Monday, 16th October 2017
Prev  |  Next

2 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's DANGEROUS Single Premiered/Released

Def Leppard 2015.

Def Leppard released Dangerous as the second single from their current self titled studio album on this day in 2015.

The second single taken from the Def Leppard studio album.

The song was been premiered on the Billboard website and released digitally on the same day.

Coming exactly one month after the release of the Let's Go single.

13 new tour dates for January/February 2016 with Styx/Tesla were also announced on the same day in the run up to the album release.

The song was one that Phil Collen took from writing sessions with Mutt Lange that dated back as far as 2010.

He can be heard playing part of the main riff in this April 2010 guitar video shot at home by his wife Helen.

Mutt did not receive a credit on the finished song which was given a working title of 'Dangerous Drug' before being shortened. Despite being written mostly by Phil the song features a guitar solo by Vivian.

Many fans and reviewers suggested this song was similar to 'Photograph' and considered to be a strong follow up to 'Let's Go'. Generating more excitement for the new studio album with only a couple of weeks to go until its release.

The UK promo release featured a radio edit and cover art from the album with the song title added (as shown above).

Read more about the song below.

Watch all the current album videos on this YouTube playlist featuring both the lyric and promo videos for all three singles.

Visit the Album News section. For more news on new music (based on band member quotes) dating back to January 2011.

Def Leppard 2016. Screenshot

Phil Collen - October 2015 Interview Quote

"I had a demo for 'Dangerous' as well, pretty much the whole music of that I had done. It was called 'Dangerous Drug' and Joe said, 'Wouldn't it be great if we called it 'Dangerous' and make it this kind of singalong chorus. We literally copied it exactly. I redone the guitars. We just done a slightly different guitar sound. We might have kept some of the original demo, I'm not sure. That's really how it went. We didn't change anything musically at all."

Joe Elliott - September 2015 Interview Quote

"This is one of Phil's tracks, and it's from the same school of thought as 'Photograph' or Promises. It's fast and uptempo, it rocks and it will be a great song to play live. It was also one of the last tracks to get finished. Phil had an idea for the chorus that was close but not quite close enough. And then one day I had an epiphany. I got the chorus, and once the chorus was down the verse lyrics came easily. It's about the guy that always wants the dangerous woman. - the one with tattoos an spiky hair. It's better than a librarian. Unless you have a spiky-haired, tattooed librarian, which you can't really beat!."

Vivian Campbell - November 2015 Interview Quote

"Phil had a musical idea for that song and worked up a demo for it. It’s flashy and punky with a very immediate chorus. It’s very reminiscent of “Photograph” in a way, and it's one of the catchiest songs on the album."

Def Leppard 2016. Screenshot

Joe Elliott - November 2015 Interview Quote

"From a musical point of view, it's an out-and-out rocker. Lyrically, it's that age old question, "Why do guys like dangerous women?" You can't just go for the librarian. You have to go for the spiky haired tattooed chick that rides a Harley Davidson."

Vivian Campbell - November 2015 Interview Quote

"Yeah and it's just got a great hook. I mean the chorus in that song is very - like you say very like Photograph. Very, very instantaneous."

Joe Elliott - September 2015 Interview Quote (First song description)

"Dangerous" sounds a little like "Photograph."


Buy 'Def Leppard' Online


Related News - 2 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Release The LET'S GO Single

Related News - 2 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Reveal All 14 Song Titles Of Self-Titled Album

Related News - 16 Years Ago JOE ELLIOTT's 9/11 Message To DEF LEPPARD Fans

Related News - Classic JOE ELLIOTT DEF LEPPARD Tour Diary (Salt Lake City, UT 1992)

Related News - 30 Years Ago JOE ELLIOTT/DEF LEPPARD UK Hysteria TV Interview

Related News - 30 Years Ago BRIAN MAY Guests w/ DEF LEPPARD In London (Photos/Audio)


share this story:





get def leppard news

Stay in touch with the latest updates.


explore def leppard tour history
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar
Phil Collen - Guitar