Released: 25 May 1978

Recorded February-March 1978 at Albert Studios in Sydney, Australia
Label: Atlantic
Producer: Harry Vanda, George Young

Line Up:

Malcolm Young - Rhytm Guitar
Angus Young - Lead Guitar
Bon Scott - Lead Vocals
Cliff Williams - Bass Guitar 
Phil Rudd - Drums

Lyrics (Entire Album)

Available on:

Powerage - 1978
If You Want Blood (You Got It) - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Rock' N' Roll Damnation
Young/Young/Scott

C'mon, yeah
They say that you play too loud
Baby that's tough
They say that you got too much
Can't get enough
They tell you that you look a fool
And baby I'm a fool for you
They say that your mind's diseased
Shaky stuff

And it's a rock 'n' roll damnation
Ma's own whippin' boy
Rock 'n' roll damnation
Take a chance while you still got the choice

You say that you want respect
Honey for what?
For all the things that you've done to me
Thanks a lot
C'mon, get up off your bended knees
You can up your mind at ease
My temperature's gettin' hot
Oh I been waitin' all night
For a bite of what you got

Rock 'n' roll damnation
Ma's own whippin' boy
Rock 'n' roll damnation
Take a chance while you still got the choice

(Damnation), oh they're putting you down
(Damnation), all over town
(Damnation), cause you're way outta reach
Livin' on the streets you gotta practice what you preach

Rock 'n' roll damnation
Ma's own whippin' boy
Rock 'n' roll damnation
Take a chance while you still got the choice

(Damnation), you left a happy home
(Damnation), just to live on your own
(Damnation), you wanna live in sin
(Damnation), well it's a rock 'n' roll
(Damnation), you're just a bundle of joy
(Damnation), you're a toy for a boy
(Damnation), you're a happy home
(Damnation)

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Down Payment Blues
Young/Young/Scott

I know that it's evil
I know that it's got to be
Know I ain't doing much
Doing nothing means a lot to me
Living on a shoestring
A fifty cent millionaire
Open to charity
Rock 'n' roll welfare

Sitting in my Cadillac
Listening to my radio
Susy baby get on in
Tell me where you wanna go
I'm living in a nightmare
She's looking like a wet dream
I got myself a Cadillac
But I can't afford the gasoline

I got holes in my shoes
And I'm way overdue
Down payment blues

Get myself a steady job
Some responsibility
Can't even feed my cat
On social security
Hiding from the rent man
Oh it makes me wanna cry
Sheriff knocking on my door
Ain't it funny how the time flies

Sitting on my sailing boat
Sipping on my champagne
Susy baby all at sea
Say she wanna come again
Feeling like a paper cup
Floating down a storm drain
Got myself a sailing boat
But I can't afford a drop of rain

I got holes in my shoes
And I'm way overdue
Down payment blues

Down payment blues
Down payment blues
Down payment blues

I got holes in my shoes
And I'm way overdue
I got the down payment blues

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Gimme A Bullet
Young/Young/Scott

She had the word
Had the way
The way of letting me know
She knew the game
Called the play
Oh she hit me low
Said now you go your way
I'll go mine
And that's a start
Doctor doctor ain't no cure
For the pain in my heart

Gimme a bullet to bite on
Something to chew
Gimme a bullet to bite on
And I'll make believe
I'll make believe it's you

Don't need no drink
Don't need no drug
Don't need no sympathy
Sooner or later
Send me a bill
For what she's doing to me
Operator, long distance lips
On the telephone
Come tomorrow
Come to grips
With being all alone

Gimme a bullet to bite on
Something to chew
Gimme a bullet to bite on
And I'll make believe
I'll make believe it's you

Bullet to bite on
Gimme a bullet to bite on
Hey come on now
Yeah yeah gimme a bullet
Oh yeah bullet to chew
I'll make the lady chew
I'll make the lady chew
Gimme a bullet to bite on
You're a bullet baby
I want a bullet to bite on

Available on:

Powerage - 1978
If You Want Blood (You Got It) - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Riff Raff
Young/Young/Scott

Ya see it on television every day
Hear it on the radio
Ain't humid but it sure is hot
Down in Mexico
The police tryin' to tell me
Beginnin' of the end
Sayin' it'll bend me
Too late my friend

Riff raff
It's good for a laugh, ah ah ah 
Riff raff
Go on and laugh yourself in half
...

Now I'm the kind of guy that keeps his big mouth shut
But don't bother me
Somebody kickin' me when I'm up
Leaves me in misery
I never shot nobody
Don't even carry a gun
I ain't doin' nothin' wrong
I'm just havin' fun

Riff raff
Well it's good for a laugh
Riff raff
Go on and laugh yourself in half

Do it again

Available on:

Powerage - 1978
Live (Special Collectors Edition) - 1992
Bonfire - Let There Be Rock, The Movies
(Live in Paris) - 1997
Bonfire - Volts - 1997


© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Sin City
Young/Young/Scott

Diamonds, and dust
Poor man last, rich man first
Lamborginis, caviar
Dry martini's, Shangri-La
I got a burnin' feeling
Deep inside of me
It's yearnin'
But I'm gonna set it free

I'm goin' in to sin city
I'm gonna win in sin city
Where the lights are bright
Do the town tonight
I'm gonna win in sin city
Oh let me roll ya baby

