Hello and welcome to the first edition of Tracks where we take a closer look at some of our favorite albums one track at a time. Joining me for this blog is my good buddy, and longtime friend, Jay from the blog Timeout, Need More Popcorn. As a brief intro, Jay and I have been long time collaborators on radio shows, podcast, music and many other ventures. We share a love of songwriting, guitars, and Buffy. We spent four years podcasting about the hit TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer via our podcast The Art of Slaying, and over ten years on our Continuous Play Podcast - Film Strip podcast. We have also written several songs together that you can find on all streaming services under the artist Brian Bartholow (that's me). For the last several years we have discussed doing a podcast called Tracks, but time became a major issue. We almost launched the podcast last year, but it just didn't make it. When I decided to start this blog I approached Jay about doing it here in a different medium, so here we go. Let's hope it works!
| Artist: Def Leppard Album: Hysteria Released: 1987 Label: Mercury Records Track Listing: Side A: Women Rocket Animal Love Bites Pour Some Sugar on Me Armageddon It |
Side B: Gods of War Don't Shoot Shotgun Run Riot Hysteria Excitable Love and Affection |
Hysteria... what can we say about it? It's one of the biggest albums of all time. It's gone 12x platinum in the United States alone, receiving the coveted diamond status from the RIAA. It spawned seven singles; 1 #1 hit (Love Bites), 4 top 10s, and 6 top 20s. Overall, the album has sold 25 million copies worldwide. It took 4 years to make, and at the time of it's release was the most expensive album ever recorded at 5 million dollars. To put that into perspective, the record needed to sell 4 million copies just to break even.
Brian: Welcome Jay. I want to thank you for joining me on this new adventure we call Tracks. To start, tell me about the first time you heard Def Leppard's Hysteria.
Jay: My older brother had the LP of this (still does, I think). I picked up a lot of the music I like from him. This was on constant rotation at home. Coupled with the nearly endless videos on MTV, I barely remember a time when 'Hysteria' wasn't a part of my music life.
Brian: My introduction to Def Leppard and this album was the VHS release of music videos produced for this album. I was over at my buddy Nate's place watching AC/DC videos that belonged to his older sister. We decided to see what else she had and found this. Pour Some Sugar on Me was the first Def Leppard song I heard that I was like wow. Growing up, we didn't have MTV, so my exposure to music videos was strictly through a late night show on our local station. Def Leppard was a staple. I remember hearing all these songs on the radio as well.
Jay: I had listened to the 'Pyromania' album and the song 'Photograph" was in heavy rotation on our local radio as well. I'm amazed by how well this holds up 30+ years later. That's also a testament to the years and pains the band and Mutt Lange took to put it together.
Brian: It really is, and I do have to say that I have seen Def Leppard in recent years about 3 or 4 times and this album dominates the set list.
Ok Jay, let's get into Hysteria
Jay: Yeah, this song feels like the opening to a noire movie on a rainy street. It sounds like a song that could have been on Pyromania. Probably why this leads off the album.
Brian: Haha! I will say this, to me I don't think Women is the song I would have lead the album off with. It's a good song, catchy, good harmonies, but if I am opening an album I want to hit you hard.
Jay: Rick Savage's bassline/synth is a thumper. When Phil (Collen) and Steve (Clark) come in on the verse, they ease in rather than bulldoze through the door. Then lay down some buzz saw riffs. Lyrically, nothing great here. It's a Rock n Roll guy singing about all the women who adore him. Like he's addicted to it. The harmony guitars at the end are a staple of this album and the most recognized part of the Def Leppard sound. I'm with you, not the strongest opener, but it's not bad either.
Brian: Let's talk quick about the bass because that bugs me. During the verses, you get a very over synthesized bass, but during the choruses, you get a good normal bass. Why do you think that Mutt (Lange, the producer) went this route?
Jay: That's a product of the recording process. As everyone knows, Rick Allen was off rehabbing after the car crash that took his arm. So unlike most bands that record the drums first, Def Leppard recorded everything else first. Guitars, bass, keys, vocals, then drums. Because there aren't guitars in the verses much, Sav's fingers were making too much noise. This is way before the invention of software that would limit that, so they punched him in chord-for-chord on several songs where the guitars lay back. Even then, there was still noise so they filtered it a lot. I agree, it's effected almost too much.
