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)
Satellite
Def Leppard Lyrics
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Circulating round the earth, trying to catch your eye
Lowdown, showdown, trying to break away
Stay on course, feel the force, careful what you say
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah can't you feel that it's real?
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah set your sights on the satellite
I'm paralyzed, I'm hypnotized, I'm in some kinda trance
Hazy, crazy, this thing's lost control
It's got the power, it's got the strength to steal away your soul
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah can't you feel that it's real?
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah set your sights on the satellite
It's burning up the sky
It's burning up the sky
Yes it's burning, yes it's burning
Can't you see that it's burning
Can't you see that it's burning
It's burning up the sky
Can't you see that it's burning
Midnight, bright light, shining from the sky
Circulating round the earth, trying to catch your eye
Lowdown, showdown, trying to break away
Stay on course feel the force, careful what you say
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah can't you feel that it's real?
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah set your sights on the satellite
The lyrics to Def Leppard's "Satellite" describe the mesmerizing effect of a satellite on earth that seems to have a power to steal away your soul. The song speaks of a bright light shining from the sky, circulating around the earth, and trying to catch your eye. The singer in the song is in a trance-like state and is paralyzed and hypnotized by the satellite's power. There is a sense of urgency and danger in the lyrics, evident in words like "trying to break away," "careful what you say," and "this thing's lost control." The refrain of "ooh yeah, ooh yeah" emphasizes the realness and impact of the satellite and urges the listener to set their sights on it. The song ends by repeating the opening verse, describing the midnight bright light and the ongoing mission of the satellite.
Overall, the lyrics of "Satellite" have a sense of urgency and danger, as if the satellite is a force to be reckoned with. The metaphorical use of the satellite as a hypnotic force is intriguing, and the repetition of the chorus adds to the song's overall hypnotic effect. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they suggest that the satellite has a power that cannot be controlled and that it can be dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight, bright light, shining from the sky
The satellite is a source of light that shines brightly in the night sky.
Circulating round the earth, trying to catch your eye
The satellite is constantly orbiting the Earth, and appears to be looking for something or someone to capture its attention.
Lowdown, showdown, trying to break away
The satellite is attempting to break free from its orbit and escape into space.
Stay on course, feel the force, careful what you say
It is important to stay focused and not lose your way, while respecting the strong gravitational forces at play as you communicate with the satellite.
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah can't you feel that it's real?
The presence and power of the satellite feels unmistakably tangible and present.
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah set your sights on the satellite
Direct your attention and energy towards the satellite, and its movements in the sky.
Me and you, rendezvous, we've got to take the chance
The singer and whoever they are addressing need to take the opportunity to interact with the satellite, through some form of planned meeting or rendezvous.
I'm paralyzed, I'm hypnotized, I'm in some kinda trance
The singer is emotionally overwhelmed by the experience of interacting with the satellite, and may feel like they are in a hypnotic state.
Hazy, crazy, this thing's lost control
The situation involving the satellite has become chaotic and out of control, leading to feelings of confusion and disorientation.
It's got the power, it's got the strength to steal away your soul
The satellite is incredibly influential and may inspire or enthrall some people to the point that it feels like it has taken a part of their soul.
It's burning up the sky
The satellite has a noticeable impact on the appearance of the sky, potentially because of the bright light it emits.
Can't you see that it's burning
The force and presence of the satellite are palpable and undeniable, like the heat from a burning flame.
Lyrics © Aporia Records Inc., BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOE ELLIOT, JOSEPH ELLIOTT, PETE WILLIS, PETER WILLIS, RICHARD ALLEN, RICK SAVAGE, STEVE CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind