The First Line AC/DC Fans Heard Was The First Lyric Of Brian Johnson Wrote

Did you know the very first lyric Brian Johnson wrote for AC/DC is also the first one that fans have heard? The iconic line, “She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean / She was the best damn woman that I ever seen,” opens “You Shook Me All Night Long,” the lead single from their legendary Back in Black album.

The Story Behind Brian Johnson’s Audition for AC/DC

These memorable words marked Johnson’s debut as AC/DC’s new vocalist, following Bon Scott’s tragic passing. Johnson’s journey to joining AC/DC began with a unique audition process, which he recounted in a past interview with Dan Rather and recently featured in an AXS TV clip.

Initially, Johnson was contacted by a German woman who urged him to audition for a band in London but withheld the band’s name. Intrigued yet cautious, Johnson declined the invitation. It was only when the woman accidentally revealed that the band’s initials were AC and DC—possibly a slip meant to keep the band’s identity a secret—that Johnson recognized the huge opportunity and agreed to the tryout.

For his audition, Johnson performed Ike and Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City Limits,” which the band members had to quickly learn. Just weeks later, Johnson found himself flying to the Bahamas with AC/DC to record at the renowned Compass Point Studios in Nassau.

The Making of Back in Black

During the recording sessions for Back in Black, AC/DC was impressed by Johnson’s vocal talents and handed him another crucial task—writing lyrics. Johnson recalls the moment: “Malcolm [Young] came up, I think it was the second day, and said, ‘Can you write lyrics?’ And I said, ‘I’ll give it a shot.’” Secluded in a modest room equipped only with a desk and a hand basin, Johnson set to work, reportedly keeping a machete and a fishing spear nearby due to the presence of “Tahitian drug dealers” in the area. However, considering Tahiti and the Bahamas are about 5,600 miles apart, this might be more myth than fact.

Brian Johnson’s Debut AC/DC Lyrics

Johnson’s first attempt at writing lyrics resulted in the now-famous opening lines of “You Shook Me All Night Long.” He explains:

“I was a car fanatic then as well, so the first line I wrote down was ‘She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean.’ That was the first thing I could come up with—‘Best damn woman I had ever seen’—and it just went on from there.”

In a mere six weeks, AC/DC produced what would become one of the highest-selling albums in history. Back in Black has been certified 26 times platinum in the United States and has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide.