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)
Rock of Ages
Def Leppard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All right
I got somethin' to say
Yeah, it's better to burn out
Yeah, than fade away
All right
Ow gonna start a fire
Come on
Rise up gather round
Rock this place to the ground
Burn it up, let's go for broke
Watch the night go up in smoke
Rock on Rock on
Drive me crazier, no serenade
No fire brigade, just pyromania, come on
What do you want, what do you want?
I want rock 'n' roll, yes I do
Long live rock 'n' roll
Oh let's go, let's strike a light
We're gonna blow like dynamite
I don't care if it takes all night
I gonna set this town alight, come on
What do you want, what do you want?
I want rock 'n' roll, alright
Long live rock 'n' roll
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin', keep a-rollin'
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin', rock'n'rollin'
We got the power, got the glory
Just say you need it and if you need it
Say yeah
Heh heh heh heh
Now listen to me
I'm burnin', burnin', I got the fever
I know for sure, there ain't no cure
So feel it, don't fight it, go with the flow
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme one more for the road
What do you want?
What do you want?
I want rock 'n' roll, You betcha
Long live rock 'n' roll
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin', keep a-rollin'
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin', rock'n'rollin'
We got the power, got the glory
Just say you need it and if you need it
Say yeah
Say yeah
We're gonna burn this damn place down
Down to the ground
The lyrics to Def Leppard's song Rock of Ages are an anthem to the power of rock and roll music. The opening lines, "Gunter gleiben glauchen globen" are nonsensical and serve as an attention-grabbing introduction. The next line "I got somethin' to say" sets the stage for the main message of the song. The chorus features the repeated phrase "Rock of ages, rock of ages, still rollin', keep a-rollin'" which emphasizes the long-lasting nature of rock and roll music.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of burning out rather than fading away, suggesting that it is better to live life to the fullest and go out with a bang rather than slowly losing one's spark. The overall message is one of living life to the fullest and embracing the power of rock and roll as a force to be reckoned with.
The verses describe a desire to rock and roll with abandon, burning up and setting the town alight with the power of music. The lyrics suggest that rock and roll is something that cannot be tamed or controlled, with no need for a fire brigade to put out the pyromania that comes with it.
Overall, the lyrics to Rock of Ages celebrate the power and energy of rock and roll music and encourage listeners to embrace it fully and without hesitation.
Line by Line Meaning
Gunter gleiben glauchen globen
Let's get ready, something exciting is about to happen
All right
I am ready to rock
I got somethin' to say
I have a message to share about rock and roll
Yeah, it's better to burn out
Dying young while being passionate is better than living a long, boring life
Yeah, than fade away
Being forgotten or giving up is worse than dying young and being remembered
All right
I am still ready to rock
Ow gonna start a fire
I'm ready to light up the stage and bring some energy
Come on
Let's get this party started
Rise up gather round
Everyone, come together and get excited
Rock this place to the ground
Let's make so much noise and energy that the entire place shakes
Burn it up, let's go for broke
Let's put everything we have into this performance and leave nothing behind
Watch the night go up in smoke
Our performance will be so hot that even the darkness of night will be lit up in smoke
Rock on Rock on
Keep rocking and don't stop
Drive me crazier, no serenade
I don't want a slow, romantic song - I want something that makes me go wild
No fire brigade, just pyromania, come on
The only fire crew we need is the intense energy from the fans, let's keep that going
What do you want, what do you want?
What is it that you truly desire in this moment?
I want rock 'n' roll, yes I do
I want to hear and perform rock and roll music
Long live rock 'n' roll
May rock and roll music live on forever
Oh let's go, let's strike a light
Let's ignite the energy and passion in everyone
We're gonna blow like dynamite
Our performance is going to be explosive and fierce
I don't care if it takes all night
I am willing to keep performing and rocking all night long
I gonna set this town alight, come on
I am going to bring so much energy and passion that the entire town will feel it
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Rock and roll music has been around for a long time and will continue to be around
Still rollin', keep a-rollin'
Rock and roll music will never stop and will continue to evolve
We got the power, got the glory
We have the ability to create something amazing and bring glory to rock and roll music
Just say you need it and if you need it
Admit that you crave and require rock and roll music in your life
Say yeah
Show your excitement and agreement
Heh heh heh heh
A playful and mischievous laugh
Now listen to me
Pay attention, because I have something important to share
I'm burnin', burnin', I got the fever
I am so passionate about rock and roll that it's like a burning fever inside of me
I know for sure, there ain't no cure
Nothing can cure my passion and love for rock and roll music
So feel it, don't fight it, go with the flow
Embrace your love for rock and roll music and let it take control
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme one more for the road
Give me one final song to send me off with even more excitement and passion
I want rock 'n' roll, You betcha
I absolutely want to hear and perform rock and roll music
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Rock and roll music has been around forever and will never die out
Still rollin', keep a-rollin'
Rock and roll music will continue to evolve and stay relevant
We're gonna burn this damn place down
Our performance is going to be so hot and intense that it will literally burn the place down to the ground
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Robert John Lange, Joseph Thomas Elliott, Richard Savage, Peter Andrew Willis, Stephen Maynard Clark, Richard John Cyril Allen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tinasally379
@julietreminiec6332 cannot pick a favorite song from Pyromania...
1) Rock, Rock Til you Drop - I remember turning up my Walkman Headsets to this song. It was my escape reality song. Also hearing this song on the BIG stereo was a HUGE treat.
I😊 had a pretty messed up childhood.
2) Photograph - it was either this video or Foolin' that I absolutely flipped out over Joe Elliott. Just fell Head Over Heels for this guy
3) Stagefright - This song has INCREDIBLE guitars in it (must be Steve's playing) Absolutely Love this song
4) Too Late For Love - Another song with incredible guitars and Joe's voice OMG!!! (In love again)
5) Die Hard the Hunter - One of my MOST favorite Pyromania songs. I wish I could have seen Steve playing this song live.
6) Foolin' - Guitar intro of Steve in the video of this song... me and my sister went Ape Shit over him and as I said it was either this video or Photograph that I went Head Over Heels for Joe Elliott.
7)
@galebailey5583
This song is 41 years old, and it still kicks ass!
@mattmarzula
Same.
@mach1rocks
Yeah oh yeah!
@brian22067
"This content is culturally significant. Posting it on YouTube will ensure that future generations will have access to it and appreciate it. Thank you for sharing it."
@Guizeira80
Someone in 2024, listening to this huge massive song by the Def leppard band and pure NOSTALGIA...🔥⚡🙌
@RainerTannebaum
Höre gerade Rock on Age 🇬🇧👍🇬🇧🤘🤘🤘.. Def Leppard Fan seit den großen 80 ziger Jahren ❤
@RainerTannebaum
Time 2uhr 40. 👍🇬🇧👍🤜🤛
@RainerTannebaum
🤜🤛
@michiwoman
Me!!!
@leonardor659
Born on 88 I will listen to this till I die