aglasshouse Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - 70's rock cheese at its finest.

The thing I adore about AC/DC is the way they infuse their music with just enough swagger and swing to bring them to the top of rock bands in the 70's and 80's. The way they rock their instruments with barely any trouble, and also the way they can take sex lyrics and make them bad-ass, unlike some bands (I'm looking at you, AEROSMITH.).

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is one of those albums that really showed AC/DC in the light they were supposed to be perceived in, and people really enjoy it to this day. Honestly, this is a hard review to write, because I grew up with AC/DC being a memorable band and I liked them a bunch, but I've found that it is hard to put in words my feelings about the band, which are mostly positive.

There is the title track as an amazing opener, probably the biggest highlight of the album. Again, this brings up the thing I was saying about the taking of sexual lyrics and making them into music that you strut to. The track is extremely fun, and is most likely a song you'll remember and hum after you listen to it. Overall, this was probably the most successful song off of the release. 'Ain't No Fun (Waiting 'Round to be a Millionaire)' is another good track, but follows the basic formula most of AC/DC's songs do, with Scott leading the vocals as always with his unique sound. This, even though it does get annoying at times, it is pleasant and it made me and I know many others smile when listening to it.

Overall, I would suggest this to anyone who likes or is interested in the band. Although flawed in some areas, Dirty Deeds is a great introduction as well as an album that has aged well since 1976.

siLLy puPPy Wondering which album should be my first review on MMA, it finally hit me - why not review the first album I ever owned that it is on this site! That honor goes to AC/DC and their 1976 release DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP.

After reading about it I learned that there are actually two versions. The first one was released only in Australia in 1976. The second (the one I have) was released the same year internationally but sadly not until 1981 in the US (where I live). The differences between early AC/DC albums in Australia and the rest of the world is dizzying in that some tracks never appeared outside of Australia, some appeared on multiple albums, some only internationally, some edited, some not. Yikes!

I hardly think it would be fair to review one or the other so I will do both as a 2-fer. The original version I had never heard before today and the second i've had for decades, so forgive me if the result is somewhat biased!

Australian version: Totally different song order. Title track is slightly longer, but hardly noticeable. “Ain't No Fun” is the second song and is also longer. I think this song works better extended a little. This Australian version seems like more of a compilation to me since I am familiar with the songs but not the order. I don't really care for how the songs are arranged. I have to say that “Jailbreak” is a better way to end the album though. I had never heard R.I.P. (Rock In Peace) before. It's ok, but I don't feel i've been missing out on too much. “Jailbreak” was released internationally on the EP '74 JAILBREAK.

International version: This is the one most of us have heard. What I love about this version is not only the songs themselves but the way they flow into each other at least up to the last part of the album where “Ride On” and “Squealer” which aren't bad songs just don't seem to end the album well. They should have kept “Jailbreak” as the album's closer. “Ain't No Fun” and the title track are edited on this version but I read some newer remastered versions have the longer cuts. Don't think it effects them too much. “Love At First Feel” never appeared on an Australian album but was released as a single.

What can I say? First of all, Bon Scott era AC/DC remains one of the best hard rock acts EVER! They had the sound, the look, the attitude, but it was all done tongue-in-cheek. Although this album is deemed immature and a novelty of some sort I find it epitomizes exactly what the band stood for. After all, how could a band with a guitarist who struts around banging his guitar in a school boy uniform wanna be called anything but?

I prefer the version I know so well. It just flows better song to song but it was interesting to finally hear the album as originally released. I guess I would give the original version 3.5 stars and the international 4.5 stars stars. So 4 stars overall.

Sinkadotentree If i remember correctly this album had a resurgence after the title track started getting some air time on the radio after the success of "Back In Black". Because of this i bought the cassette which i must say was a disappointment after owning "Back In Black", "Highway To Hell" and "If You Want Blood". I still remember sitting in my car that i used to put away in the Winter and trying to get into this one to no avail. It seemed too silly and immature for my tastes even back then. Of course there was some good stuff on here regardless but none of it compared to the three albums i already owned. Lots of funny and dirty lyrics to be sure with Bonn's suggestive vocals. This is almost one of those novelty albums.

Time Signature There's gonna be some rockin' ...

Genre: hard rock / boogie rock / heavy metal

Wherev"High Voltage" is more of a hard rock / boogie rock affair, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" adds a matallic edge to AC/DC's blues- and boogie-driven hard rock.

This makes itself felt in especially the title track (one of my favorite AC/DC tracks) with its guite heavy main riff, but also in the rockers "Problem Child" (another personal favorite of mine) and the humoristic "Big Balls". There are also plenty of boogie driven blues rock songs on the album for those of us who like to rock out rock 'n' roll style such as "Love at First Feel", the fast and energetic "Rocker", "There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'", "Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)", and "Ride On" is a slow dark and almost melancholic blues song which, nevertheless, has a positive message.

There is the usual irreplicable chemstry between the guitar performance of Young brothers, and Bon Scott sounds as cheeky as ever. Lyrically, the typical sex, booze and rock 'n' roll themes are prevalent, but with Scott's typical humorous take on it all as a pivotal element.

I know that this is considered one of AC/DC's weaker albums of the Bon Scott era, but it's one of my favorites - especially because of the title track and "Problem Child". Personally, I recommend it to any hardrock and blues rock fan as well as fans of traditional heavy metal.

Hagbard Celine What is it about AC/DC that has worked album after album, decade after decade? It's that non-pretentious swagger and sense of humor that makes you think that this is a band you could knock back umpteen beers with and forget that they are rock stars. Early on, it was already there with Bon Scott's grin as he told his mischievous tales of rock n roll, sex, and booze, and in Angus Young's ridiculous yet iconic schoolboy outfit. While songs like "Big Balls" are obviously at their funniest when you're in high school, no matter how old you are they can easily get stuck in your head for days and leave a big grin on your face. Great, profound art? Nah. But who needs that when a band can inspire so much laughter and yet another round of shots when they come on the jukebox at your favorite bar?