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Uh-oh! Ci fanno notare che questa recensione compare anche (tutta o in parte) su truemetal.it
Anno 1979, un ragazzo amante di band come Thin Lizzy e UFO un giorno decide di fondare una band tutta sua insieme ad alcuni compagni di scuola, e decide di scegliere come nome del gruppo "Def Leppard" (da una storpiatura di deaf leopard: "leopardo assordato").
Quel ragazzo era l'ormai famosissimo Joe Elliott e i suoi amici erano Rick Savage (bassista), Steve Clark (chitarra), Pete Willis (chitarra) e Rick Allen (batteria)... quest'ultimo all'epoca appena quindicenne! Dopo un periodo di prove la neonata band incide il suo primo EP intitolato "Getcha Rock Off", che miracolosamente comincia ad essere trasmesso in radio con una certa frequenza. Fu grazie a questo fortunato lancio pubblicitario che il combo britannico ebbe la possibilità di aprire i concerti di artisti famosi come Sammy Hagar e persino degli ACDC, il tutto aumentando ulteriormente la popolarità del gruppo in Gran Bretagna.
Il 1980 è l'anno del debutto discografico ufficiale per la band capitanata da Elliott, la quale incide "On throught the night" prodotto da Tom Allom, già produttore dei Judas Priest. Il disco ebbe un discreto successo, riuscendo a scalare le classifiche, portando la band in tour negli States in supporto a ACDC e Ted Nudgent. Dopo un secondo album che non fece altro che consolidare il discreto successo finora ottenuto dalla band e la pubblicazione del terzo, eccellente, "Pyromania" (1983), durante l'84 si apre una brutta pagina per i Def Leppard che rischierà in seguito di minare le fondamenta dell'intero progetto musicale. Infatti il batterista del combo britannico è vittima di un gravissimo incidente che lo priva di un braccio. La band, con molto coraggio e determinazione, decide di non rompere il sodalizio tra i membri fondatori del gruppo e, dopo un periodo di riabilitazione e allenamento del batterista su di un drumkit appositamente costruitogli dalla Simmons, si cimentarono nella composizione dell'album che ancora oggi viene considerato il loro più grande successo (sia a livello commerciale che a livello compositivo), ovvero "Hysteria".
L'album uscì nel 1987 e segnò una sorta di svolta a livello di arrangiamenti, di felling e, perché no, di approccio all'hard rock fino ad allora suonato dalla band britannica. Le composizioni in questo disco si fanno più sofisticate, arrangiate con un gusto per la melodia molto ricercato e con un Elliott davvero in forma.
L'operer è affidata a "Women" un pezzo con un incedere di batteria cadenzato che lascia intervenire dopo poco le chitarre creando un'armonia molto coinvolgente. L'affiatamento tra gli strumentisti si assesta su livelli molto elevati e la batteria elettronica di Rick Allen non stona affatto nelle parti leggermente più hard rock che si insinuano nella song. Il pezzo riesce quindi a catturare l'attenzione dell'ascoltatore e la gran classe degli arrangiamenti, vera sorpresa dell'album, rende il complesso della track scorrevole e godibile. Una intro affidata ad una specie di "contatto radio" tra una base aerea"e forse la band stessa ci introduce alla seguente track, "Rocket". L'incedere cadenzato di questo brano esprime proprio il senso stesso del titolo, scandito nei chorus che lungo tutta la durata del brano si inseriscono prepotentemente più volte. Con "Animal" si entra nel discorso musicale vero e proprio impostato in questo album, con una melodia molto ben azzeccata, un arrangiamento sopraffino e un ritornello che ti entra subito in testa. Il pezzo ha un inizio molto accattivante con le due chitarre ben sincronizzate su armonie semplici ma per nulla banali, "Love Bites" è una ballad molto dolce nel suo incedere "discreto", con pochi arpeggi che creano un'atmosfera quasi "sensuale" e centrando in pieno il senso stesso del titolo del pezzo. Anche qui la buona prova di Elliott non può sfuggire all'attenzione del ascoltatore che si può lasciare "trasportare" in un refrain molto accattivante. La seguente "Pour Some sugar on me" ha un incedere "rockeggiante" nel riffing e nel ritornello, con un Elliott molto grintoso nel suo ruolo di vocalist. Il ritornello è accattivante, e la pulizia di esecuzione è come al solito notevole tuttavia in alcuni momenti la song sembra "perdersi" in "stacchetti" superflui. "Armageddon it" ci riporta a sonorità energiche, vitali ma sempre senza perdere l'eleganza standard della esecuzione vocale e strumentale. Il pezzo è anche questa volta giocato su più atmosfere: da quella più d'impatto a quella melodica fino a sfociare ,verso la fine della track, in un gioco di chitarre che dà al pezzo un tocco di "solarità" . La seguente "Gods of War" presenta una suggestiva intro, con ben udibili (in sottofondo) suoni d'armi da fuoco, alla quale segue un classico riff d'apertura che poi troverà sbocco in un arpeggio portante dell'intera song eseguito con la consueta grazia dal duo Clark/Willis.