Brian: Fascinating tidbit that I didn't know about. I do have to say that I love the clean guitar chord at the end of the song. I think that added a good touch.
Jay: That is a neat thing. Another single punch in done just to see if they could.
Brian: I have to admit that this song is one of my favorite tracks on the Hysteria album. I think it really shines because of the lack of lyrical content and instead, the harmonies and subtle things like the ooos and ahhs carry it.
Jay: Mutt Lange sure loves his back masking and layering in sounds with the Fairlight synth. There's a point in every popular music artist's career where they either do a mass collaboration, or they record a track that's basically a name-drop of everything they think is cool, they are as cool as, or cooler than. That's what Rocket is.
Brian: Rocket peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It was the final single put out from the album. Save the best for last?
Jay: Not sure about that. It's catchy. Another understated verse instrumentally that builds to an anthem of a chorus. Unlike Women, this one punches and begs the crowd to sing along even if they are not sure what is sung after “Rocket, yeah.” For years, I had no idea they were stringing out "Satellite of love" there. I like how instead of the traditional solo break, we get this drum shuffle, synth vocal thing that brings in Steve and Phil for some swells. Instead of melting your face off, these guys were about teasing your ears into submission.
Brian: Well, you just educated me on what they were singing as well! I had no clue. I thought it was "say it loud!" I agree on the drum shuffle. It was a nice touch and a different approach that worked.
Jay: Nothing great lyrically but that's not what this song is for. It's a crowd-mover, fist-pumper. It's the statement of a band not trying to do what made them famous. They didn't want to do Pyromania 2 and neither did Mutt. That's why he didn't come in until they had been recording for several months. Their challenge to each other was to go beyond what was already there. Every other hard rock band was trying to sound like their last album. Everyone but them.
Brian: Animal is the second single off this album and is a good show of Def Leppard's play on words that seam to make no sense for the song, but it works.
Jay: Oh, man. This. This is what I think of when I think Def Leppard sound. This is where the album gets into gear for me. It's the harmony guitars playing compliments to each other and Joe's vocals that balance this thing. Def Leppard are kings of the misheard lyrics from this era. Lyrically, again, nothing great here. It's about wanting what you want. It's physical but not overpowering. If Def Leppard was a lover, they wouldn't be a strong type. Instead, they'd spend hours seducing you.
Brian: Let's get back to that when we get to the next song.
Jay: The solo break is a great showcase of both guys. Pretty much anytime you hear a tremolo bar action, that's Phil. Steve was the big notes, bends, and tone guy.
Brian: Good thing to point out. Personally, I like when a band has two lead players and the styles are different because it make for some engaging dueling solos.
Jay: Yeah, it's a great mix when it works. Here's the thing that amazes me most about 'Animal' as a song; it took them three years to get this song right. That is the epitome of what they were trying to do on this album. Three years on ONE song.
Brian: You would be amazing at how many songs are like that. Bands will start them and then it takes years to finish and we are all thinking it's a great new song when in reality it's years old.
Brian: And now on to what I think is the best song on the album and that is Love Bites. Love Bites is the only song to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts.
Jay: The term 'power ballad' is overused but this is THE song to describe that movement. The fact that is was Mutt's attempt at a "country song" is so foretelling of everything he did with Shania Twain in the 90s. Back to my seduction motif, this song lures you in like a vampire more interested in the entrance and thrall than the kill. Seriously, you could map this on any of the Buffy-Angel love scenes and it would work.
Brian: To me, this is the lyrical highlight of the album, and the content of the lyrics hits hard. A guy who doesn't want to just get laid, is hurt by love all the time, yet that is what he really wants/needs. As good as it gets lyrically from Def Leppard.
Jay: I agree on that. The playing here is great ping-pong between the two guitar players. The guitar lick in the chorus sells this whole song. Just an amazing composition and performance.
Brian: Totally agree that riff is amazing, but I also love the subtlety of the guitars throughout the song. They don't overpower the lyrics, but instead, they help tell the story playing behind them. Perfection.
Jay: How about that weird vocal thing at the end? Urban legend had that as some satanic chant.
