Def Leppard - Top 10 Songs

[lettard]

4 hours ago, Crazysam said:

 But I think going in a more commercial direction was more of a decision made as a band especially after Mutt Lange got involved and they realized the success that could be achieved.

But Mutt was involved from album 2...took a while after that before they became really what people would deem commercial.

And by commercial I mean when they made music that broke the mainstream and quite a lot of bands followed suite...so in definition they pretty much invented the commercial stadium rock band thing which wasn't really their fault...but worked out very well for them i'd say  

Edited January 5, 2020 by lettard

[PetraGirl86]

28 minutes ago, Captain Howdy said:

Eh? They did one or two collaborations with country artists, but not one single one of their albums is even remotely country.

Even their worst albums are still rock albums.

Idk, like Bon Jovi they changed their sound, kind of. Maybe not as much as Jovi, but still kinda went a little bit country rock. But not southern rock either, just country cheesiness put into a rock song. You know- kinda hard to describe but that's the best I can do. 

[Crazysam]

28 minutes ago, lettard said:

But Mutt was involved from album 2...took a while after that before they became really what people would deem commercial.

And by commercial I mean when they made music that broke the mainstream and quite a lot of bands followed suite

Good points, as you mentioned, they were one of the bands that helped establish hard rock as a commercially successful genre and others tried to replicate that formula.  I think we're mostly on the same page. I was thinking more or less after Pyromania really started to take off.  The guys saw what they could achieve if they followed Mutt's guidance and if they wrote songs that appealed to a wider audience.  There was a time when I wondered if they would have kept more of an edge had Pete remained.  But years later I heard the Roadhouse album and Girl's music and started to believe the change in guitarist was likely less of a factor.

[Geoff]

21 hours ago, Glen said:

do you spend your whole life listening to cheesy ballads

Nope. I just have the luxury of being able to select the best actual songs; completely uninterested in appearing as metal as I can to my peers.  For the record, I like all their "heavier" songs too. But imo they're just not their best songs. 

On 1/5/2020 at 9:12 PM, Glen said:

I've always said you only really need Hysteria & Pyromania - it's the only two I own / ever play on Spotify

Every single time there is a discussion on Def Leppard people seem to forget - arguably - their best album. I didn't read every post in this thread in detail to see if it was mentioned; I don't think it was - but 'Retroactive' is easily every bit as good as those two. For a metalhead like yourself, lol, how can you look past some of their best ever recorded songs in 'Fractured Love,' 'Desert Song,' 'She's Too Tough,' 'Ride Into The Sun' and 'Ring Of Fire?' All probably in their best 20-30 tunes.  

[Glen]

7 hours ago, Geoff said:

Nope. I just have the luxury of being able to select the best actual songs; completely uninterested in appearing as metal as I can to my peers.  For the record, I like all their "heavier" songs too. But imo they're just not their best songs. 

Every single time there is a discussion on Def Leppard people seem to forget - arguably - their best album. I didn't read every post in this thread in detail to see if it was mentioned; I don't think it was - but 'Retroactive' is easily every bit as good as those two. For a metalhead like yourself, lol, how can you look past some of their best ever recorded songs in 'Fractured Love,' 'Desert Song,' 'She's Too Tough,' 'Ride Into The Sun' and 'Ring Of Fire?' All probably in their best 20-30 tunes.  

ha ha me a metalhead? Looking at my top 10 of 2019 I don't think I quite qualify

you must be the only person on earth that thinks retroactive is as good as Hysteria

I admit to liking Fractured Love and She's Too Tough but the rest is v skippable imo including the 2 or is it 3 (?) insipid ballads

I'll stand by my poser quote I think

 

 

 

[AlphaMale]

