129. Rock Goes The Gospel - ACDC "Back In Black"

'Back in Black' crowned the greatest, best-selling hard rock album of all time with a heartfelt tribute lyric -- notably penned by his successor, Brian Johnson. 'Back in Black' also reflects AC/DC’s deepest roots in ‘50s rock and rockabilly, since its famous turnaround lick was allegedly inspired by the Johnny Kidd & the Pirates classic “Shakin’ All Over” "Back in Black" is a masterpiece of a song by AC/DC, appearing as the first track on side two of their 1980 album of the same name. Known for its opening guitar riff, the song was AC/DC's tribute to their former singer Bon Scott. His replacement Brian Johnson recalled to Mojo magazine in 2009 that when the band asked him to write a lyric for this song, "they said, 'it can't be morbid – it has to be for Bon and it has to be a celebration.'" He added: "I thought, 'Well no pressure there, then' (laughs). I just wrote what came into my head, which at the time seemed like mumbo, jumbo. 'Nine lives. Cats eyes. Abusing every one of them and running wild.' The boys got it though. They saw Bon's life in that lyric." It peaked in the U.S. at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981 and was No. 51 on Billboard's Top Tracks chart, which debuted in March 1981. "Back in Black" received the RIAA's Master Ringtone Sales Award (Gold and Platinum) in 2006 and reached 2x Platinum status in 2007.

Back in black I hit the sack
I been too long I'm glad to be back
Yes I am
Let loose from the noose
That's kept me hanging about
I keep looking at the sky cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse cause I'll never die
I got nine lives cat's eyes
Using every one of them and runnin' wild

Cause I'm back
Yes I'm back well I'm back
Yes I'm back
Well I'm back back
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black
Back in the back of a Cadillac
Number one with a bullet I'm a power pack
Yes I am

In a bang with the gang
They gotta catch me if they want me to hang
Cause I'm back on the track and I'm beatin' the flack
Nobody's gonna get me on another rap
So look at me now I'm just makin' my play
Don't try to push your luck just get out of my way

Cause I'm back
Yes I'm back
Well I'm back
Yes I'm back
Well I'm back back
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black

Well I'm back yes I'm back
Well I'm back yes I'm back
Well I'm back back
Well I'm back in black
Yes I'm back in black

Ho yeah
Oh yeah
Yes I am
Oh yeah, yeah oh yeah
Back in now

Well I'm back, I'm back
Back, (I'm back)
Back, (I'm back)
Back, (I'm back)
Back, (I'm back)
Back
Back in black
Yes I'm back in black

Outta sight

"Back in Black " is a resurrection song. You only have to hear the lyrics to understand that they convey a return. A coming back and taking up where things were left off. More than that from the song lyrics it's a dramatic return. Lines like "Let loose from the noose" and "In a bang with the gang" and "Number one with a bullet I'm a power pack" These are are metaphorical lyrics that tell the story of a return of someone. There seems to be a vague storyline in the lyrics of someone escaping the hangman's noose. You can find the lyrics a deep illustration of an escaping from the clutching of death. It's a song of triumph "I'm Back in Black" It's a song about the resurrection with a resurrection riff and rythym.

The painting below is called “My Redeemer Lives.”and is a painting which was produced by Roger Loveless.  It captures the familiar scene that is from the 20th chapter of John's gospel. As you look at the painting you can almost hear the word of Jesus to Mary Magdalene: “Mary!” In this painting, Mary is turning to see if her ears deceive her; her handkerchief is in mid air. There, standing near the open tomb, is the Conqueror of Death.

Of course his artwork is just the product of an artist’s imagination. Only when we look into the Scriptures do we see the real portrait of Jesus, the Conqueror of Death. This portrait—the one found in Scripture—is the one that we need to see , and to really see it every day… not just on Easter Sunday.You could be forgiven for seeing in the painting a suggestion that is equal to ACDC's song. Paraphrased Jesus is saying "it's me Mary, I'm back"

Death is something we don’t like to think about or consider. It’s a subject that often causes anxiety and not in a small way either. Death is not such a subject that we talk about all that often. It still remains a taboo subject. In times past Death was more prominent in communities and neighbourhoods as people were laid out at home. But in today's world most people die in hospital. For all of us death is inevitable and part of  our future. Still, we very often don’t think about it until we must. People spend shed loads of money every year in an attempt to avoid death. We exercise to stay healthy, go to the doctor, and take pills—all in an effort to prolong life, to live.

Yet we can’t avoid death. We can’t escape it.  Death will come to all of us. No has learned to buck the trend and come back from death although there are stories of near death and death experiences. Death is something that all of us whether we like it or not will have to face in our lifetime. Both my parents have past away and their passing has left a space where they had been. Their death has made a difference in my own life. Even the town that they lived in and where I was brought up has been affected by their death. The house that they lived in is not occupied by someone else and so on. Returning home is often a painful experience for me in more ways than one.

In John’s Gospel account of Mary's encounter with Jesus we see an intimate portrait written to give all of us who are facing life and death hope in the resurrected Christ. Jesus comes back from the dead and is triumphant. This is what we celebrate at this Easter-time This encounter with Jesus gave Mary hope for the future because Jesus triumphantly rose from the dead the third day after His crucifixion. Jesus is spoken about else where in scripture as the one who holds the keys of the grave and of death (cf. Revelation 1:18). We can have hope in such a Jesus.

The open and empty tomb is the proof that the New Testament is holding out to each of us. Jesus is the Conqueror of Death! He has come back from it. As the angels sitting in the tomb said to Mary, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (v. 13) Take a look the story widens as Mary takes the news to the disciples. The Scripture paints the picture of Jesus, the Conqueror of Death! “Peace to you!” the risen Lord said to His disciples (v. 26). As the Conqueror of Death told Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29). For the disciples in the early church this return from the dead was a return to the plan of God. All that Jesus did before his death he was going to do again through the ministry of the early church. He was back and it was business as usual.