AC/DC have achieved much over their career, going to places that they couldn’t have dreamed of when starting out. From enjoying immense commercial success to influencing a range of notable subsequent artists, it’s safe to say they’ve left a mark, and have an undeniable legacy that will live on for generations. Furthermore, as is expected of a band so revered, they’ve also got a long list of wild stories to tell, with one of the strangest being that they did their bit to help topple a notorious dictator.
In 1989, the relationship collapsed between the United States and Panamanian military dictator Manuel Noriega. Although the reasons why the US decided to invade Panama and capture him are multifarious, it largely centred around the fact he was a deeply corrupt leader, who not only violently repressed his people, but more importantly to The White House, was also involved in drug smuggling with Pablo Escobar’s notorious Medellin Cartel. He took bribes from the Colombian gang to allow their cocaine to pass through Tocumen airport.
Ironically, from the 1950s onwards, Noriega had been an informant for the Central Intelligence Agency, and was one of their most valuable sources in the region. He helped them as a conduit for weapons and cash flowing to US-supported forces in Latin America, but played both sides, and this is what ultimately led to his downfall. In 1988, he was indicted by federal grand juries on charges of racketeering, drug smuggling and money laundering. To be fair to them, the US did attempt to seek his resignation through negotiations, but they failed, and after he annulled the 1989 general election, they opted to invade.
Beginning in December 1989 and ending in January 1990, the US invasion of Panama was dubbed ‘Operation Just Cause’. However, a new operation was launched – ‘Operation Nifty Package’ – after Noriega took refuge in The Vatican City’s embassy in Panama City. He believed it was a deft move, as the US soldiers were prevented by treaty from invading the building. However, he only halted them for a short time. They resorted to forcing him out by psychological warfare. Igneniously, one trick they tried was by blaring rock music out of speakers, which was to him, ‘devil music’. I think you can tell where this is going.
One song the American’s particularly enjoyed blasting out their huge speakers was AC/DC’s 1980 hit ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’, a classic rock anthem by the Australians, and their first single to feature singer Brian Johnson after Bon Scott’s death. It wasn’t just the hard rock heroes who did their part either, other songs that were played were The Clash’s ‘I Fought the Law’, Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, Van Halen’s ‘Panama’, and perhaps most surprisingly of all, Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, confirming Noriega as the first man to ever be Rickrolled.
Between them, AC/DC and the other artists that the US military had on repeat did the trick. After ten days of their music, painful chicken sounds and other types of industrial-scale hazing, Noriega gave in and surrendered on January 3rd, 1990.
Editors’ Picks
- 1980s Rock
- AC/DC
- Brian Johnson
- Classic Rock
- Manuel Noriega
- Military History
- Operation Nifty Package
- Political History
- US Invasion of Panama
- You Shook Me All Night Long
