When Bon Scott died of an alcohol overdoes, ACDC was ready to quit. Then Brian Johnson came along and wrote their biggest and greatest single—YSMANL—which exploded with a snarling opening couplet: “She was a fast machine/She kept her motor clean/She was the best damn woman that I ever seen…” Paired with the B-Side “Big Balls,” it became their anthem. Johnson has tried over and over to convince people that it’s really about a car, but we all know better. Cars don’t have American thighs, for one thing.
Why is it on my list? Well, in my younger and rowdier days, I’d get rip-roaring drunk and while I was getting prepared to go out and look for trouble I’d play two songs. The first was bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues, and the second was this one. So, it’s sentimental and all. Plus, it’s a kick-ass tune.
THE GREATEST OF ALL TUNES (G.O.A.T.) is a series of posts, producing my 100 favorite songs of all time. The master list is here, and I update it about every two weeks or when I have another 10 songs or so.
Further listening: Back in Black, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
Covers: So many, you might be sorry you asked….Start by checking out Cover Me, and then go below…
