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)
Four Letter Word
Def Leppard Lyrics
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Ain't just the way that you squeeze me tight
If there's a wish at the top of my list
Is that you be there everyday and every night
I found a new four letter word
The sweetest sound that I ever heard
I found a new four letter word
But it ain't L-O-V-E
Indeedy
Alright
And when the rush that I'm dreamin' of's not enough
You touch and I can't control myself
You put the glide back into my stride, oh yeah
You move me like nobody else
I found a new four letter word
The sweetest sound that I ever heard
I found a new four letter word
Lust can kinda be nice
But it ain't L-O-V-E
Oh yeah
Let me spell it out
C'mon
You're all I'm lookin' for
You ain't the girl next door
You're real and so much more
You put me to shame
And then you walk right in
You know I can't explain
Here come that lovin' thing
All over again
Live life just like a wild ride
More like a landslide
Take me away
New four letter word
The sweetest sound that I ever heard
I found a new four letter word
The sweetest sound that I ever heard
New four letter word
And baby, the sweetest sound that I ever heard
New four letter word
Hey
Lust can kinda be nice
But it ain't L-O-V-E
The lyrics to "Four Letter Word" by Def Leppard are about a new love that the singer has found. The chorus talks about discovering a new four letter word that is the sweetest sound the singer has ever heard. The word is not lust, but love. The singer expresses that this love is different from anything they've experienced before and it has put them in a state of bliss. The verses mention how the person they are singing about is all they've ever wanted and how they cannot control themselves when they are together. The lyrics convey the overwhelming feeling of being in love and how it can overcome a person's desires and needs.
The song is layered with rock instrumentals that perfectly complement the intense, heartfelt lyrics. The lead guitar riffs and catchy beats keep the song upbeat and lively, while the lyrics explore the intricacies of love. The chorus, in particular, highlights the theme of the song, with the repetition of the phrase "new four letter word" emphasizing the importance of this newfound love and how it has changed the singer’s life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't just your kiss, K-I-S-S, that I miss
I miss more than just your kiss
Ain't just the way that you squeeze me tight
I miss more than just the way you hold me
If there's a wish at the top of my list
If I could make one wish
Is that you be there everyday and every night
It would be that you're with me always
I found a new four letter word
I found something new that I love
The sweetest sound that I ever heard
It's the best thing I've ever experienced
Lust can kinda be nice
Lust can be enjoyable
But it ain't L-O-V-E
But it's not true love
And when the rush that I'm dreamin' of's not enough
When the excitement I'm seeking isn't satisfying
You touch and I can't control myself
Your touch overwhelms me
You put the glide back into my stride, oh yeah
You make me feel confident and smooth
You move me like nobody else
No one else affects me the way you do
Let me spell it out
I want to make it clear
You're all I'm lookin' for
You're everything I'm searching for
You ain't the girl next door
You're not like anyone else
You're real and so much more
You're genuine and special
You put me to shame
You make me feel inadequate
And then you walk right in
And then you appear
You know I can't explain
I can't describe it
Here come that lovin' thing
Here comes that feeling of love
Live life just like a wild ride
Live life like it's an adventure
More like a landslide
More like an overwhelming force
Take me away
Take me somewhere else
Hey
Hey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICHARD JOHN CYRIL ALLEN, VIVIAN PATRICK CAMPBELL, PHILIP COLLEN, JOSEPH ELLIOTT, RICHARD SAVAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind