•
Rating: There are videos that, in adolescence, open your horizons and heart. Well, for me this happened with "Hysteria" by Def Leppard. The captivating and romantic notes of the song were the backdrop to a poignant and emotional video, reaching its peak during the solo and in the tender ballad of the lovers. Listening to and watching that clip filled me with a feeling of melancholy and an intense flavor that music had never managed to provoke in me before. Such feelings, at my age, helped me grow.
Def Leppard were the arena band par excellence in the 80s, especially thanks to the success achieved both in Europe and the States (which is quite unusual for a European hard rock band) with albums like "Pyromania" and, indeed, "Hysteria". A band that, however, had to pay a high price to fate to earn such fame.
After slowly recovering from the car accident that affected drummer Rick Allen, thanks also to the creation of a special drum kit that allowed him to play even without the right arm, Leppard had to deal with the death of guitarist Steve Clark, due to the usual alcohol and drugs that, unfortunately, have claimed so many lives in the music world. Yet despite this, the band continued its journey, although from 1991 (the year of Clark’s death) there followed a downward trajectory almost as fast as the one that had brought them to the attention of the general public in the previous decade. But, in my opinion, Def Leppard don't deserve to remain in the oblivion in which they've been for some time (and despite the participation as co-headliners at the recent Gods of Metal together with Whitesnake).
Not a group that was able to give me those emotions.
The album I propose to you is "High 'n' Dry", that is, the one immediately preceding those that consecrated them in the rock pantheon and in music in general, and the most rock-oriented. It should be noted that Leppard have always stayed away from the glam fashions of the period and have always played direct, no-frills rock with clear Ac/dc-inspired influences, featuring deep melodic veins.
Rock that powerfully emerges from the riffs of the opener "Let It Go"; from the fast "Another Hit and Run", where Joe Elliot’s vocals, usually soft even in the harder rock passagese s, become more aggressive and full-bodied; from the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of "High 'n' Dry"; from the fine romanticism of the wonderful ballad "Bringin' on The Heartbreak"; from the very heavy instrumental "Switch 625"; and, in general, from the cadence and engaging rhythm of rock songs such as "You Got Me Runnin'", "Lady Strange" and "On Through The Night".
The peak of the album is, in my opinion, to be found in "Mirror mirror", with its compelling chants and introspective lyrics. In conclusion, 4 is the rating I give to the album but, for the memories and feelings it aroused in me in the past, 5 is the rating the Deaf Leopard deserves.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night) (03:26)
Saturday, I feel right
I been drinking all day
Yes, I got a date, a midnight ride
I had to get it away
Yeah, I'm not a loner, I'm not a fool
Don't need a reason, reason to be cool
I got my whiskey, I got my wine
I got my woman, and this time the lights are going out
(Saturday night) High
(Saturday night) High 'n' dry
(Saturday night) I'm high
(Saturday night) High 'n' dry
Ow, I feel bad, I feel mean
I'm up and down and in between
On the bottle, I'm on the line
I'm up and feeling fine
Oh, I'm not a loner, I'm not a fool
Don't need a reason, reason to be cool
I got my whiskey, I got my wine
I got my woman, and this time the lights are going out
(Saturday night) High
(Saturday night) High 'n' dry
(Saturday night) I'm high
(Saturday night) High 'n' dry
Oh, take me high
Saturday, kickin' out
Her train was comin' to me
I gotta move, number one
Saturday night on the run
Wow!
(Saturday night) High
(Saturday night) High 'n' dry
(Saturday night) Got my whiskey
(Saturday night) Got my wine
(Saturday night) Got my woman
(Saturday night) High 'n' dry
You gotta try me tonight
04 Bringin' On the Heartbreak (04:33)
Gypsy, sittin' lookin' pretty
A broken rose with laughin' eyes
You're a mystery, always runnin' wild
Like a child without a home
You're always searchin', searchin' for a feelin'
But it's easy come and easy go
Oh, I'm sorry but it's true
You're bringin' on the heartache
Takin' all the best of me
Oh, can't you see?
