position Year UK Singles Chart 24 1978 56 1979 40 2012 2013 Austrian Singles Chart 52 1979 Belgian Singles Chart 14 French Singles Chart 23 German Singles Chart 30 Dutch Singles Chart 17 69 1992 Spanish Singles Chart 24 1979 Swedish Singles Chart 36 Billboard 100 ( US ) 47 Billboard Mainstream Rock ( US ) 1992 Australia Singles Chart 29 Swiss Singles Chart 37 Scottish Singles Chart 36 2012 2013 Irish Singles Chart 23 Digital Chart Position Year Billboard Hot Digital Songs 2012 Track listing UK Released 1992 by ATCO `` Bonny '' / `` Highway to Hell ( Live ) '' `` Hells Bells ( Live ) '' `` The Jack ( Live ) '' Germany and France Released 1992 by ATCO `` Highway to Hell ( Live ) '' `` Hell Ai n't a Bad Place to Be ( Live ) '' `` High Voltage ( Live ) '' Australia Released 1992 by Albert Productions / Epic Records `` Bonny '' / `` Highway to Hell ( Live ) '' `` High Voltage ( Live ) '' `` Hell Ai n't a Bad Place to Be ( Live ) '' US and Canada Released 1979 by Atlantic Records ( Atlantic # 3617 ) A Side : `` Highway To Hell '' B Side : `` Night Prowler '' Released 1992 by ATCO ( Atco # 98491 - 2 ) `` Highway to Hell ( Live ) '' `` Hell Ai n't a Bad Place to Be ( Live ) '' Released 1992 by ATCO ( Atco # 96135 - 2 ) `` Highway to Hell ( Live ) '' `` Hell Ai n't a Bad Place to Be ( Live ) '' `` The Jack ( Live ) '' `` High Voltage ( Live ) '' Released 1992 by ATCO `` Highway to Hell ( Live ) '' `` Hell Ai n't a Bad Place to Be ( Live ) '' `` The Jack ( Live ) '' `` High Voltage ( Live ) '' `` Back in Black ( Live ) '' See also Stairway to Heaven / Highway to Hell References ^ Jump up to : Wall, Mick ( 2012 ). AC / DC : Hell Aint a Bad Place to Be. London : Orion Publishing group. ISBN 9781409115359. Jump up ^ `` Die ganze Musik im Internet : Charts, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler - Suche, Musik - Suche, Track - Suche, Ticket - Suche - musicline.de ''. musicline.de. Jump up ^ `` 2009 Winners ''. Australasian Performing Right Association ( APRA ). Archived from the original on 12 January 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2010. Jump up ^ Highway to Hell The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Jump up ^ `` 500 Songs That Shaped Rock ''. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 15, 2014. AC / DC singles discography High Voltage `` Can I Sit Next to You, Girl '' ( Australia ) `` Baby, Please Do n't Go '' ( Australia ) T.N.T. `` High Voltage '' ( Australia ) `` It 's a Long Way to the Top ( If You Wanna Rock ' n ' Roll ) '' ( Australia ) `` T.N.T. '' ( Australia ) High Voltage ( International ) `` It 's a Long Way to the Top ( If You Wanna Rock ' n ' Roll ) '' ( international ) `` High Voltage '' ( international ) Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap `` Jailbreak '' `` Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap '' `` Love at First Feel '' Let There Be Rock `` Dog Eat Dog '' `` Let There Be Rock '' `` Whole Lotta Rosie '' Powerage `` Rock ' n ' Roll Damnation '' Highway to Hell `` Highway to Hell '' `` Girls Got Rhythm '' `` Touch Too Much '' Back in Black `` You Shook Me All Night Long '' `` Hells Bells '' `` Back in Black '' `` Rock and Roll Ai n't Noise Pollution '' For Those About to Rock We Salute You `` Let 's Get It Up '' `` For Those About to Rock ( We Salute You ) '' Flick of the Switch `` Guns for Hire '' `` Nervous Shakedown '' `` Flick of the Switch '' Fly on the Wall `` Danger '' `` Sink the Pink '' `` Shake Your Foundations '' Who Made Who `` Who Made Who '' Blow Up Your Video `` Heatseeker '' `` That 's the Way I Wanna Rock ' n ' Roll '' The Razors Edge `` Thunderstruck '' `` Moneytalks '' `` Are You Ready '' Live `` Highway to Hell '' ( live ) `` Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap '' ( live ) Ballbreaker `` Hard as a Rock '' `` Hail Caesar '' `` Cover You in Oil '' Stiff Upper Lip `` Stiff Upper Lip '' `` Safe in New York City '' `` Satellite Blues '' Black Ice `` Rock ' N Roll Train '' `` Big Jack '' `` Anything Goes '' `` Money Made '' Rock or Bust `` Play Ball '' `` Rock or Bust '' Non-album single `` Big Gun '' Book : AC / DC Category : AC / DC songs Portal : AC / DC Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Highway_to_Hell_(song)&oldid=834212295 '' Categories : 1979 songs 1979 singles 1992 singles AC / DC songs APRA Award winners Atco Records singles Atlantic Records singles Epic Records singles Songs about Hell Song recordings produced by Robert John `` Mutt '' Lange Songs about touring Songs written by Angus Young Songs written by Bon Scott Songs written by Malcolm Young Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from July 2013 Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands Polski Русский Slovenčina Suomi Svenska Tiếng Việt 6 more Edit links This page was last edited on 4 April 2018, at 14 : 27. 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Question: what is the song highway to hell about
Answer: a grueling tour schedule, referred to by Angus Young as being on a highway to hell