Brian: The vocal thing at the end is a bit off. It doesn't fit, and if it was me it would be taken off the song. I don't feel it adds anything other than a creepy factor that loses the desperation and pain in the song itself. It's like he went from torn between love and sex to psychopath at the end.
Jay: Or it's just some dudes screwing around with the Fairlight who've been recording the same album for three or four years. For me, this is second best on the album, but I won't argue with anyone who has this first. It's a great tune all around.
Brian: Now we get to Pour Some Sugar on Me. I think most people recognize this song even if they aren't Def Leppard fans. Are you surprised when you hear it only reached #2 on the billboard hot 100 charts?
Jay: For as much as it got played on the radio and MTV, yeah. I can't imagine what beat it.
Brian: If I'm not mistaken it was a Michael Jackson song from his Bad album. Both came out around the same time.
Jay: That makes sense. Pour Some Sugar on Me is a song written for a concert. Don't pay attention to the words - they are a weak metaphor for getting it on. This is a rock anthem. Meant for a crowd to chant. It was dreamed up while they were sitting around a table drinking coffee and one of them (can't recall who) said: "pour some sugar on me." They raced back to the studio and laid down the music fast. Then, Mutt, Savage, Phil, and Joe took turns coming up with phrases about the same thing... You guessed it: Sex.
Brian: Well, here I thought the song was about drowning in cocaine.
Jay: They built it to be a song that would work well during a concert in an arena. Another one the crowd could sing along to and never question the words.
Brian: Well, I got to say, mission accomplished on that.
Jay: Cool musical note I picked up on this time - all the pop-punk guitar bands owe something to the high-note harmonies the guitars play in the chorus. Listen to any All Time Low up-tempo song and you'll hear it there too.
Brian: Let's move on to Armageddon It! This is another song that plays on words that don't have anything to do with the song. Clever, but why?
Jay: This is Pour Some Sugar on Me and Animal mixed together, and it's where the album starts to dip for me. They've laid out most of the best tunes already.
Brian: I think this song sounds good musically, but lyrically it's a struggle.
Jay: Steve's solo is the best thing about it. Even as messed up as this guy was with chemicals, his work in the studio and as a musician is well-noted and captured here. Not a great track but it sounds like other things people liked at the time, so I can see how it was a single. How high did it chart?
Brian: This one hit #3 on the Billboard Top 100 charts.
Jay: Wow! I would have never thought it was that big. Learn something new every day.
Brian: And now we have Gods of War. This is the opener for side two of the record. Here is your political statement of the record.
Jay: I've always thought this was under appreciated on the album. It's not a single and that's why a lot of people don't remember it. This is a song about something besides being a rocker or a lover. It's about the Cold War. Yes, it's a little preachy and simple, but back in these days, your major music acts didn't platform like they do today. This is a protest song at it's core. The war sounds, the Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher line drops. Protest song. However, it's solid musically as well. Steve Clark's playing on this is his showcase and he doesn’t disappoint. What a phenomenal talent and a great partner with Phil. So many times the two guitar players are fighting for space but these guys had a way to working in between the notes with each other that defined their legacies. Joe's final chorus is some of his best singing on the album.
Brian: I have to agree with you on that statement. This is the sleeper of the album. I love the bass intro. I am a sucker for a song that starts with a killer bass line.
Brian: Now let's talk about a song that should have been trashed... Don't Shoot Shotgun. Here are my thoughts... Melody is good. Harmonies are good. Music is ok. Lyrics are garbage.
Jay: This one along with Women and the next track feel and sound the most like something that could (and maybe should) have been on Pyromania. It's a departure from the rest of the record. Straightforward guitar riffs. It's almost like what would happen is Def Leppard tried to write a song for AC/DC but still had Mutt producing.
Brian: To me this is just okay, and nothing really special happens here. Weak lyrics, weak music.
Jay: 'Youth Gone Wild' but safer and slicker. This is the weakest song so far, and the one I almost always skip on the album. It's not bad but it can't live up to the eight tracks before it . It doesn't distinguish itself as anything experimental or interesting, and it sounds most like pre-Mutt Leppard as anything on there. I understand it's a good live track (when they play it, which is rare), but not really anything cool. EXCEPT for the guitar solo. That's good work and Phil's blizzard of notes fit it well.
Brian: I'll give you the guitar solo, but I'll admit that I don't usually make it that far.