You got the best of me
Whoa, can't you see?
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
Can't you see?
Ohh
You're such a secret, misty-eyed and shady
Lady, how you hold the key
Ohh, you're like a candle, your flame's slowly fadin'
Burnin' out and burnin' me
Can't you see?
Just tryin' to say to you
You're bringin' on the heartache
Takin' all the best of me
Oh, can't you see?
You got the best of me
Whoa, can't you see?
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
Can't you see?
Can't you see?
No!
No!
No!
You got the best of me
Oh, can't you see?
You got the best of me
Whoa, can't you see?
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
Bringin' on the heartache
You're bringin' on the heartbreak
06 You Got Me Runnin' (04:22)
Hang on
Yeah
Ha ha ha ha ha
I don't care too much
For your backstabbin' and side steppin'
You're all sweet talk, you're all lust
You're the kind, yeah, I don't trust
I gotta get out, step aside
Before you damage my pride
Let me through don't spoil my view
I gotta get away, away from you
Oh no no never thought I'd feel so low
You got me runnin'
You got me runnin'
I ain't gonna hide
And yesterday everything seemed okay
Yeah you better run and hide away
Oh you better hide
You're out, out on the street
But I'm back on my feet
I might lose it, so get wise
Stop your usin' and your lies
Oh my friend don't stick around
Your time is up, the chips are down
Let me through don't spoil my view
I gotta get away, away from you
Oh no no never thought I'd feel so low
You got me runnin'
You got me runnin'
I ain't gonna hide
And yesterday everything seemed okay
Yeah you better run and hide away
Oh you better hide
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin', runnin', runnin'
C'mon
Whoah
Oh oh oh
Oh yeah
Runnin' and runnin'
Runnin'
Oh
Watch me run
Runnin', runnin', runnin'
Oh no no never thought I'd feel so low
You got me runnin'
You got me runnin'
I ain't gonna hide
And yesterday everything seemed okay
Yeah you better run and hide away
Oh you better hide
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You can't say no no more
You got me runnin' - You got me runnin'
You got me runnin' - You got me ru
07 Lady Strange (04:38)
Ow
Ooh yeah
Oh
I never needed love before
Till I met you girl
A girl like you I have never seen
You came into my life like a whirlwind girl
You let me know what lovin' really means
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I need you
You got me where you want me girl
So no messin' around
You know I never played that hard to please
I've been here many times before
And walked this sacred ground
But this time you got me on my knees
You got me
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I need you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
I need you
Oh you're so strange
Oh oh oh
Taking love from you's like taking candy from a baby
But lady strange there is no stranger lady
No
Just you and me we make love, good love
So let me know what lovin' really means
Woman please
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I need you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
Lady strange, oh lady strange I want you
I need you
I need you
I want you
Yeah
09 Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes) (04:07)
Mirror mirror just watchin' with your eye of glass
You're just a fortune wheel with something that I wanna ask
Mirror mirror got my fate lyin' in your hands
You're the fool, you're the juggler
Hangman and lover, you're not like no other
Take a look into my eyes
Tell me what you see
Take a look into my eyes
Tell me is it true?
Take a look into my eyes
Oh when I look at you
Take a look into my eyes
Tell me is it me?
Is it really me?
Mirror mirror gotta know just what you see
My crystal ball, you're lookin' so sly and so sleazy
Mirror mirror hangin' there with that crack in your eye
You make me stumble, make me blind
Time after time and line by line
Mirror mirror oh tell me
You're the fool, you're the juggler
I ain't met a lover, you're like no other
Take a look into my eyes
Tell me what you see
Take a look into my eyes
Tell me is it true?
Take a look into my eyes
Oh it just can't last
Take a look into my eyes
Gonna have to smash the glass
Take a look into my eyes
Take a look into my eyes
Take a look
Take a look into my eyes
Oh yeah
Take a look into my eyes
Take a look into my eyes
Take a look into my eyes
Take a look into my eyes
Take a look
Take a look into my eyes
Look into my eyes
Take a look into my eyes
Tell me if it's me
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Loading comments slowly
