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)
Worlds Collide
Def Leppard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never gonna die now
Crawling from a wrecked jam, I'm laughing out loud
Angel on my shoulder
Living at the speed of sound
Heavenly distraction
I'm hanging on the edge and spinning out of control
It's a generation overload
I can see it falling from the sky
Can you feel me
I can hear you calling when you cry
Can you see me
Pain and suffering, your knees are tied
Will you hear me
Everchanging as your worlds collide
Running going nowhere
Take it to the limit then it's payback time
Nothing but a heartache
Waiting at the end of the line
Take a look around, babe
You're looking down the barrel of a loaded mind
Generation landslide
Crawling through the enemy lines
I will be the one your justify
Will you hear me
I will kiss you with a last goodbye
I thought I was the one who could survive
Does anyone get outta here alive
I gotta find the courage, gotta make a change
And start all over again
Taken for a ride against my will
And taking it is always such a bitter pill
Shaken for the sake of it, no more
Gotta get away cause I don't know what I'm doing it for
I can see it falling from the sky
Can you feel me
I can hear you calling when you cry
Can you see me
I will be there when you close your eyes
Will you hear me
Everchanging as your worlds collide
The song "Worlds Collide" by Def Leppard reflects on the chaos and turmoil that can occur in life, especially in the younger generation. The lyrics depict a feeling of being out of control and lost in a world that is changing much too quickly. The beginning of the song suggests a carefree attitude and a refusal to give up, even in the face of wreckage, while the chorus emphasizes the importance of connection and communication. The idea of "worlds colliding" can be interpreted as the clash between different generations, values, and lifestyles that can lead to pain and suffering.
The verse "Running going nowhere" expresses the frustration of feeling stuck and reaching one's limits. The line "Take a look around, babe", highlights the influence of the environment and the people around us. The power of social pressure to conform to collective beliefs and expectations is illustrated in the lyrics "Generation landslide,crawling through the enemy lines". The chorus provides a message of hope, that amidst all the chaos and pain, there is a constant force that can connect and unite us. This force is found in the love and empathy we have for each other.
Overall, "Worlds Collide" is a song that reflects the complexity and confusion of life. It acknowledges the struggles of the younger generation in a rapidly changing world, while also emphasizing the power of connection and love to bridge those gaps.
Line by Line Meaning
Never gonna die now
I've survived something and I'm stronger for it, no matter what comes next.
Crawling from a wrecked jam, I'm laughing out loud
I'm not just surviving, I'm thriving in the face of adversity.
Angel on my shoulder
I have something--or someone--watching over me and guiding me.
Living at the speed of sound
My life is moving fast and I'm keeping up.
Heavenly distraction
There are things going on around me that I can't control or ignore.
I'm hanging on the edge and spinning out of control
Despite my strength, I'm not invincible and I'm struggling.
Choose your medication
There are ways to cope or treat what I'm going through, but I have to choose what's right for me.
It's a generation overload
The pressure or demands being placed on people of my generation are overwhelming.
I can see it falling from the sky
I'm aware that something bad is coming, and I'm trying to prepare for it.
Can you feel me
I want to connect with someone, to share my experiences and emotions.
I can hear you calling when you cry
I'm attuned to the pain of others, and I want to help if I can.
Pain and suffering, your knees are tied
I understand that you're going through something difficult, and you feel trapped or helpless.
Will you hear me
I need you to listen to what I have to say or offer.
Everchanging as your worlds collide
In the midst of all this chaos and pain, change is inevitable and we have to adapt.
Running going nowhere
I'm putting in effort, but not getting any closer to where I want to be.
Take it to the limit then it's payback time
I'm working hard, and I know that eventually I'll be rewarded for it.
Nothing but a heartache
Sometimes things don't work out, and it hurts.
Waiting at the end of the line
There might be something good for me if I keep going, but it's hard to see it.
Take a look around, babe
I want you to see what I'm seeing, and feel what I'm feeling.
You're looking down the barrel of a loaded mind
You're facing something challenging, and it's overwhelming or dangerous.
Generation landslide
The problems we're facing aren't unique or individual, but rather widespread and systemic.
Crawling through the enemy lines
I'm fighting against something that's not just difficult, but hostile or actively working against me.
I will be the one your justify
I'll stand up for what's right, even if it's difficult or unpopular.
I will kiss you with a last goodbye
I'm saying goodbye--or preparing to--but it's with love and affection rather than anger or resentment.
I thought I was the one who could survive
I'm realizing that I'm vulnerable and not as strong as I thought I was.
Does anyone get outta here alive
Is there any way to survive this situation, or is it doomed to destroy us?
I gotta find the courage, gotta make a change
I know I need to do something different in order to get through this.
And start all over again
I might have to discard what I've done so far and start fresh or from scratch.
Taken for a ride against my will
I'm being led somewhere I don't want to go, but I'm not sure how to resist it.
And taking it is always such a bitter pill
Even though I know I need to go along with this, it's difficult or unappetizing.
Shaken for the sake of it, no more
I'm tired of being treated roughly, or for no reason.
Gotta get away cause I don't know what I'm doing it for
I need to step back and re-evaluate what's important to me, and what I want to achieve.
I will be there when you close your eyes
Even though we might be separated, I'll be with you in spirit or memory.
Will you hear me
Even though I'm not physically present, I hope you can still understand or sense my emotion and intentions.
Everchanging as your worlds collide
In the midst of all this chaos and pain, change is inevitable and we have to adapt.
Contributed by Adam Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.