What does Stiff Upper Lip mean?

AC/DC: Stiff Upper Lip Meaning

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Album cover for Stiff Upper Lip album cover
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Stiff Upper Lip Lyrics

Well I was out on a drive
On a bit of a trip
Lookin’ for thrills
To get me some kicks
Now I warn you ladies
I shoot from the hip
I was born with a stiff

Stiff upper lip

Like a dog in a howl
I bite everything
And I’m big and I’m...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Feb 12th 2008 !⃝

    Keeping a stiff upper lip virtually means "keeping your chin up." when someone gets worried or upset, their lip is going to shake and quiver, but if you're strong enough, you're going to have a "stiff upper lip." as far as shooting from the hip, that just means talking or acting without really thinking about it. it's like shooting a tommy gun from the hip; you're just spraying shots without taking aim at what you're doing. it could mean something sexual (like, "I screw ladies without thinking about it") or it could mean he just doesn't watch his mouth. Pretty much, he's just saying he's a bad @$$ who doesn't care what he does because nobody is going to get in his way...or else. at least that's what I got out of it.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    Etch
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    Oct 28th 2009 !⃝

    PLEASE people... Some innuendo???
    AC/DC is talking about sex, plain and simple.
    The vague reference to the upper lip is simply the ruse of the song... They used the phrase "keep a stiff upper lip" and used it to make a song about getting their dinky stinky. This is what is so great about AC/DC, no pretense - just catchy tunes about sex, booze and rock n roll.
    I was born with a stiff.
    no innuendo...
    unless you like it inuendo.

  3. anonymous
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    Jul 13th 2023 !⃝

    The phrase is most commonly heard as part of the idiom "keep a stiff upper lip", and has traditionally been used to describe an attribute of British people in remaining resolute and unemotional when faced with adversity. A sign of fear is trembling of the upper lip, hence the saying keep a "stiff" upper lip.

  4. anonymous
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    Sep 13th 2021 !⃝

    Yes...Brian grabbing his crotch a number of times in the face of the audience isn't to adjust the banana in his pants. It's symbolic of the deeper meaning of the song. He is a man that is in no need of Viagra. As always incredible riffs from greatest rock band ever.

  5. anonymous
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    Sep 19th 2020 !⃝

    Stiff is the dick, upper lip means his dick is up the lips of her vagina. Pretty simple. Love the riff and the arrangement of every instrument, including vocal.

  6. anonymous
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    Sep 18th 2019 !⃝

    Don't take no shit. Because the next one will be cool wit him.

  7. anonymous
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    Jul 5th 2018 !⃝

    It's about sex.

    I shoot from the hip - he cums in all girls, and he doesn't care
    Stiff upper lip - he is the real deal, a king of ladies just like Presley was (he took this from Presley's famous facial expressions)

  8. anonymous
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    Sep 16th 2012 !⃝

    i just realized that the song could be about Clint Eastwood... you know... stiff upper lip... shooting from the hip... it just fits...

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  9. anonymous
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    Aug 7th 2011 !⃝

    Its about Elvis and his upper lip,which would give him the tough guy sneer.Elvis also introduced the dancing hips move,which was considered lewd at the time.This is were the line 'shoot from the hip' comes from.

  10. anonymous
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    Sep 19th 2008 !⃝

    According to Angus, he thought of performers such as Elvis... Who curled his lip and had a "stiff upper lip" literally. As mentioned before, there is some innuendo, but that's true with most AC/DC songs

  11. midnitegreen
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    May 8th 2007 !⃝

    It's like pretend to be happy. So everyone will be happy.

  12. anonymous
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    Dec 8th 2006 !⃝

    I grew up with stiff upper lip meaning like "quit your cryin" or something to that effect so I took the song as they won't fall in love they arent gonna cry if the girl they sleep with leaves- explaining the innuendo of "I shoot from the hip"

  13. anonymous
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    Mar 18th 2006 !⃝

    Stiff Upper Lip actually means to maintain a facade of happiness or to try and stay positive in times of despair.

    Of course there seems to be a bit of innuendo going on...

    "I warn you ladies I shoot from the hip, I was born with a stiff......stiff upper lip"

  14. anonymous
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    Feb 10th 2006 !⃝

    In my opinion, I think it could be about the band's dedication to touring and not giving up on releasing new material. As released in 2000, it could be about basically of the band get older, but sticking to their path of rock. "Keeping a stiff upper lip," in european terms, I heard meant "sticking to it."

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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