The “big bus trip”, 1979, and the song Angus Young called AC/DC’s definitive tune
AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” grew from a familiar bus journey into a defining song about the band’s relentless touring and rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. Its straightforward story and sound helped it reach a much wider audience, turning a local reference into a global anthem.
The journey followed Canning Highway from Bon Scott’s home in Fremantle to the Raffles pub, and the band nicknamed the route “Highway to Hell”. Angus Young later described the song as capturing the group’s career to that point: constant travel, performances and partying. It was AC/DC’s first song to chart in the United States.
- “Highway to Hell” began as a local bus route reference.
- Angus Young said it summed up AC/DC’s touring years.
- The song was the band’s first US chart hit.