Info about Retro-active for Geoff

Track listing

1. "Desert Song" (Steve Clark, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage) – 5:19
   • Outtake from the Hysteria album sessions (1984–87)
2. "Fractured Love" (Clark, Elliott, Savage) – 5:08
   • Outtake from the Hysteria album sessions
3. "Action" (Andy Scott, Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Mick Tucker) – 3:41
   • Originally released on the "Make Love Like a Man" single (1992)
4. "Two Steps Behind" (Acoustic version) (Elliott) – 4:16
   • Originally released on the "Make Love Like a Man" single
5. "She's Too Tough" (Elliott) – 3:41
   • Originally released on the "Heaven Is" single in UK, "Tonight" single in US (1993) and as bonus track on Japanese pressing of Adrenalize (1992)
6. "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Phil Collen) – 4:04
7. "Only After Dark" (Mick Ronson, Scott Richardson) – 3:52
   • Originally released on the "Let's Get Rocked" single (1992)
8. "Ride into the Sun" (Clark, Collen, Elliott, Savage) – 3:12
   • Alternate version released on the "Hysteria" single (1987)
   • Original version released on The Def Leppard E.P. (1979)
9. "From the Inside" (Elliott) – 4:13
   • Originally released on the "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" single
10. "Ring of Fire" (Clark, Collen, Elliott, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Savage) – 4:42
    • Originally released on the ""Pour Some Sugar on Me" single in US, and "Armageddon It" single in UK (1988)
11. "I Wanna Be Your Hero" (Clark, Collen, Elliott, Lange, Savage) – 4:29
    • Originally released on the "Animal" single in US, and "Pour Some Sugar on Me" single in UK (1987)
12. "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Electric version) (Collen) – 4:58
    • Originally released on the "Make Love Like a Man" single, and as bonus track on Japanese pressing of Adrenalize (1992)
13. "Two Steps Behind" (Electric version) (Elliott) – 4:29
14. "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Piano version) (Hidden track) (Collen) – 4:09

[Darkstone]

7 minutes ago, AlphaMale said:

"Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Piano version) (Hidden track) (Collen) – 4:09

I remember hidden tracks were quite popular around this time. Are they still a thing? Anybody know of any recent examples?

[tts42572]

On 1/5/2020 at 12:29 PM, Crazysam said:

I am a big fan of the H&D album as well.  And I used to think the same as far as Collen vs. Willis.  Then later on I thought about Collen coming from Girl and Willis returning to the scene with a very polished, more AOR style band like Roadhouse.  Not to mention Vivan's input starting with Slang and him writing much mellower music than he played with Dio.  The change in guitarists over the years understandably shaped their overall sound.  But I think going in a more commercial direction was more of a decision made as a band especially after Mutt Lange got involved and they realized the success that could be achieved.

Agree.  I really feel like this band shake down two ways....Pre and Post Mutt.  And I'm sure Steve Clark played a big role too.  There's no denying though that they lost something in terms of creating music after the early 90's.  They've still had some good tunes from Slang and forward but they're a little bit all over the place.      

These guys were far and away my favorite band in my youth though and I'd probably still list them as my favorite band even though H.e.a.t is probably making my favorite music right now.  As for my top 10 songs, not sure on the order but the ones popping in my head are:

Animal

Photograph

Let It Go

Rock Of Ages

Bringin On The Hearbreak

Hysteria

Pour Some Sugar On Me

Armageddon It

Stagefright

Women

No surprise that all 10 are from HND, Pyromania and Hysteria.   

[lettard]

Dont think I could ever just pick 10...my favourite band,they've fell away a bit with the newer material but still some really fine tunes...my best of compilation is as follows though...sort of beating the arse outta it though

Stagefright
Let's Get Rocked
Photograph
Women
Torn To Shreds
Fractured Love
Another Hit And Run
Promises
Rock Of Ages
Animal
Heaven Is
Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad
Back In Your Face
C'Mon C'Mon
Gods Of War
Die Hard The Hunter
Let It Go
Two Steps Behind(Electric Version)
Demolition Man
Long Long Way To Go
Where Does Love Go(When It Dies)
Love Bites
Rock Rock(Til You Drop)
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Love And Affection
Now
To Be Alive
When Love & Hate Collide(prefer the Steve Clark Demo)
Bringin' On A Heartbreak
Stand Up(Kick Love Into Motion)
Armageddon It
Work It Out
Hysteria
Miss You In A Heartbeat
Undefeated
White Lightning
Pearl Of Euphoria
Lets Go
Make Love Like A Man
Paper Sun
I Wanna Touch U
You Got Me Runnin'
Desert Song
When Saturday Comes
Cry
Dangerous
Wings Of An Angel

as I said almost Impossible for me to choose a top 40 never mind 10

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by lettard

[Glen]

you just listed them all

[Captain Howdy]

4 hours ago, Darkstone said:

I remember hidden tracks were quite popular around this time. Are they still a thing? Anybody know of any recent examples?

