Photo: DOUG MILLS / AFP / Getty Images
Decades before politics defined his public image, Donald Trump was a fixture of tabloid culture — known for wealth, nightlife, and headline-making affairs. That notoriety didn’t just fuel gossip columns; it also found its way into rock history.
While working on their 1990 comeback album The Razor’s Edge, members of AC/DC drew inspiration from Trump’s highly publicized relationship with Marla Maples, which was dominating international news at the time. Guitarist Angus Young later confirmed that the media frenzy sparked the idea for the band’s cheeky holiday track, Mistress for Christmas.
The song leaned fully into satire, painting a caricature of excess, indulgence, and unapologetic decadence. With lines celebrating money, luxury, and over-the-top fantasy, it wasn’t intended to be subtle — or serious. Instead, it paired Christmas bells with AC/DC’s signature crunch, offering humor without toning down the band’s hard-rock identity.
“You always have a bit of the ol’ fool-around now and again,” Young once told Guitar World, calling it the funniest song on the album. He later confirmed directly: “That song’s about Donald Trump. He was big news at the time, so we thought we’d have a bit of fun with it.”
Released in September 1990, The Razor’s Edge marked a major resurgence for AC/DC, driven by hits like “Thunderstruck” and “Moneytalks.” While those tracks became staples, “Mistress for Christmas” divided listeners and earned a reputation as one of the band’s most unusual cuts.
To this day, it remains one of the many AC/DC songs that has never been performed live — a novelty born from a specific cultural moment, preserved in rock lore.
SOURCE: Loudwire