She’s Got Balls

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some high-voltage trivia about "She’s Got Balls" by AC/DC from their debut album High Voltage! This raw, cheeky track was the first song that frontman Bon Scott penned with the Young brothers, Angus and Malcolm, after joining the band in 1974. According to Paul Stenning’s book AC/DC: Two Sides to Every Glory, Bon Scott wrote the song for his then-wife Irene Thornton after she complained he’d never written a song about her. In true Bon fashion, he delivered this tongue-in-cheek ode to her boldness, but the story takes a twist: Irene reportedly left him after hearing it! Bon himself confirmed the tale, saying in an interview quoted on SongMeanings, “My wife asked me why I didn’t write a song about her. So I wrote ‘She’s Got Balls’. Then she divorced me.” Fans on Reddit have noted the song’s bold lyrics capture Bon’s lewd yet clever style, with one user pointing out its “exceptionally outgoing confidence” as a hallmark of AC/DC’s early sound.

Another juicy tidbit comes from the recording of High Voltage. The album, released in Australia in 1975, was cut in just ten days between gigs, as Angus Young recalled in Clinton Walker’s biography Highway to Hell. For “She’s Got Balls,” the band used drummer Peter Clack, their live drummer at the time, instead of the session drummer Tony Currenti, who played on most of the album’s tracks. This gave the song a distinct, gritty feel, especially with Malcolm Young’s strutting rhythm guitar driving Bon’s vocals. A post from ClassicGuitarR1 on X highlights that the song was specifically about Irene, marking it as a personal milestone for Bon as he molded AC/DC’s raw, no-nonsense sound. Fans on the AC/DC Fans.Net Official Facebook Group often share how the song’s cheeky energy embodies the band’s early rebellious spirit.

Now, let’s rewind to how AC/DC got their start. Formed in November 1973 in Sydney, Australia, by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, the band began as a gritty rock outfit. The brothers, inspired by rock and roll legends like Little Richard, recruited bassist Larry Van Kriedt, drummer Colin Burgess, and vocalist Dave Evans. However, Evans’ glam-rock style didn’t mesh with the Youngs’ vision, leading to his replacement by Bon Scott in September 1974. Bon, a fellow Scotsman who’d emigrated to Australia, brought a rugged edge from his days in bands like Fraternity and The Valentines. As Angus Young told Mojo in 2010, Bon “moulded the character of AC/DC... Everything became more down to earth and straight ahead.” Their debut album High Voltage, produced by George Young (the brothers’ older sibling) and Harry Vanda at Albert Studios, cemented their raw sound, with tracks like “She’s Got Balls” showcasing Bon’s gritty charisma.

AC/DC’s journey from Sydney pubs to global stardom wasn’t without hurdles. After Bon Scott’s tragic death in 1980, the band recruited Brian Johnson and released Back in Black, which became one of the best-selling albums ever. Despite lineup changes, including Malcolm Young’s departure in 2014 due to health issues, AC/DC has remained a hard rock titan, with Angus Young as the constant force. Their official website, acdc.com, offers tour updates and merch, while their social media keeps fans buzzing. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest news. For deeper fan connections, check out AC/DC Abridged, a fan site with detailed discographies, or join the AC/DC Fans.Net Official Facebook Group, where Zoo Freaks can geek out over classics like “She’s Got Balls” with fellow diehards.