It’s a Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll) Lyrics

AC/DC lyrics to the hit song “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)” from 1975’s TNT album.

It’s a Long Way to the Top: Lyrics

Ridin' down the highway
Goin' to a show
Stop in all the byways
Playin' rock 'n' roll
Gettin' robbed
Gettin' stoned
Gettin' beat up
Broken boned
Gettin' had
Gettin' took
I tell you folks
It's harder than it looks

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
If you think it's easy doin' one night stands
Try playin' in a rock roll band
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

Hotel motel
Make you wanna cry
Lady do the hard sell
Know the reason why
Gettin' old
Gettin' grey
Gettin' ripped off
Under-paid
Gettin' sold
Second hand
That's how it goes
Playin' in a band

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
If you wanna be a star of stage and screen
Look out it's rough and mean

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll
It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

Well it's a long way
It's a long way, you should've told me
It's a long way, such a long way

It’s a Long Way to the Top: Info
“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)” was released as a single by AC/DC from its 1976 Australia-only album T.N.T. “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)” was written by Bon Scott, Malcolm Young, and Angus Young about the trials and tribulations of being in a rock band such as getting robbed, beaten up, underpaid and terrible one-night stands. The single is well known for its combination of bagpipes with hard-rock elements of electric guitars, bass, and drums. The video for “It’s a Long Way to the Top” was released in 1976.

“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)” is considered to be a signature song by vocalist Bon Scott. Before Bon Scott’s untimely passing, AC/DC tickets would feature “It’s a Long Way to the Top” as a setlist staple during their concert tours. Today, fans with AC/DC tickets will not hear “It’s a Long Way to the Top” performed by current AC/DC singer Brian Johnson at AC/DC concerts out of respect for Bon Scott.

It’s a Long Way to the Top: Success

“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)” is one of AC/DC’s signature songs and features vocalist Bon Scott on bagpipes. The AC/DC song enjoyed a resurgence in popularity after it was featured in the 2003 Jack Black comedy School of Rock. In School of Rock, Jack Black and his class of elementary school-aged musicians cover the song during the film’s end credits. “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)” has been covered by countless artists including Pat Boone and Motorhead.