Two I can think of off the top of my head:

Knock Out Kaine - Rise of the electric Jester (2015) = Not as think as you drunk I am

Wayward Sons - The truth ain't what it used to be (2019) = Totally screwed

[Captain Howdy]

3 hours ago, lettard said:

they've fell away a bit with the newer material

 

X and Sparkle lounge were not their strongest for sure, but the self titled album was great. One of my fave albums the year it was released, and a proper surprise seeing as they had underwhelmed for years.

Certainly no classic beater, but would have made a fine follow up to Euphoria if it had been released back then.

[Geoff]

13 hours ago, AlphaMale said:

Info about Retro-active for Geoff

Track listing

1. "Desert Song" (Steve Clark, Joe Elliott, Rick Savage) – 5:19
   • Outtake from the Hysteria album sessions (1984–87)
2. "Fractured Love" (Clark, Elliott, Savage) – 5:08
   • Outtake from the Hysteria album sessions
3. "Action" (Andy Scott, Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Mick Tucker) – 3:41
   • Originally released on the "Make Love Like a Man" single (1992)
4. "Two Steps Behind" (Acoustic version) (Elliott) – 4:16
   • Originally released on the "Make Love Like a Man" single
5. "She's Too Tough" (Elliott) – 3:41
   • Originally released on the "Heaven Is" single in UK, "Tonight" single in US (1993) and as bonus track on Japanese pressing of Adrenalize (1992)
6. "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Phil Collen) – 4:04
7. "Only After Dark" (Mick Ronson, Scott Richardson) – 3:52
   • Originally released on the "Let's Get Rocked" single (1992)
8. "Ride into the Sun" (Clark, Collen, Elliott, Savage) – 3:12
   • Alternate version released on the "Hysteria" single (1987)
   • Original version released on The Def Leppard E.P. (1979)
9. "From the Inside" (Elliott) – 4:13
   • Originally released on the "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" single
10. "Ring of Fire" (Clark, Collen, Elliott, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Savage) – 4:42
    • Originally released on the ""Pour Some Sugar on Me" single in US, and "Armageddon It" single in UK (1988)
11. "I Wanna Be Your Hero" (Clark, Collen, Elliott, Lange, Savage) – 4:29
    • Originally released on the "Animal" single in US, and "Pour Some Sugar on Me" single in UK (1987)
12. "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Electric version) (Collen) – 4:58
    • Originally released on the "Make Love Like a Man" single, and as bonus track on Japanese pressing of Adrenalize (1992)
13. "Two Steps Behind" (Electric version) (Elliott) – 4:29
14. "Miss You in a Heartbeat" (Piano version) (Hidden track) (Collen) – 4:09

Yeah, I know all this, cousin. I think that would have to be one of the most read liner notes in my entire collection, over the years. 

But it all comes together very well done and great as a complete album. Defo a couple of fillers on it, but for the most part, imo, it slays.  

[Glen]

tbh it's a bunch of leftovers and b sides but there are 2 or 3 great tracks. 

[Geoff]

11 minutes ago, Glen said:

tbh it's a bunch of leftovers and b sides but there are 2 or 3 great tracks. 

Respectfully disagree. My take;

1    .    Desert Song       -    8.75

2    .    Fractured Love       -    9

3    .    Action       -    7.75

4    .    Two Steps Behind acoustic version       -     acoustic repeat

5    .    She's Too Tough       -    9.25

6    .    Miss You In A Heartbeat       -     repeat

7    .    Only After Dark       -    6.5

8    .    Ride Into The Sun       -    9

9    .    From The Inside       -     interlude

10    .    Ring of Fire       -    9.25

11    .    I Wanna Be Your Hero       -    8.25

12    .    Miss You In A Heartbeat     -    10

13    .    Two Steps Behind     -    9.5                

Total - 87%

[Glen]

1 hour ago, Geoff said:

Respectfully disagree. My take;

1    .    Desert Song       -    8.75

2    .    Fractured Love       -    9

3    .    Action       -    7.75

4    .    Two Steps Behind acoustic version       -     acoustic repeat

5    .    She's Too Tough       -    9.25

6    .    Miss You In A Heartbeat       -     repeat

7    .    Only After Dark       -    6.5

8    .    Ride Into The Sun       -    9

9    .    From The Inside       -     interlude

10    .    Ring of Fire       -    9.25

11    .    I Wanna Be Your Hero       -    8.25

12    .    Miss You In A Heartbeat     -    10

13    .    Two Steps Behind     -    9.5                

Total - 87%

glad you love it mate. As I said Fractured Love & She's Too Tough are great songs. The rest for me are more standard fair. It would prob pan out around mid 70s for me whereas Hysteria and Pyro would be 90+ albums 