Brian: And now for the creme de la creme of the album, Hysteria. I love this riff. This is the third single on the album and shockingly only made it to #10 on the charts.
Jay: I know, right. The perfect rock ballad. Pensive and driving when it needs to be, and steady
where it should be. It's a perfect mix of everything these guys do. This is my favorite Def Leppard song full stop. There's a simplicity to it among this album of intricate, layered sound. And to think, the bassist wrote the signature guitar part we all know. I know a lot of bassist play guitar but in THIS band, that's extraordinary.
Brian: I agree, that is a cool tidbit of information. I really like the production on this song as well. By far Mutt's best work on the album. The great use of delay and reverb in the vocals adds a nice dynamic to the song. The guitar solo is so simple, but so effective.
Jay: The production, the guitar duels, the thumping backbeat, and Joe's howl are on full display in this understated and somewhat melancholy song about being crazy for someone.
Brian: I would have to say that this is Def Leppard's signature song. I know many will say Rock of Ages, but to me this is.
Jay: I agree. Without this on the B-Side, no one wants to flip the record or tape over. Mutt knew this, and there's no doubt that's why it is where it is.
Brian: Up next is Excitable. A song purely about sex, and the voice at the beginning makes it feel like almost creepy sex.
Jay: Feels concocted as a great opening number, but a few better songs later and this moves to the back of the line. Not as forgettable as Run Riot but in the same category.
Brian: I'm glad you said that. While it's not a great tune, I think it would have served better as the album opener
Jay: It's a better opener than Women, but it's not a single. They chose wisely. This is not a good song, but it doesn't help that it follows an anthem like 'Hysteria' either. This is one they should have cut.
Brian: And finally we come to the closing song on the album, Love and Affection. To be honest, I really like this song, but I find the production on the chorus irritating. To me, the backing vocals needed to be lifted a little in the mix because you can't really hear or understand what they are saying. They sound lovely, but huh?
Jay: It's almost like they didn't finish it. They decide to end it on a mid-tempo positive note here. This is a better song than anything except 'Hysteria' and 'Gods of War' on the B side but it's just not good enough to be in the pile of singles on the A side. The best thing about this is how it's unassuming and kind of understated. Good chorus and some neat guitar interplay make this a good end credits for the tour de force of this record.
Brian: Yeah, I think this is a great ending song for the record, and to be honest I would have probably released this as a single as well. Problem is they were on to Adrenalize by the time the last single came out.
Brian: Well, that wraps our look at each track from Def Leppard's smash Hysteria. Do you have any closing thoughts on it, Jay?
Jay: This is the perfect 80s rock record. Even with the shortcomings and admitting it's flaws, there's so much good here. It still plays well and works 30+ years later.
Brian: To me this is an amazing record. An almost perfect record. I think if they would have cut the album down to 10 songs, it could have been perfect.
Let us know your thoughts on the album, or this blog by leaving a comment below. As a reminder, all comments are reviewed before being posted. We love to hear from you, but please be fair and respectful.
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Brian: Welcome Jay. I want to thank you for joining me on this new adventure we call Tracks. To start, tell me about the first time you heard Def Leppard's Hysteria.
Jay: My older brother had the LP of this (still does, I think). I picked up a lot of the music I like from him. This was on constant rotation at home. Coupled with the nearly endless videos on MTV, I barely remember a time when 'Hysteria' wasn't a part of my music life.
Brian: My introduction to Def Leppard and this album was the VHS release of music videos produced for this album. I was over at my buddy Nate's place watching AC/DC videos that belonged to his older sister. We decided to see what else she had and found this. Pour Some Sugar on Me was the first Def Leppard song I heard that I was like wow. Growing up, we didn't have MTV, so my exposure to music videos was strictly through a late night show on our local station. Def Leppard was a staple. I remember hearing all these songs on the radio as well.
Jay: I had listened to the 'Pyromania' album and the song 'Photograph" was in heavy rotation on our local radio as well. I'm amazed by how well this holds up 30+ years later. That's also a testament to the years and pains the band and Mutt Lange took to put it together.
Brian: It really is, and I do have to say that I have seen Def Leppard in recent years about 3 or 4 times and this album dominates the set list.
