THIRD LUNG – It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock & Roll), AC/DC Cover

THIRD LUNG are the rising stars of Reading, Southeast England. How fitting is it then that they should reprise the AC/DC classic It’s a long way to the top (if you wanna rock & roll)? Mind you, this is not just another cover. No sir! They have put their identity in the song and with the dexterity of a master’s hand, they have made it their own. Reimagined into an emotional and sensual piece, THIRD LUNG have created a strong experience to say the least.

Marquee Records

It’s a long way to the top (if you wanna rock & roll) is the first song that THIRD LUNG release under the label Marquee Records. After letting into the world an incredible debut album with Gameplay, they got a record deal earlier this year. One step closer to the top!

As I understand it and for the occasion, it was suggested to the band to reignite “the almighty sentiment of the Marquee Club’s glory day…” (quote borrowed from the blog The Other Side Reviews). Whether it was by revisiting this particular song, or any rock anthem of choice, I could not say. However it happened, I am thrilled for them. This is great stuff!

Know your classics… meh, not me 😅!

The weird thing with that song – the original I mean – I thought I did not know it (except for the title itself 😅, go figure!). AC/DC was not a band played either in my household when growing up, or after for that matter -Nope! Lying through my teeth now, Highway to Hell… that one I played a lot, but who didn’t 🎶. Anyway, uncultivated as I am, I went and had a listen. Of course I knew the song, but unfortunately, it had never been to my taste so I discarded it from memory… no offence.

I listened to the original the day before THIRD LUNG‘s own release. I played it twice for good measure though. By the sound of it, I thought it sounded as “old” as I am, and well I was just a few months off. This being said, this was a good year and now it’s been brought back to life all in nuances and emotions by THIRD LUNG. Best way to start a vacation: happy!

Uncontrollable smiling

Do you know how it feels when you hear the first notes of your favorite song? Your body reacts in the weirdest of ways, starting with your face… first on one side of the mouth, the muscles contract upwards then on to the other side until you get such a big smile that it hurts your cheeks. Well this is what happened when Cams Jurasek starts playing this hypnotizing melody over and over, like lazy tiny waves rolling on a beach before the crowd invades it. Before you know it, you’re rocking gently on your feet, digging your toes in the sand pondering at the horizon, dreaming of your dreams.

Authenticity

Now that I am the zone, Tom Farrelly takes it away smoothly in a seducing voice without drama, but as I said before – somewhere, Tom truly knows how to use his voice to tell a story. So many variations, up and down that I feel like I am on a rollercoaster. An adventure where walking and running intertwine towards the ultimate goal: the top. The intensity going crescendo as the song progresses left me speechless. I am not versed enough in vocal techniques, I only hope that Tom has a great vocal coach to make sure he preserves his instrument ❤️.

I have just watched an interview with Tom where he explained how he was exploring the capacity of his voice. How it was linked to the way he felt and it transpired in the way he sang. It makes sense and I cannot help but think that the way he delivers It’s a long way to the top, reflects precisely his experience in music and his aspiration to making it into this unforgiving world. I think it is brilliant, he brought such authenticity to the song which I could not hear in the original. Beautiful!

Back to the song, Cams steals the spotlights with her solo. I was like, what??? She can play like that too… Don’t get me wrong, I heard how good Cams is on the album, but here, she is simply phenomenal! She blew my mind, I rewind a few times to listen to her solo again and again until I let the song play to the end. That was real fun! When the band plays full strength together with Rob Jacques (bass) and Sam Waugh (drums), the song reaches the top. Now don’t be mad, I know they all play during the whole song… but Cams and Tom stole the show for me, until the climax is reached.

As a creative person, not that I wanna be in a band or anything 😅 that’d be a disaster anyway… but I could totally relate. I felt the song in my bones. Thank you ❤️‍🔥!

Filtered video

I like the feeling of the video, anonymous yet recognizable. Simple and effective so that we pay more attention to the music than to the imagery… the only thing I’d say is this: you should be proud and there is no reason whatsoever for you to hide behind filters. I would have loved for the video to clear the filters by the end. In some way, it would have giving the song more strength and weight to the lyrics – not that it was necessary with Tom‘s delivery… But I think the band could have been allowed to shine brighter 😁. Talking about the band, why don’t we see Rob and Sam in the video?

All in all an incredible song, which happens to be a cover. One step closer…

Can’t wait for new music! Until then… GAMEPLAY and It’s a long way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock & Roll)…

Show THIRD LUNG some love will ya! 👇👇👇

Be kind to each other and take care of yourselves 🥰
Yours Truly,
Claire 😘