[Geoff]

8 minutes ago, Glen said:

glad you love it mate. As I said Fractured Love & She's Too Tough are great songs. The rest for me are more standard fair. It would prob pan out around mid 70s for me whereas Hysteria and Pyro would be 90+ albums 

Yeah, I love those two as much as the next guy. I think, for me, now displaying my own death metal side... being a big fan of both DL and Bon Jovi, I did love hearing both of them do something a bit heavier than we expected from them in 1993. I loved 'If I was your mother' and 'Fear' off 'Keep The Faith' and I loved those heavier tunes on this one that I mentioned above... just for something a bit spicier from these bands I already loved. The riffage on stuff like 'Ride into the sun' and 'Ring of fire' and the heavier, darker nature of stuff like 'Desert Song' and 'Fractured Love' was just something new and fresh for me from Def Leppard. 

Yeah, I dunno, for me this album just always had a special place for me. If it was a bunch of old demos and original recordings from the time they were written it probably would have been shit. But the fact that it was all this older material from their heyday (when they pretty much couldn't write a filler anyway), freshly recorded with a ballsy 1993 sound and production... just a recipe for success in my eyeballs. 

[Glen]

OK so I decided to do this properly. Here's every song I rate 8.25 and over (cos there's a huge bunch sat at 7.75-8 which would be too much to list). Every album is represented except Slang lol. 

I grouped the songs as too difficult to separate.

 

10

Gods of War

9.75

Hysteria
Love Bites
When Love & Hate Collide

9.5

Photograph
Run Riot

9.25

Too Late For Love
Animal

9

Lady Strange
Stagefright
Women
She's Too Tough
Wings of Añ angel

8.75

High n Dry
Comin Under Fire
Have You Ever Needed Someone
Fractured Love
Ride into the Sun
Promises
Guilty
Dangerous
Tear it Down

8.5

Rock Brigade
It Don't Matter
Bring in on the Heartbreak
Die Hard the Hunter
Billy Got a Gun
Pour Some Sugar
Armageddon It
Love & Affection
Heaven Is
Stand Up
Personal Property
I Wanna Be Your Hero
Scar
Ring of Fire

8.25

Wasted
Rock Rock
Rocket
Don't Shoot Shotgun
Make love like a Man
Tonight
I Wanna Touch You
Demolition Man
Goodbye
Everyday
Torn to Shreds
Long Long Way To Go
Tomorrow
Come Undone
Gotta Let It Go
All Time High
Foolin



 

[KarpetRydOFunk]

2 hours ago, Glen said:

9.75

Hysteria
Love Bites
When Love & Hate Collide

Do you spend your whole life listening to cheesy ballads? 

[Glen]

1 hour ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Do you spend your whole life listening to cheesy ballads? 

is Love Bites a ballad? I guess it could be classed as one. 

surely though you realise the difference between this or Love and Hate and a cheesy ballad like Miss You in a Heartbeat or Have You Ever Needed Someone ????

Also they are the only 3 in my top 20 and I think there are only 6 ballads in the whole 50+ songs listed  Which is about the right ratio for any band 1:10

so in answer to your question : no I don't

 

[Darkstone]

I would 100% classify "Love Bites" as a ballad.

[PetraGirl86]

Love Bites is the definition of a ballad 

[Glen]

24 minutes ago, PetraGirl86 said:

Love Bites is the definition of a ballad 

but not the definition of a cheesy ballad

 

[PetraGirl86]

24 minutes ago, Glen said:

but not the definition of a cheesy ballad

 

Well no, but definitely a ballad. A cheesy one is Carrie by Europe. I know that's not Def Leppard obviously but that's the cheesiest one ever. 

[Glen]

21 minutes ago, PetraGirl86 said:

Well no, but definitely a ballad. A cheesy one is Carrie by Europe. I know that's not Def Leppard obviously but that's the cheesiest one ever. 

ask Geoff he knows loads of them