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| "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byAC/DC | ||||
| from the albumDirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap | ||||
| B-side | "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" | |||
| Released | 5 October 1976 (1976-10-05) (Aus) 18 February 1977 (UK)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Studio | Albert (Sydney) | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 4:11 | |||
| Label | Albert | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers | ||||
| AC/DC singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is ahard rock song by the Australian bandAC/DC. Written by group membersAngus Young,Malcolm Young, andBon Scott, it was recorded for the title track of their albumDirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in September 1976.
It was also released as asingle – first in Australia in October 1976 with "R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)" as itsB-side, and then in the UK in February 1977 as amaxi-single with "Big Balls" and "The Jack" as its B-sides. Once theDirty 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-newMainstream Rock Tracks chart.
The song ranked No. 24 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs[2] and in 2009 it was named the 31st best hard rock song of all time also byVH1.[3]
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.
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The song's narrator, ahitman, invites people experiencing problems to either call his phone number or visit him at his home, at which point he will perform assorted unsavoury and violent acts to resolve said problems for bargain-basement prices. Situations in which he offers assistance include those involving lewd high school headmasters and significant others who are either adulterous or who persistently find fault with their partners. As detailed by the song, the "dirty deeds" performed at low cost include:
Two of the services offered share names with AC/DC's first two Australian albums,T.N.T. andHigh Voltage. They are also the names of songs that appeared on Australia'sT.N.T. and theinternational version ofHigh Voltage.
The song is written in E minor.[4]
The phrase "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" is an homage to the cartoonBeany and Cecil, which Angus Young watched when he was a child. One of the cartoon's characters was namedDishonest John, who carried a business card that read: "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Holidays, Sundays, and Special Rates." “It was Angus that came up with the song title…" Malcolm Young toldMark Blake. "It was based on a cartoon character that had the phrase as his calling card."[5]
The song was the namesake for the Stand in the mangaJoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run, used byFunny Valentine.[6]
It was used in the background ofCaptain Boomerang's introduction in the 2016 filmSuicide Squad.
The song was featured uncredited in the second episode ofKoala Man.
In 1981, Norman and Marilyn White ofLibertyville, Illinois filed a $250,000lawsuit inLake County, Illinois Circuit Court againstAtlantic 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 theChicago 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.[7]
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] | 29 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart[9] | 34 |
| Chart (1980–81) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[10] | 47 |
| USMainstream Rock[citation needed] | 4 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[11] | 3× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[12] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[13] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[14] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[15] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[16] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (live) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byAC/DC | ||||
| from the albumAC/DC Live | ||||
| B-side | "Shoot to Thrill" (live) | |||
| Released | February 1993 (1993-02) | |||
| Recorded | 23 April 1991 | |||
| Venue | NEC (Birmingham) | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 5:02 | |||
| Label | ATCO | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Bruce Fairbairn | |||
| AC/DC singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (AC/DC Live) onYouTube | ||||
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" has only been included on one official AC/DC live album, 1992'sLive, sung by Scott's replacementBrian Johnson. This live version was released as a single. A video clip for the single was released containing footage from theLive at Donington home video, as well as other old clips mixed in the video. This video clip was later released on the DVDFamily Jewels Disc 3, as part of the2009 box setBacktracks.
An earlier version with Bon Scott, recorded live inSydney (Haymarket) at the Festival of Sydney on30 January 1977, was released on an Australian only radio2JJ compilation album titledLong Live The Evolution. This live version was later released onBacktracks.
In 2007 on thePlug Me In three track bonus CD fromBest Buy, a live version from Detroit, Michigan, (Joe Louis Arena) 17 or18 November 1983 was released.
| "Dirty Deeds" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byJoan Jett | ||||
| from the albumThe Hit List | ||||
| B-side | "Pretty Vacant"[18] | |||
| Released | January 1990 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Joan Jett singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
American singer-songwriterJoan Jett recorded the song, shortening the title to "Dirty Deeds", and included it on her LP,The Hit List, in late 1990. It was released as a single and charted internationally.
| Chart (1990) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[19] | 59 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] | 81 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] | 14 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[22] | 69 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[23] | 36 |
| USMainstream Rock (Billboard)[24] | 23 |
| USCash Box Top 100[25] | 42 |
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
