Shake a Leg

The story behind

The song Shake a Leg, with its raw and direct energy, is a perfect example of the power that AC/DC managed to distill in their recordings. Its duration, 4 minutes and 5 seconds, encapsulates that intensity without giving any respite. The piece was conceived at a crucial moment for the band, after the release of Highway to Hell in 1979, which opened the doors to unprecedented commercial success. However, tragedy struck in February 1980 with the death of their vocalist, Bon Scott, in London. This event led the remaining members to consider disbanding, but they ultimately decided to move forward.The composition of Shake a Leg fell to Brian Johnson, who joined brothers Angus and Malcolm Young to create it. The recording took place in the Bahamas over seven weeks, between April and May 1980. The process involved the engineering of Tony Platt, Benjamin Armbrister, and Jack Nuber, while the mixing was handled by Brad Samuelsohn. The production, fundamental to the album's characteristic sound, was the responsibility of Robert John “Mutt” Lange. This album, Back in Black, released on July 25, 1980, by Albert Productions and Atlantic Records, marked Johnson's debut as lead vocalist and became the band's first work featuring him.