If you're havin' trouble with the high school head
He's givin' you the blues
You want to graduate, but not in his bed
Here's what you gotta do
Pick up the phone, I'm always home
Call me anytime
Just ring, 3-6-2-4-3-6, hey
I lead a life of crime

Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

You got problems in your life of love
You got a broken heart
He's double dealin' with your best friend
That's when the teardrops start, fella
Pick up the phone, I'm here alone
Or make a social call
Come right in, forget about him
We'll have ourselves a ball, hey

Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap (oh)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
Oh yeah

If you got a lady and you want her gone
But you ain't got the guts
She keeps naggin' at you night and day
Enough to drive you nuts
Pick up the phone, leave her alone
It's time you made a stand
For a fee, I'm happy to be
Your back door man, woo

Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds (done dirt cheap)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap (yeah)
Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

Concrete shoes, cyanide, TNT
(Done dirt cheap)
Neckties, contracts, high voltage
(Done dirt cheap)

(Dirty deeds)
Do anything you want me to
(Done dirt cheap)
(Dirty deeds)
Dirty deeds, dirty deeds
(Done dirt cheap)
Yeah


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by flexsteel, LHGL

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap Lyrics as written by Malcolm Young Angus Young

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    Here are the correct lyrics from AC/DC's official website:

    acdc.com/us/music/dirty-deeds-done-dirt-cheap/dirty-deeds-done-dirt-cheap-edited-version

    Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Angus Young - Malcolm Young - Bon Scott)

    well if you're having trouble with the high school head he's giving you the blues you want to graduate but not in his bed here's what you gotta do pick up the phone, I’m always home call me anytime, just ring, 362436 oh I lead a life of crime

    dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

    you're got trouble in your life of love you got a broken heart he's double dealing with your best friend that's where the teardrops start pick up the phone, I’m here alone or make a social call come right in forget about him we'll have ourselves a ball

    dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

    if you got a lady and you want her gone but you ain't got the guts she keeps nagging at you night and day enough to drive you nuts pick up the phone leave her alone it's time you made a stand for a fee I’m happy to be your back door man

    dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

    concrete shoes, cyanide, T.N.T. done dirt cheap neck ties, contracts, high voltage done dirt cheap dirty deeds, done dirt cheap, dirty deeds, done dirt cheap dirty deeds do anything you want me to done dirt cheap dirty deeds dirty deeds done dirt cheap

    © 1976 J Albert & Son Pty Ltd.

    First verse talking to a girl who is having sex with her principal Second verse talking to a girl whose guy is cheating on her Third verse talking to a guy whose girl is a bitch

    Sex is Bon's solution to all of these. As with every AC/DC song it is about sex and it is full of double entendres to make it sound like it might not be about sex. The "back door man" thing that everyone keeps getting hung up on is he's offering to take the girl off the guy's hands by having sex with her. He will be the one exiting the back door (actual door to the house) when the other guy is entering the front door. This is also a double entendre for anal sex. Bon knew this and put it like that for a reason. The phone number is also supposed to be a double entendre. It is the standard measurements of the "perfect woman".

    drewzer15on April 26, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The song is clearly about a guy who does nasty things for pay. Not necessarily a hitman, but someone who does dirty deeds (roughing-up, adultery, murder) for cheap. AC/DC is one of the most straight-forward bands on Earth. Aside from a liberal use of double entendres, what you hear is pretty much what you get with them.

    The first verse is about a girl whose high school principle (high school head) is banging her for the grades she needs to graduate. Bon's offering to take care of the situation for her (beat him up or kill him). The phone number is an Australian number (AC/DC are from Australia, duh). It's not a woman's measurements.

    The second verse is about a woman whose man is cheating on her. Bon's offering to sleep with her for revenge. Essentially a gigolo or male prostitute job.

    The third verse is about a guy who wants to kill his wife but does not have the guts to do it. Bon is offering to kill her for him, plain and simple. The "back door man" line always confused me, but I think it's safe to say Bon was using the wrong term and it was not some sort of offer for gay sex.

    The outro is just a list of ways to kill people, with nods to other AC/DC titles (TNT, High Voltage). A "necktie" is when you slit someone's throat and pull their tongue out through the hole.

    bbzzddon December 03, 2008   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    To start off with, this is from what I hear and deem to make sense. I could be wrong with some of the lyrics and their interpretations.

    The first verse is about a girl who might be forced to sleep with the Principal (but hasn't done so yet) to get her required grades. The narrator offers a phone number (36-24-36, can't hear the last 4 at all) and his services, which will be to 'negotiate' her graduation. Killing the guy would not be likely to help her, as she wouldn't pass or have anyone to sleep with to get the grades.

    The second verse is about a different girl who is being cheated on. It sounds like "He's double dealing" and "We'll [forget/get round] him", and with the assumption that the narrator is straight, he's offering to cheer up and/or get back at the cheating boyfriend - all in all talking to a girl.

    The third, as has been said by Sonofagunzel in his brackets, is likely to give him an easy way (or "back door") out of the relationship with his nagging woman.

    The narrator is obviously happy to do a number of "dirty deeds", which might include murder (through the methods mentioned) but nothing in the first three verses necessarily involve it.

    SummerMcLovinon March 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is bad ass

    bigkon May 07, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    lol, oops...sorry...:-/

    what'd he say tahtw as cursing?

    munch_49337on June 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    im pretty sure this song is about a homosexual male prostitute

    Essejsknabwenon May 13, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    They got sue for this song apparently the phone no. was actually someones real number

    antmannon June 11, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    pretty cool song, really like a motto for a cheap hitman company. I like how they played it during Dirty Work, kinda fit the mood.

    Yakuza Warlordon June 26, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "They got sue for this song apparently the phone no. was actually someones real number"

    Yep, it was the phone number for a house in Detroit I think, and they sued the band, lol.

    Dangerous_Daveon May 11, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    love this song...no its not about a male hooker...its about him being the badass he is!!

    neveroddorevenon May 31, 2004   Link

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