Ok Jay, let's get into Hysteria
Track 1: Women (5:42)
Jay: Yeah, this song feels like the opening to a noire movie on a rainy street. It sounds like a song that could have been on Pyromania. Probably why this leads off the album.
Brian: Haha! I will say this, to me I don't think Women is the song I would have lead the album off with. It's a good song, catchy, good harmonies, but if I am opening an album I want to hit you hard.
Jay: Rick Savage's bassline/synth is a thumper. When Phil (Collen) and Steve (Clark) come in on the verse, they ease in rather than bulldoze through the door. Then lay down some buzz saw riffs. Lyrically, nothing great here. It's a Rock n Roll guy singing about all the women who adore him. Like he's addicted to it. The harmony guitars at the end are a staple of this album and the most recognized part of the Def Leppard sound. I'm with you, not the strongest opener, but it's not bad either.
Brian: Let's talk quick about the bass because that bugs me. During the verses, you get a very over synthesized bass, but during the choruses, you get a good normal bass. Why do you think that Mutt (Lange, the producer) went this route?
Jay: That's a product of the recording process. As everyone knows, Rick Allen was off rehabbing after the car crash that took his arm. So unlike most bands that record the drums first, Def Leppard recorded everything else first. Guitars, bass, keys, vocals, then drums. Because there aren't guitars in the verses much, Sav's fingers were making too much noise. This is way before the invention of software that would limit that, so they punched him in chord-for-chord on several songs where the guitars lay back. Even then, there was still noise so they filtered it a lot. I agree, it's effected almost too much.
Brian: Fascinating tidbit that I didn't know about. I do have to say that I love the clean guitar chord at the end of the song. I think that added a good touch.
Jay: That is a neat thing. Another single punch in done just to see if they could.
Track 2: Rocket (6:35)
Brian: I have to admit that this song is one of my favorite tracks on the Hysteria album. I think it really shines because of the lack of lyrical content and instead, the harmonies and subtle things like the ooos and ahhs carry it.
Jay: Mutt Lange sure loves his back masking and layering in sounds with the Fairlight synth. There's a point in every popular music artist's career where they either do a mass collaboration, or they record a track that's basically a name-drop of everything they think is cool, they are as cool as, or cooler than. That's what Rocket is.
 |
| Rocket Single (photo by Stacey Nash) |
Jay: Not sure about that. It's catchy. Another understated verse instrumentally that builds to an anthem of a chorus. Unlike Women, this one punches and begs the crowd to sing along even if they are not sure what is sung after “Rocket, yeah.” For years, I had no idea they were stringing out "Satellite of love" there. I like how instead of the traditional solo break, we get this drum shuffle, synth vocal thing that brings in Steve and Phil for some swells. Instead of melting your face off, these guys were about teasing your ears into submission.
Brian: Well, you just educated me on what they were singing as well! I had no clue. I thought it was "say it loud!" I agree on the drum shuffle. It was a nice touch and a different approach that worked.
Jay: Nothing great lyrically but that's not what this song is for. It's a crowd-mover, fist-pumper. It's the statement of a band not trying to do what made them famous. They didn't want to do Pyromania 2 and neither did Mutt. That's why he didn't come in until they had been recording for several months. Their challenge to each other was to go beyond what was already there. Every other hard rock band was trying to sound like their last album. Everyone but them.
Track 3: Animal (4:04)
Brian: Animal is the second single off this album and is a good show of Def Leppard's play on words that seam to make no sense for the song, but it works.
 |
| Animal Single (photo by Stacey Nash) |
Brian: Let's get back to that when we get to the next song.
Jay: The solo break is a great showcase of both guys. Pretty much anytime you hear a tremolo bar action, that's Phil. Steve was the big notes, bends, and tone guy.
Brian: Good thing to point out. Personally, I like when a band has two lead players and the styles are different because it make for some engaging dueling solos.
Jay: Yeah, it's a great mix when it works. Here's the thing that amazes me most about 'Animal' as a song; it took them three years to get this song right. That is the epitome of what they were trying to do on this album. Three years on ONE song.
Brian: You would be amazing at how many songs are like that. Bands will start them and then it takes years to finish and we are all thinking it's a great new song when in reality it's years old.
