Def Leppard released a cd in May 1996 that rocked their fan's expectations of them. Instead of the highly produced, lush wall-to-wall sound of the past this cd sounds unpolished, pared down to it's basic elements. Each song has an identity of its' own, musically expressing a feeling being sung in the lyrics. But such lyrics!!! What does it mean?
Some people don't care what it means. They like the groove of the music and that's enough for them. But music is my religion, my drug, and I seek out transcendental music of both sides: good music and good lyrics. And when they come together they perform a miracle upon me as I listen. I am drawn out of my physical body and I allow myself to merge with the music. I have done this all my life, and it is rare to find an entire album capable of that.
First let me say that what I express here is my interpretation and may not reflect the views of the group at all. I heard it as a testament of one man's struggle with his spirituality, but not necessarily as a sermon for the conversion of the masses. In several interviews the group members have said what the songs mean, but they aren't consistent. I don't think they would mind what I've written here, but I personally accept responsibility for it.
If it angers you then it means you might be holding onto something tight that you need to hold away from you so you can see and define it. Does it really reflect you or is it what everyone else told you you should see? Would you really be lost without it?
Def Leppard has been labled as "hair rock" by the music industry, a term that groups them up with less gifted bands in an era where most of them were copying Def Leppard's revolutionary style on "Pyromania". But on every album, for every "power ballad", and every "Party Song" was a glimpse of a deeper spiritual side...into the realm music can go as no other medium. This band took me there...
In case you doubt that Def Leppard could have intended deeper themes behind their music, let me remind you of a few facts about this band:
Lead singer Joe Elliot lives in Ireland, a country where a conflict over religious views is causing pain, death, and fear in the everyday lives of the people who live there.
The members of the group are like brothers. The group formed early in the men's lives. Drummer Rick Allen was only 14. These guys grew up together as they came to fame. There is a true kinship among them. When Rick lost an arm in an automobile accident just as their album Pyromania was starting to take off they could have gotten another drummer, but despite everyone telling them they were crazy for not jumping into the spotlight while it was "their time" they waited four years for him to recover and re-discover a way to play drums with only one arm. Amazing.
As the years passed they watched helplessly as another "brother", Steve Clark, succomed to alcohol addiction and passed away. Through all they held together and continued to produce music of exceptional quality that only hinted at their deeper nature, such as "Gods of War", "White Lightning", and "Desert Song" (Note to Def Leppard: I'D LOVE TO HEAR THIS LIVE! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!). These songs are sublime: exceptional lyric, exceptional music.
Some of the guys are in their 40's now...an age where I think men have (hopefully) finally grown up. They've experienced "Life at the Top". This cd, though, was released with little fanfare. It's as if they have gone underground. Whether this is the band's wish or poor publicity by their label I do not know.
By the way, several others have told me that they too sensed a deeper meaning behind a lot of Def Leppard's music. Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone!
No Def Leppard site should go along without mentioning the other member of the band, Robert "Mutt" Lange. He wrote, sang, and produced Def Leppard's first albums with them. His magical touch is heard throughout. I considered creating a Mutt Lange page, because the man is phenomenal, but then I found this site: The Mutt Lange Zone , which does a much better job than I could. When Def Leppard started to make "Slang" Mutt was too busy to produce it. Seems he had met and married a nobody from Canada and was helping her with her career. It was his magic touch that turned her into Shania Twain.
Joe has said that it was Mutt who wanted them to keep their sound "happy", and when Mutt stepped out of the picture Def Leppard got serious and "Slang" was born. They needed "Slang". But I still love Mutt! Of all the songs on Euphoria the ones that Mutt collaborated on are my favorites (except I am really hung up on "Paper Sun" That interpretation is still in the works!)! :-)
Enough talk! Now...get out your copy of Sl@ng, turn off the phone. Put aside 2 hours to not be disturbed, in a place where you can turn up the music until you can't hear any other sound. Get comfortable and let me share what these lyrics said to me...
Click on the picture below to go to the interpretation.
Get your own Free Home Page