The singer Brian Johnson was born in Dunston, Country Durham, England in 1947 and started his musical career when he was still a teenager in 1962. After being part of many groups in his youth he gained notoriety as the vocalist of Geordie, recording four studio albums with them. However, his life really changed and he became a global Rock star after he was invited to join AC/DC in 1980.
The band’s classic singer Bon Scott tragically passed away in that same year at the age of 33. Then Johnson passed the audition, becoming their new vocalist. His debut with the group was better than he could ever imagine, since they not only recorded their best-selling album, but one of the best-selling records of all time. “Back In Black” simply sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.
Over the decades the musician talked a lot about other bands and gave his opinion on them. He loves the music made in the 60s and 70s and revealed once which is his favorite song of all time.
The song that Brian Johnson said is his favorite of all time
Brian Johnson always had a broad musical taste and although he had a powerful voice, he never was in a band as heavy as AC/DC was. As every musician from his generation he was very influenced by The Beatles, which always was one of his favorite bands.
So it’s not a coincidence that he revealed in an interview with Joe Walsh in 2020 that the track “Get Back” is one of his favorites songs of all time. He said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage): “(My favorite song) In the whole world? Jesus! Way of (the back of my head) the thing that makes me smile every time I hear it is ‘Get Back’.”
“You know, and if you listen to Ringo‘s drumming on there. It’s sensational, it’s easy. I remember somebody said to be, ‘I could have wrote that’. And I said, ‘Well why didn’t you,” Brian Johnson said.
Credited to Lennon and McCartney, “Get Back” was featured on The Beatles’ final album “Let It Be” released in 1970. It had Billy Preston playing Rhodes piano and Paul McCartney on the vocals. The track was a number one hit in several countries in 1969 when it was released as a single. Using the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart from 1958 to 2018, the song occupied the position 327 in the ranking.
The first time he met Paul McCartney he said he was “Tongue-Tied”
If music fans often are starstruck when they meet their music heroes, famous musicians also feel like that when they have the opportunity to meet who inspired them. That happened to Brian Johnson when he had the opportunity to meet the legendary Paul McCartney.
He recalled that meeting in an interview with Torg & Elliott in 2022. “Yes, that has happened, and it was Paul McCartney. I didn’t know what to say to him. I mean, for the first time I was absolutely tongue-tied. Then Ringo Starr walked in beside him. It was Paul that spoke to me, ’cause he heard me talking to somebody.”
“He said, ‘Hello, Geordie.’ You know, because they call us Geordies, with the accent. I went, ‘Hello, Paul. Sir Paul. Your honor. Your majesty.’ I didn’t know what (to call him). (Laughs) I just came across like I was breaking a friend’s teeth in. I couldn’t speak.”
He continued:
“So it was hard. And then we became friends, which is even harder to describe. If you’re in a hotel and somebody like McCartney says, ‘Fancy a spot of lunch, kid?’ And you go, ‘Yes,'” Brian Johnson said.
The admiration is mutual since McCartney also likes AC/DC. He can be seen enjoying the band’s performance during the Grammy Awards ceremony in 2015. He showed enthusiasm when they performed the track “Rock or Bust”.
There is also footage on Youtube of Brian singing The Beatles’ “Love Me Do” a few years ago.