It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the first track of the group's second album T.N.T., released only in Australia on 8 December 1975, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott. The song combines bagpipes with hard rock instrumentation; in the middle section of the song there is a call and response between the bagpipes and guitar. The original recording is in B-flat major, but it was played live in A major.

A slightly shortened version of the song is also the first track on the internationally released High Voltage (May 1976). This version appears only on the vinyl release and the 2003 CD reissue.

The full version of the song is also on the Volts CD of the Bonfire box set, released in 1997.

This was a signature song for Bon Scott. Brian Johnson, who replaced Scott as AC/DC's lead vocalist after Scott's death in 1980, does not perform it, out of respect for his predecessor.

In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" was ranked number 5.

Lyrics

Ridin' down the highway

Goin' to a show

Stop in all the byways

Playin' rock 'n' roll

Gettin' robbed

Gettin' stoned

Gettin' beat up

Broken boned

Gettin' had

Gettin' took

I tell you folks

It's harder than it looks

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

If you think it's easy doin' one night stands

Try playin' in a rock roll band

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

Hotel motel

Make you wanna cry

Lady do the hard sell

Know the reason why

Gettin' old

Gettin' grey

Gettin' ripped off

Under-paid

Gettin' sold

Second hand

That's how it goes

Playin' in a band

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

If you wanna be a star of stage and screen

Look out it's rough and mean

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock 'n' roll

Well it's a long way

It's a long way, you should've told me

It's a long way, such a long way