Track 4: Love Bites (5:47)
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| Love Bites Single (photo by Stacey Nash) |
Jay: The term 'power ballad' is overused but this is THE song to describe that movement. The fact that is was Mutt's attempt at a "country song" is so foretelling of everything he did with Shania Twain in the 90s. Back to my seduction motif, this song lures you in like a vampire more interested in the entrance and thrall than the kill. Seriously, you could map this on any of the Buffy-Angel love scenes and it would work.
Brian: To me, this is the lyrical highlight of the album, and the content of the lyrics hits hard. A guy who doesn't want to just get laid, is hurt by love all the time, yet that is what he really wants/needs. As good as it gets lyrically from Def Leppard.
Jay: I agree on that. The playing here is great ping-pong between the two guitar players. The guitar lick in the chorus sells this whole song. Just an amazing composition and performance.
Brian: Totally agree that riff is amazing, but I also love the subtlety of the guitars throughout the song. They don't overpower the lyrics, but instead, they help tell the story playing behind them. Perfection.
Jay: How about that weird vocal thing at the end? Urban legend had that as some satanic chant.
Brian: The vocal thing at the end is a bit off. It doesn't fit, and if it was me it would be taken off the song. I don't feel it adds anything other than a creepy factor that loses the desperation and pain in the song itself. It's like he went from torn between love and sex to psychopath at the end.
Jay: Or it's just some dudes screwing around with the Fairlight who've been recording the same album for three or four years. For me, this is second best on the album, but I won't argue with anyone who has this first. It's a great tune all around.
Track 5: Pour Some Sugar On Me (4:27)
Brian: Now we get to Pour Some Sugar on Me. I think most people recognize this song even if they aren't Def Leppard fans. Are you surprised when you hear it only reached #2 on the billboard hot 100 charts?
Jay: For as much as it got played on the radio and MTV, yeah. I can't imagine what beat it.
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| Pour Some Sugar On Me Single (photo by Stacey Nash) |
Brian: If I'm not mistaken it was a Michael Jackson song from his Bad album. Both came out around the same time.
Jay: That makes sense. Pour Some Sugar on Me is a song written for a concert. Don't pay attention to the words - they are a weak metaphor for getting it on. This is a rock anthem. Meant for a crowd to chant. It was dreamed up while they were sitting around a table drinking coffee and one of them (can't recall who) said: "pour some sugar on me." They raced back to the studio and laid down the music fast. Then, Mutt, Savage, Phil, and Joe took turns coming up with phrases about the same thing... You guessed it: Sex.
Brian: Well, here I thought the song was about drowning in cocaine.
Jay: They built it to be a song that would work well during a concert in an arena. Another one the crowd could sing along to and never question the words.
Brian: Well, I got to say, mission accomplished on that.
Jay: Cool musical note I picked up on this time - all the pop-punk guitar bands owe something to the high-note harmonies the guitars play in the chorus. Listen to any All Time Low up-tempo song and you'll hear it there too.
Track 6: Armageddon It! (5:22)
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| Armageddon It! Single (photo by Stacey Nash) |
Brian: Let's move on to Armageddon It! This is another song that plays on words that don't have anything to do with the song. Clever, but why?
Jay: This is Pour Some Sugar on Me and Animal mixed together, and it's where the album starts to dip for me. They've laid out most of the best tunes already.
Brian: I think this song sounds good musically, but lyrically it's a struggle.
Jay: Steve's solo is the best thing about it. Even as messed up as this guy was with chemicals, his work in the studio and as a musician is well-noted and captured here. Not a great track but it sounds like other things people liked at the time, so I can see how it was a single. How high did it chart?
Brian: This one hit #3 on the Billboard Top 100 charts.
Jay: Wow! I would have never thought it was that big. Learn something new every day.
Track 7: Gods of War (6:37)
Brian: And now we have Gods of War. This is the opener for side two of the record. Here is your political statement of the record.
Jay: I've always thought this was under appreciated on the album. It's not a single and that's why a lot of people don't remember it. This is a song about something besides being a rocker or a lover. It's about the Cold War. Yes, it's a little preachy and simple, but back in these days, your major music acts didn't platform like they do today. This is a protest song at it's core. The war sounds, the Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher line drops. Protest song. However, it's solid musically as well. Steve Clark's playing on this is his showcase and he doesn’t disappoint. What a phenomenal talent and a great partner with Phil. So many times the two guitar players are fighting for space but these guys had a way to working in between the notes with each other that defined their legacies. Joe's final chorus is some of his best singing on the album.
