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)
Work It Out
Def Leppard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You take it all for granted
I'm the one who turns you on
When you don't know where you belong
And nothin' seems to matter
I'm the one who's holding on
All we need's a little time
But nothing here can last that long
We show the world a brand new face
It's taken us all this time
All this time
All of this doubt
We get to work it out
All of this doubt
We get to work it out
Yesterday lost your way
Still looking for an answer
I'm the one who holds the key
When you don't know where you belong
And nothing seems to matter
I'll unlock this mystery
All of this doubt
Day and night, black and white
Take it all for granted
We get to work it out
I'm the one who turns you on
Turns you on, turns you on
All of this doubt
When you don't know where you belong
And nothin' seems to matter
We get to work it out
I'm the one who's holdin' on
Holdin' on, holdin' on
The lyrics of Def Leppard's song "Work It Out" are about the importance of perseverance and working through doubts and challenges in order to reach an ultimate goal. The lyrics suggest a certain level of resentment towards a person who takes things for granted and doesn't seem to understand the value of the struggles faced. The first verse highlights a sense of frustration, with the singer expressing that they are the one who makes things happen, despite being taken for granted. The second verse implies that the solution lies in the singer “unlocking the mystery," revealing that the answer to finding a sense of purpose and belonging is through hard work and perseverance.
Throughout the song, there is a strong sense of optimism and motivation towards overcoming challenges. The chorus emphasizes the importance of working through doubts and insecurities, and that it will take time. There is a sense of growth and progression, as the "brand new face" mentioned suggests a transformation or evolution in one's mindset. The repetition of "All of this doubt" creates a sense of frustration but is ultimately followed by the affirmation that "we get to work it out," suggesting that with time and effort, the doubts and uncertainties will be overcome.
Overall, the lyrics of "Work It Out" encourage listeners to push through their obstacles and find strength in perseverance. The song provides a sense of motivation and empowerment, reminding listeners that difficulties can be worked through, and with perseverance, success is possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Day and night black and white
Life can be challenging, uncertain and full of contrasts. Sometimes it feels like there is no clear path to follow, no easy answers to be found.
You take it all for granted
You don't appreciate the blessings you have in your life, you don't realize how lucky you are to have someone who cares about you.
I'm the one who turns you on
I'm the one who makes you feel alive, who gives you hope and a reason to keep going even when everything else seems hopeless.
When you don't know where you belong
When you feel lost, confused and unsure of your place in the world, I'm here to help you find your way.
And nothin' seems to matter
When everything else seems trivial or insignificant, I'm here to remind you of what's truly important and what really matters in life.
I'm the one who's holding on
I'm the one who's supporting you, who's keeping you from falling apart, who's holding you up even when you feel like giving up.
It's alright to be wrong
It's okay to make mistakes, to take risks and to fail. It's all part of the learning process, and it helps us grow and become better people.
All we need's a little time
Sometimes all we need is patience, perseverance and a willingness to keep trying until we get it right, even if it takes longer than we thought it would.
But nothing here can last that long
Everything is temporary, nothing lasts forever. We need to cherish the things we have while we have them, and not take them for granted.
We show the world a brand new face
We can reinvent ourselves, start over, and show the world a different side of ourselves that they've never seen before. We have the power to change our own lives and our own destinies.
It's taken us all this time
It's been a long journey, full of twists and turns, ups and downs, but we've made it this far. We've learned a lot along the way, and we're better for it.
Yesterday lost your way
Yesterday you were lost, you didn't know where to turn or what to do. You were searching for something, but you weren't sure what it was.
Still looking for an answer
You're still searching, still seeking answers to the questions that haunt you. You're not giving up, even though the journey is long and the road is hard.
I'll unlock this mystery
I'll help you solve this puzzle, unravel this mystery, and find the answers you've been looking for. Together we can discover the truth.
We get to work it out
We have the opportunity to work through our problems, find solutions to our challenges, and emerge stronger and wiser than before. We can overcome anything if we work together.
Turns you on, turns you on
I light your fire, I make you passionate and excited about life, I inspire you to be your best self and to chase your dreams.
Holdin' on, holdin' on
I'm holding on tight, refusing to let you go, even when things get tough. I'm committed to being your partner, your ally, your friend, for as long as you need me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: VIVIAN CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@psalm51.3
Goody! I loved, and still love this song.
...
It's alright to be wrong
All we need's a little time
But nothing here can last that long
We show the world a brand new face
It's taken us all this time...
...
Yesterday lost your way
Still looking for an answer
I'm the one who holds the key
When you don't know where you belong
And nothing seems to matter
I'll unlock this mystery
@javierweb20
I think that the "slang " album was unjustly underrated
@belydncr
Absolutely!! It's my favorite Def Leppard album - everything on it is awesome!
@javierweb20
Sure, 'Euphoria' must be also great
@YBM2007
Slang would probably have been a bigger success if it came out in like 93-94, by 96 the grunge-thing wasnt really hot anymore. Some good songs but not my favourite
@iwaswithyourmom9410
TOTP means what?
@holdenmymargarita4344
Top of the Pops. A British music show.
@samsoncrosswood7259
Best track on a severely underrated album. One of their best.
@irishlighthouse
Samson Crosswood Sure is one of their best.
@adamwood7597
Shame no one else thought the same. Slang should of been huge.
@DarthSiGi
Definitely in my Top5!