34 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's ROCK OF AGES At Number 16 In The USA

Def Leppard's classic single Rock Of Ages reached Number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart on this day in 1983.

The single was the second to be released from the 'Pyromania' album.

It reached Number 16 on the main Billboard Top 100 singles chart spending 15 weeks on there in total.

It spent three weeks inside the Top 20 in all.

It had entered the chart on 11th June at Number 75 taking ten weeks to rise to its peak position.

Read some comments below on the song by Joe from various sources.

Joe Elliott - Vault Album Sleeve Quote

"Stole the chorus from the Bible. Honestly!!. We wanted something big and bombastic. After all, it was the eighties."

VH1- Joe Elliott Interview Quotes

Where did the idea for "Rock of Ages" come from?

"We had the backing track for "Rock Of Ages" but were singing melodies because we didn't have any lyrics. We let somebody use the studio the night before, and they held a bible study session. A Bible was left in the studio open to the hymn "Rock of Ages." So I picked it up and started singing, "Rock of ages." Mutt went, "That's it! That's the chorus!" It was a very anthemic song. This was us doing Joan Jett's "I Love Rock And Roll" or Billy Squier's "The Stroke" or Queen's "We Will Rock You." Big drums, handclaps, no guitars in the verse, singing, and then guitars blaring in on the chorus."

Gunter glieben glauten globen?

"That's the intro to "Rock Of Ages." It's Mutt Lange. There were no guitars in the verses, just drums. So instead of counting off one, two, three, four, he'd say these ridiculous things to make everybody laugh. One of them was "chapati papadum something something," all about Indian food. The other one was "Gunter glieben glauten globen." Some German guy sent a letter to our Artist Pages and said that it's German for "running through the forest silently." I'm assured it isn't. This guy must have just escaped from the happy house or something."

---

Related News - 30 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Release WOMEN Single In The USA/Canada

Related News - 25 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Release HAVE YOU EVER Single

Related News - DEF LEPPARD's HYSTERIA Album 30th Anniversary (Making Of Special)

Related News - 36 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's HIGH 'n' DRY Album At Number 26 In The UK

Related News - 29 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's LOVE BITES Single Number 11 In UK

Related News - The Story Of DEF LEPPARD's X/TEN Album (Released 15 Years Ago)

---

• Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages Single Section
• Def Leppard - Pyromania Album Section
• Previous Show - 11th August 2017
• Back

share this story:

---

---