‘Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap’ is a hard rock song by the Australian band AC/DC. Written by group members Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott, it was recorded for the title track of their album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976. It was also released as a single – first in Australia in October 1976 with ‘R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)’ as its B-side, and then in the UK in January 1977 as a maxi-single with ‘Big Balls’ and ‘The Jack’ as its B-sides. Once the Dirty Deeds album was finally released in the US in 1981 the ‘Dirty Deeds...’ single was released there (backed by ‘Highway to Hell’), where it reached number four on the then-new Top Tracks chart. The song ranked No. 24 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs and in 2009 it was named the 31st best hard rock song of all time also by VH1.
This song epitomizes AC/DC's dangerous and mean sound, with Angus Young's heavy guitar and Bon Scott's leering, vocals that would have scared the living daylights out of any unsuspecting teenage Pop fans when this song first hit the airwaves (they performed it on a national TV show in Australia called Countdown, which was usually frequented by acts like ABBA and Bucks Fizz). It features a backing vocal consisting of a heavy breathing sound, made on the downbeat during verses. It also features the title in a spoken-word style at the end of the chorus; plus a scream at the end of the song. The full-length recording (approximately 4:11) has the title of the song chanted four times starting at 3:09, but on the more common edited version (approximately 3:51) the chant is heard only twice.
AC/DC lead guitarist Angus Young got the song title from the 1962 animated cartoon series Beany and Cecil. The Show first aired on ABC Television and only ran for one season until the 26 episodes shown were cast as repeats for the next five years until it was recreated in 1968. The specific inspiration for the song name was the cartoon's main villain, "Dishonest John," who would carry around a business card that said, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays, and Special Rates." Two of the services offered share names with AC/DC's first two Australian albums, T.N.T. and High Voltage. They are also the names of songs that appeared on Australia's T.N.T. and the international version of High Voltage.
Regarding the lyrics, "Just ring: 3-6-2-4-3-6," this was an actual phone number in Australia at the time, and it also could describe the measurements of a very shapely woman: 36-24-36. In 1981, Norman and Marilyn White of Libertyville, Illinois filed a lawsuit in Lake County, Illinois Circuit Court against Atlantic Records and its distributors because, they alleged, their telephone number was included in the song, resulting in hundreds of prank phone calls. Their attorney told the Chicago Tribune that the song's 36-24-36 digits were followed by a "hey!", which to his clients sounded like an "8", thus creating the couple's phone number. The Whites asked for $250,000 in damages and demanded that the band re-record the song, but a judge ruled against them.
Label – Albert
Songwriters – Angus Young, Bon Scott, Malcolm Young
Producers – Harry Vanda, George Young
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]If you're having trouble with the high school head
He's giving you the blues
You wanna graduate, but not in his bed
Here's what you gotta do:
Pick up the phone, I'm always home
Call me anytime
[Pre-Chorus]
Just ring: 3-6, 2-4, 3-6, hey
I lead a life of crime
[Chorus 1]
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
[Verse 2]
You got problems in your life of love?
You got a broken heart?
He's double dealin' with your best friend
That's when the tear drops start, fella
Pick up the phone, I'm here alone
Or make a social call
[Pre-Chorus]
Come right in, forget about him
We'll have ourselves a ball
[Chorus 1]
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap (Aww)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Ooooh, yeah
[Guitar Solo]
Oh yeah
[Verse 3]
If you got a lady and you want her gone
But you ain't got the guts
She keeps naggin' at you night and day
Enough to drive you nuts
Pick up the phone, leave her alone
It's time you made a stand
[Pre-Chorus]
For a fee, I'm happy to be
Your back-door man
[Chorus 1]
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap (yeah)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
[Bridge]
Concrete shoes
Cyanide
TNT (Done dirt cheap)
Neck ties
Contracts
High voltage (Done dirt cheap)
[Chorus 2]
(Dirty deeds) Do anything you want me to
(Done dirt cheap)
(Dirty deeds) dirty deeds
Dirty deeds (Done dirt cheap)
Yaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggghhhhhh!