The band's greatest commercial success came between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. Their first album, 1980's On Through the Night, reached the Top 15 in the UK but received little notice elsewhere. Their second album, 1981's High 'n' Dry, was produced by Mutt Lange, who helped them begin to define their melodic hard rock style, and the album's most popular track "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first rock videos played on MTV in 1982, but the album only reached the Top 30 and 40 in the UK and US. Def Leppard's next studio album, Pyromania, was released in January 1983, with "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" both topping the US Rock Tracks chart and reaching the top 20 of the Hot 100. Reaching No. 2 on the US album chart, Pyromania was certified Diamond in the US and 7× platinum in Canada and reached the top 20 in the UK but did not sell much elsewhere.
Def Leppard's fourth album, the more pop-oriented Hysteria (1987), topped the UK, US, New Zealand, Canadian, Australian and Norway charts. It also went to No. 2 in Sweden and No. 10 in Germany without any Top 50 singles in those countries. It has been certified 12× platinum for sales in the US and 13× platinum in Canada, selling over 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. The album spawned six Top 20 US singles, including the US Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 "Love Bites" (went Top 10 in several other countries including No. 2 in NZ), alongside "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (US No. 2), "Hysteria", "Armageddon It" (No. 2 in NZ), "Animal" (at No. 6, the biggest UK hit), and "Rocket" (a Top 15 hit in many countries). Hysteria had four Top 10 hits in New Zealand.
Their next studio album, Adrenalize (their first following the death of guitarist Steve Clark), reached No. 1 on the UK, US, NZ, Canadian and Australian charts in 1992, while going Top 10 in Sweden and Germany. It contained several hits, including the US Rock Tracks chart-topper, "Let's Get Rocked", which became their biggest hit in several countries, including No. 2 in the UK, No. 3 in Canada and Switzerland, and the Top 20 in Sweden and Germany. The third single, "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad", was a Top 15 song in the US, UK and Canada. Adrenalize went on to sell over 8 million copies worldwide. Their 1993 album, Retro Active, contained the acoustic Top 5 North American hit "Two Steps Behind". Their greatest hits album Vault, released in 1995, featured the UK No. 2 hit "When Love & Hate Collide" and reached the Top 10 in several countries, going 5× platinum in the US. Beginning with Slang, Def Leppard released five albums between 1996 and 2008, with most usually reaching the Top 15 in several countries, including the UK, US and Canada. Their self-titled album was released in 2015 and reached the Top 10 in several countries. The band's newest studio album, Diamond Star Halos was released in May 2022 and reached the Top 10 in the US, the UK and Australia.
As one of the world's best-selling music artists, Def Leppard have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and have two albums with RIAA diamond certification: Pyromania and Hysteria, making them one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums selling more than 10 million copies in the US. The band were ranked No. 31 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and ranked No. 70 in "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Def Leppard were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Studio albums
On Through the Night (1980)
High 'n' Dry (1981)
Pyromania (1983)
Hysteria (1987)
Adrenalize (1992)
Slang (1996)
Euphoria (1999)
X (2002)
Yeah! (2006)
Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (2008)
Def Leppard (2015)
Diamond Star Halos (2022)
Billy
Def Leppard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Confusion in his mind, the blind leads the blind
Yeah, Billy's got a gun, he's gonna shoot ya down
He's got evil in his eyes, got a reason to despise
There's danger in the air
Can you feel it in the air? (There's danger in the air)
Danger (such a strange emotion)
Oh yeah
Oh he was locked inside a room without a door
His innocence he suffered for
In a world of black and white, they were wrong and he was right
Just looking for a clue, it's a nightmare come true
He's going underground to track that danger down
Oh Billy, and why you got that gun?
Can you feel it in the air? (There's danger in the air)
Danger (such a strange emotion)
Can you feel it in the air?
Never give him an even break
Gettin' caught is the chance you take
It could be your last mistake
(You could be so helpless)
As a bird with a broken wing
Like a sheep in a lion's den
Gonna fall but you won't know when
It's gonna get you
You hear footsteps in the night, see shadows on the wall
And the ghostly sound of silence, as the mist begins to fall
Then a scream rang out like thunder, but the lightning was too late
As the rain came down on the crimson ground
It was the hand of fate
And a crowd of people gathered 'round, but Billy couldn't wait
Can you feel it in the air? (There's danger in the air)
Danger (such a strange emotion)
Can you feel it in the air?
