Soul Stripper
AC/DC
By Natalie Silver
There are essentially three levels of global engagement with AC/DC:
There’s the AC/DC that literally everybody knows—and by everyone, I mean the karaoke enthusiasts (“You Shook Me All Night Long”), anyone who has been to any type of sporting event, ever (“Hell’s Bells”), and college students who enjoy consuming large quantities of alcohol at rapid speeds (“Thunderstruck,” which, in fairness, is an epic drinking game).
There are the Bon Scott loyals—which is the category that I fell into for most of my life. We’re the type that love the music for how it sounds, more than what it is. In other words, we stick to the popular songs of the ‘70s—like “Touch Too Much” and “Walk All Over You”–but consider them deep tracks because they’re still pre-Brian Johnson. These are the ones I would rock out to on my iPod nano before every soccer game with war paint on my face, laughing at the girls in hair ribbons and pink cleats. I was a little punk, but still had a lot to learn.
And then there are the true rockers, the masochists, the disciples of the slutty rowdiness that defines this breed of music. They’re the type that believes AC/DC is of Zeppelin or Sabbath caliber. Kurt Cobain falls into this category and is responsible for introducing me to “Soul Stripper,” which I now consider to be one of the greatest hard rock songs of this era.
Cobain had put it as the first song on a handwritten playlist in his diary, which was ultimately published and made its way into my hands. This particular playlist was of haaaaard, hard rock, punk and metal, and AC/DC was one of the few bands that I recognized on it. So, I whipped out my phone and checked it out.
“Soul Stripper” is one extended and exaggerated metaphor, a testament to the Young brothers’ wittiness and proclivity for raunchy humor (which can also be seen in songs such as “Big Balls,” and “Love at First Feel”), to express a more profound and existential encounter with sexuality and its power dynamics.
The track is anything but rushed, and it maintains the band’s trademark hardness while still adhering to basic classic rock conventions and remaining anchored to the larger genre.
Bon Scott’s fiery drawl stings—punctuated by….is that…cowbell?—soaring over a relentless baseline that communicates pure masochism. This juxtaposition, combined with the graphic vocal narrative, gives the entire piece a sadistic and jaunty feel. It’s funny, it’s sick, it’s goooooood. And it is so AC/DC.
I point this song out to my friends who are interested exploring in the foundation of classic rock. “Soul Stripper” serves as a perfect lens into the real brilliance of this obscenely talented Australian rock and roll band that could be—with heightened exposure—relevant to a more contemporary audience.
It’s smart, it’s challenging, it’s old school—and more than anything else, it absolutely shreds. As the ultimate antithesis to the mediocre power anthems off Back in Black (1980) and beyond that the band is typically known for today, it is crucial to give the song the love it deserves. And if we don’t, well… I’ll simply quote band co-founder, rhythm guitarist and “Soul Stripper” co-writer, Malcolm Young: “Music tames the beast.”
And guess what, boys and girls. We are the beast.