Brian: I have to agree with you on that statement. This is the sleeper of the album. I love the bass intro. I am a sucker for a song that starts with a killer bass line.
Track 8: Don't Shoot Shotgun (4:27)
Brian: Now let's talk about a song that should have been trashed... Don't Shoot Shotgun. Here are my thoughts... Melody is good. Harmonies are good. Music is ok. Lyrics are garbage.
Jay: This one along with Women and the next track feel and sound the most like something that could (and maybe should) have been on Pyromania. It's a departure from the rest of the record. Straightforward guitar riffs. It's almost like what would happen is Def Leppard tried to write a song for AC/DC but still had Mutt producing.
Track 9: Run Riot (4:39)
Brian: To me this is just okay, and nothing really special happens here. Weak lyrics, weak music.
Jay: 'Youth Gone Wild' but safer and slicker. This is the weakest song so far, and the one I almost always skip on the album. It's not bad but it can't live up to the eight tracks before it . It doesn't distinguish itself as anything experimental or interesting, and it sounds most like pre-Mutt Leppard as anything on there. I understand it's a good live track (when they play it, which is rare), but not really anything cool. EXCEPT for the guitar solo. That's good work and Phil's blizzard of notes fit it well.
Brian: I'll give you the guitar solo, but I'll admit that I don't usually make it that far.
Track 10: Hysteria (5:55)
Brian: And now for the creme de la creme of the album, Hysteria. I love this riff. This is the third single on the album and shockingly only made it to #10 on the charts.
Jay: I know, right. The perfect rock ballad. Pensive and driving when it needs to be, and steady
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| Hysteria Single (photo by Stacey Nash) |
Brian: I agree, that is a cool tidbit of information. I really like the production on this song as well. By far Mutt's best work on the album. The great use of delay and reverb in the vocals adds a nice dynamic to the song. The guitar solo is so simple, but so effective.
Jay: The production, the guitar duels, the thumping backbeat, and Joe's howl are on full display in this understated and somewhat melancholy song about being crazy for someone.
Brian: I would have to say that this is Def Leppard's signature song. I know many will say Rock of Ages, but to me this is.
Jay: I agree. Without this on the B-Side, no one wants to flip the record or tape over. Mutt knew this, and there's no doubt that's why it is where it is.
Track 11: Excitable (4:19)
Brian: Up next is Excitable. A song purely about sex, and the voice at the beginning makes it feel like almost creepy sex.
Jay: Feels concocted as a great opening number, but a few better songs later and this moves to the back of the line. Not as forgettable as Run Riot but in the same category.
Brian: I'm glad you said that. While it's not a great tune, I think it would have served better as the album opener
Jay: It's a better opener than Women, but it's not a single. They chose wisely. This is not a good song, but it doesn't help that it follows an anthem like 'Hysteria' either. This is one they should have cut.
Track 12: Love and Affection (4:35)
Brian: And finally we come to the closing song on the album, Love and Affection. To be honest, I really like this song, but I find the production on the chorus irritating. To me, the backing vocals needed to be lifted a little in the mix because you can't really hear or understand what they are saying. They sound lovely, but huh?
Jay: It's almost like they didn't finish it. They decide to end it on a mid-tempo positive note here. This is a better song than anything except 'Hysteria' and 'Gods of War' on the B side but it's just not good enough to be in the pile of singles on the A side. The best thing about this is how it's unassuming and kind of understated. Good chorus and some neat guitar interplay make this a good end credits for the tour de force of this record.
Brian: Yeah, I think this is a great ending song for the record, and to be honest I would have probably released this as a single as well. Problem is they were on to Adrenalize by the time the last single came out.
Brian: Well, that wraps our look at each track from Def Leppard's smash Hysteria. Do you have any closing thoughts on it, Jay?
Jay: This is the perfect 80s rock record. Even with the shortcomings and admitting it's flaws, there's so much good here. It still plays well and works 30+ years later.
Brian: To me this is an amazing record. An almost perfect record. I think if they would have cut the album down to 10 songs, it could have been perfect.
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