Never give him an even break
Gettin' caught is the chance you take
It could be your last mistake
As a bird with a broken wing
Like a sheep in a lion's den
Gonna fall but you won't know when
It's gonna get you
The lyrics to Def Leppard's "Billy's Got a Gun" paint a haunting picture of a troubled protagonist with a deadly weapon. The first verse sets the stage, describing Billy as a man on the run with a mind clouded by confusion. He's got a gun and he's not afraid to use it, with evil in his eyes and a reason to despise. The second verse delves deeper into Billy's tragic backstory, revealing that he was once locked in a room without a door and suffered for his innocence. He's been wronged by a world that sees everything in black and white.
As the chorus repeats the warning of danger in the air, the bridge further emphasizes the precarious position of anyone who crosses paths with Billy. "Never give him an even break," the lyrics warn. "Gettin' caught is the chance you take / It could be your last mistake." The song ends with a vivid portrayal of the violence that Billy is capable of, with a chilling description of his victims lying on the "crimson ground" and a crowd gathered around his final, fatal act.
One interpretation of the song is that it's a commentary on the destructive power of revenge. Billy is a sympathetic character to some extent – he's been wronged and is seeking justice – but his violent methods turn him into a villain. The song raises questions about the morality of using force to right wrongs, and the tragic consequences that can result.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy's got a gun, he's on the run
Billy is carrying a gun and is trying to escape from something or someone.
Confusion in his mind, the blind leads the blind
Billy is mentally troubled and unstable, lacking guidance or direction.
Yeah, Billy's got a gun, he's gonna shoot ya down
Billy is prepared to use his gun to harm others.
He's got evil in his eyes, got a reason to despise
Billy has a deep-rooted hatred and malice towards someone or something, and his gaze reflects this.
There's danger in the air
The situation is fraught with peril, and one can sense it just by being present in the area.
Can you feel it in the air? (There's danger in the air)
The singer is asking if the listener can sense the danger that permeates the area.
Danger (such a strange emotion)
The concept of danger is complex and difficult to understand.
Oh he was locked inside a room without a door
Billy was trapped in a place from which he could not escape.
His innocence he suffered for
Billy was punished for something he did not do and was therefore unfairly victimized.
In a world of black and white, they were wrong and he was right
The situation was portrayed as clear-cut (black and white), but Billy was wrongly accused and is therefore innocent.
Just looking for a clue, it's a nightmare come true
In his search for evidence to support his innocence, Billy is plunged into a terrifying, nightmarish ordeal.
He's going underground to track that danger down
Billy is taking risks by going into hiding to track those who pose a threat.
Oh Billy, and why you got that gun?
The singer is questioning Billy's decision to arm himself with a gun.
Never give him an even break
Billy is not given any chances or opportunities to prove his innocence.
Gettin' caught is the chance you take
Billy is taking a risk by being on the run, and there is a possibility that he may be caught by the authorities.
It could be your last mistake
If Billy is caught, it could result in dire consequences, even his death.
(You could be so helpless)
If caught, Billy may be powerless and unable to defend himself against those who oppose him.
As a bird with a broken wing
Billy is vulnerable and unable to fly, much like a bird with a broken wing.
Like a sheep in a lion's den
Billy is defenseless like a sheep in a den with fierce predators like lions.
Gonna fall but you won't know when
The danger Billy faces could come at any time, leading to his downfall.
You hear footsteps in the night, see shadows on the wall
The artist describes a terrifying and ominous atmosphere in which one can hear footsteps and see shadows, leading to fear and anxiety.
And the ghostly sound of silence, as the mist begins to fall
The silence is eerie and unsettling, and the arrival of the mist adds to the increasing sense of dread.
Then a scream rang out like thunder, but the lightning was too late
A scream echoes through the area, indicative of someone's distress or pain, but it is too late for anyone to intervene.
As the rain came down on the crimson ground
Rain falls on the red ground, possibly indicating blood or violence.
It was the hand of fate
The events that occurred were predetermined by fate and outside of anyone's control.
And a crowd of people gathered 'round, but Billy couldn't wait
Bystanders gather, but Billy is unable to wait for their help and takes action himself.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Robert John Lange, Peter Andrew Willis, Stephen Maynard Clark, Richard Savage, Joseph Thomas Elliott, Richard John Cyril Allen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind