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)
SCAR
Def Leppard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How can I see it through your eyes
Now you know
All those promises were lies
You close your eyes
You close your mind
To all you lost
I count the ways
I count the cost
All that you are, no conscience
All you believe, no crime
All that you take, no reason
All that you leave, no rhyme
All that you lose, no sorrow
All that you find, no shame
Can't take away the scar you left behind
How do you cry
When you've run right out of tears
You justify
But the pain won't disappear
I count the days
I count the ways
I count the cost
All that you are, no conscience
All you believe, no crime
All that you take, no reason
All that you leave, no rhyme
All that you lose, no sorrow
All that you find, no shame
Can't take away the scar you left
You close your eyes
You close your mind
To all you lost
I count the days
I count the ways
I count the cost
All that you are, no conscience
All you believe, no crime
All that you take, no reason
All that you leave, no rhyme
All that you lose, no sorrow
All that you find, no shame
Can't take away the scar you left behind
In the song Scar, Def Leppard is talking about the pain caused by someone who betrayed their trust with lies and false promises. The singer is trying to understand the perspective of the person who caused them pain - "How can I see it through your eyes?" - but ultimately realizes that there is no justification for the harm caused - "All those promises were lies" and "Can't take away the scar you left behind." The person who caused the pain seems to have no conscience and takes without reason, leaving no rhyme or reason behind their actions.
The chorus repeats the idea that no matter what the person does, they cannot erase the damage they've caused - "All that you are, no conscience / All you believe, no crime / All that you take, no reason / All that you leave, no rhyme / All that you lose, no sorrow / All that you find, no shame / Can't take away the scar you left behind." The song also touches on the feeling of being helpless and how the pain won't disappear even if the person tries to justify their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I know
I am unsure and seeking understanding
How can I see it through your eyes
I am trying to gain perspective from another's point of view
Now you know
The truth has been revealed
All those promises were lies
The promises made were not kept, they were false
You close your eyes
You refuse to acknowledge the reality of the situation
You close your mind
You are unwilling to accept the truth
To all you lost
You are not facing the consequences of your actions
I count the days
I am keeping track of the passing of time
I count the ways
I am analyzing the different factors at play
I count the cost
I am taking note of the consequences
All that you are, no conscience
You act without morality or guilt
All you believe, no crime
You justify wrongdoings as acceptable
All that you take, no reason
You act without justification or purpose
All that you leave, no rhyme
Your actions provide no clear outcome or result
All that you lose, no sorrow
You feel no regret for what you have lost
All that you find, no shame
You feel no guilt for what you have gained
Can't take away the scar you left behind
The lasting impact of your actions cannot be undone
How do you cry
You have exhausted all ability to express emotion
When you've run right out of tears
You have cried so much that there is nothing left
You justify
You attempt to rationalize your behavior
But the pain won't disappear
Despite your efforts, the emotional pain will persist
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALLEN, CAMPBELL, COLLEN, ELLIOTT, SAVAGE, WOODROFFE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jordan Allen
This song is awesome and this song kicks ass just like the rest of Def Leppards music does
MAMERTO IRUEGAS
Great song! They should this play this song live.
John Wilson
There is something to the leps always closing the album with one of their best, like love and affection, billy's got a gun, gotta let it go, etc. Most always seem to have that heavier feel as well which is awesome!
Thomas Meadows
Wait for supernova to come out 5/22😉😉😉😎😎👌👂🕔🎥🇬🇧🌎🤔
Gena Bourassa
I agree with you
M W
This should be #1 on Rock radio today...2017 needs this song!
Snake Eyes
Matt Wiggins 2018. Just found it today April 16.
Bavaro enseña matemáticas, electrónica y proyectos
También de acuerdo Actriz Jacque.
Gena Bourassa
Ilove Def Leppard music but I think this is their best song by far.
💙El mundo de Memo🐬mem's world.
De acuerdo.