Ladders, and snakes
Ladders give, snakes take
Rich man, poor man
Beggar man thief
Ain't got a hope in hell
That's my belief
Fingers Freddy
Diamond Jim
They're getting ready
Look out I'm coming in
So spin that wheel, cut that pack
And roll them loaded dice
Bring on the dancin' girls
And put the champagne on ice

I'm goin' in to sin city
I'm gonna win in sin city
Where the lights are bright
Do the town tonight
I'm goin' in to sin city

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

What's Next To The Moon
Young/Young/Scott

Well I tied my baby to the railroad track
Cannonball down the line
Givin' that woman just one more chance
Give it to me one more time
Engineer wishin' he was home in bed
Dreamin' 'bout Casey Jones
Wide eyed woman half a mile ahead
Thinkin' 'bout broken bones

It's your love that I want
It's your love that I need
It's your love gotta have
It's your love

Heavenly body flyin' across the sky
Superman was outta town
Come on honey gotta change your tune
Cause it's a long way down
Clark Kent lookin' for a free ride
Thinkin' about Lois Lane
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's suicide
And that'd be a shame

It's your love that I want
It's your love that I need
It's your love gotta have
It's your love
But what's next to the moon?

Long arm lookin' for a finger print
Tryin' to find a mystery clue
Hittin' me with the third degree
Working on a thumb screw
Alright officer I confess
Everything's coming back
I didn't mean to hurt that woman of mine
It was a heart attack

It's your love that I want
It's your love that I need
It's your love gotta have
It's your love guaranteed
Your love that I want
It's your love that I need
It's your love gotta have
It's your love
What's next to the moon

Puttin' out the stars
Oh can you say bye bye
Oh next to the moon
I'm on the moon
Up and down the moon

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Gone Shootin'
Young/Young/Scott

Feel the pressure rise
Hear the whistle blow
Bought a ticket of her own accord
To I dunno
Packed your heart in a travellin' bag
And never said bye bye
Something missing in the neighbourhood
Of her cryin' eyes
I stirred my coffee with the same spoon
Knew her favourite tune

Gone shootin'
My baby's gone shootin'

Wrap herself around
Like a second skin
Backed her favourite nag
But she could never win
I took an offer in another town
She took another pill
She was runnin' in overdrive
A victim of overkill
She never made it past the bedroom door
What was she aiming for

Gone shootin'
She's gone, gone gone gone

Gone shootin'
My baby's gone shootin'
(Gone shooting), how am I gonna get her down
(Gone shooting), look out, look out, look out
(Gone shooting), she can hurt someone
(Gone shooting), yeah she sure is loaded
(Gone shooting), she's gone gone gone gone, she's gone
(Gone shooting)

I used to love her so

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Up To My Neck In You
Young/Young/Scott

Well I've been up to my neck in trouble
Up to my neck in strife
Up to my neck in misery
For most of my life, I've been a fool
And you know what a fool can do
I'm telling you
You came along when I needed you
Now I'm up, 
I'm up to my neck in you

And I've been up to my neck in pleasure
Up to my neck in pain
I've been up to my neck on the railroad track
Waitin' for the train
To cruise on through
Baby my time was due, oh it's way overdue
You came along and pulled me through
Now I'm up
Up to my neck in you
Don't it feel good

I've been up to my neck in whiskey
I've been up to my neck in wine
I've been up to my neck in wishin'
That this neck wasn't mine
I'm a loser, that ain't lost it
Baby you were too good, too good to be true
What you done no one else could do
Now I'm up
I'm up to my neck in you
It feels good

Yeah you came along when I needed you
I'm up to my neck in you

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Kicked In The Teeth
Young/Young/Scott

Two faced woman with your two faced lies
I hope your two faced livin' made you satisfied
Ya tell me baby I was your only one
While you been runnin' round town with every mother's son, hey!

Two times told about a woman like you
Two times told about the things you do
I used to think that you were sugar and spice
I should have listened to my Ma's advice

Kicked in the teeth again
Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win
Kicked in the teeth again
Ain't this misery ever gonna end?
I been kicked in the teeth
Kicked in the teeth again

Two faced woman such a cryin' shame
Double or nothin' you're all the same
You run around hope you had your fun
You never know who's gonna win 'til the race been run

Kicked in the teeth again
Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win, I know
Kicked in the teeth again
Ain't this misery ever gonna end?
I been kicked in the teeth
Kicked in the teeth
Kicked in the teeth again

Available on:

Powerage - 1978

© 1978, J. Albert & Son, Pty.

Cold Hearted Man
Young/Young/Scott

No one knew
Where he came from
He never knew himself
Call her Ma
Call him Pa
But he was born to someone else
No one fooled
Or messed him 'round
Cause they were all afraid
Ain't no lies
Ice in the eyes
Of Leroy Kincaid

Cold hearted man
One time lover heart in his hand
Cold hearted man
And you can't trust nothing you don't understand
Cold hearted man
Cold hearted man

Like a snake
He had no friends
He didn't need no one
Hurt his pride
Deep inside
He was another mother's son
Reputation
Broken glass
Everybody prayed
For their lives on the street
Where they happened to meet
Leroy Kincaid

Cold hearted man
One time lover heart in his hand
Cold hearted man, that's what he was
And you can't trust nothing you don't understand
Cold hearted man
Cold hearted man

Sometimes you can't see
The other side
It's too well hidden
For the naked eye
One time lover
With his heart in his hand
Two time loser
A broken man

Cold hearted man
He was a cold hearted man
Cold hearted man
Cold hearted man
Cold hearted man
He was a cold hearted man
Cold hearted man
Cold hearted man