Con "Don't shoot shotgun" l'anima rock della band esce allo scoperto nuovamente e anche qui è ben evidente la bravura del combo nell'azzeccare semplici ed "edificanti" riff alternati a eleganti arpeggi lungo tutta la durata del brano. Il pezzo, anche se in maniera molto discreta, rimanda ad un certo sound hard-rock alla AC/DC, specialmente in un riuscito riff "pizzicato" tipico della band capitanata dai fratelli Young. La nona track, "Run Riot", ha un ritmo sostenuto e riff graffianti e la prova vocale di Eliott in questi frangenti risulta perfettamente a suo agio donando alla song notevole vitalità e spessore allo stesso tempo. Con la tile track, "Hysteria" appunto, la band torna ad esplorare sonorità calde e melodiche. Il pezzo ha la struttura di una semi-ballad ed è quasi tutto incentrato su di un pregevole quanto semplice arpeggio. Il brano scorre senza problemi e un bell'assolo, molto melodico nell'impostazione, ne impreziosisce l'arrangiamento. Il penultimo pezzo, "Excitable", ha un riff molto "catchy" sostenuto da una sezione ritmica vigorosa. Quasi tutta la track è giocata su riff orecchiabili e però anche accattivanti e quasi "sensuali", anche se il refrain forse viene ripetuto un po' troppe volte non riuscendo a trovare sviluppi alternativi alla linea musicale complessiva intrapresa dal pezzo.
Il disco si chiude con "Love and Affection", pezzo che si mantiene perfettamente nello standard "elegante" dell'intera opera risultando , nonostante l'ottimo arrangiamento ed esecuzione, più un riempitivo che una song fondamentale dell'album.
In sostanza possiamo dire che con questo album si chiuse il ciclo "heavy-rock" inaugurato dalla band con dischi come "On throught the night" e "Pyromania" e se ne aprì un altro più orientato verso un hard-rock melodico e ricercato ma sempre eseguito con la classe tipica dei "Leopardi assordati".
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Women (05:42)
OOH WE OOH
OOH WEE OOH
In the very beginning
God made the land
Then he made the Waters, and creatures
Then He made Man
He was born with a passion,love and hate
A restless spirit, with a need for a mate
But there was something missing, something lost
So He came up with the answer, here's what it cost:
One part love, one part wild
One part lady, one part child, I give you
WOMEN! WOMEN! - Lots of pretty women
MEN! MEN! - We can't live without them
WOMEN! WOMEN! - Lots of pretty women
MEN! MEN! - We can't live without them
And in the Garden, lust began
The animal instinct, the wanton man
She fed him with a hunger, an appetite
And filling with emotion, he to a bite
It was one part love, one part wild
One part lady, one part child, I give you
WOMEN! WOMEN! - Lots of pretty women
MEN! MEN! - We can't live without them
WOMEN! WOMEN! - Lots of pretty women
MEN! MEN! - We can't live without them
Skin on skin, let the love begin
WOMEN!
It was one part love, one part wild
One part lady, one part child,
A whole llot of passion, a little bit of ice
A whole lot of something you can't sacrifice
I give you...
Hair, eyes skin on skin
Legs, thighs, what's that spell?
What's that spell?
WOMEN!WOMEN
OH! OH! OH!
OH! OH! OH!
WOMEN! WOMEN - Callin every girl
WOMEN! WOMEN! - All around the world
WOMEN! WOMEN! Oh we can't live woithout them
WOMEN! WOMEN! OH!
02 Rocket (06:37)
("We're fighting for the Gods of War") said backwards
Ah ah
Ooh ooh
Ah ah
Ooh ooh
White lights, strange city, mad music all around
Midnight street magic (ah) crazy people crazy sound
Ah ah
Ooh ooh
Jack Flash, rocket man, Sergeant Pepper and the band
Ziggy, Benny and the Jets, take a rocket
We just gotta fly
I can take you thru the center of the dark
We're gonna fly
On a collision course to crash into my heart
I will be your, I will be your, I'll be your
Rocket yeah satellite of love
Rocket yeah satellite of love
Rocket yeah satellite of love
Rocket baby! C'mon, I'll be your satellite of love
Ooh ooh
Ah ah
Ooh ooh
Ah ah
Spotlight magnetic razor rhythm laser love
Guitar, drums, load up, stun!
Ah ah
Ooh ooh
Jet Black, Johnny B ,Gene Jeanie, Killer Queen
Dizzy Lizzy Major Tom so c'mon
We just gotta fly
[Repeat Bridge]
[Repeat Chorus]
Rocket baby! C'mon, we're gonna fly
[interlude]
Oooh
Countdown commencing...fire one
Five, four, three, two, one, zero...we have liftoff
We just gotta fly
[Repeat Bridge]
[Repeat Chorus]
Rocket, baby, guitar, drums, light up
We're gonna fly, rocket yeah
Satellite of love, we're gonna fly
Rocket yeah, satellite of love
Rocket yeah!
03 Animal (04:04)
A wild ride, over stony ground
Such a lust for life, the circus comes to town
We are the hungry ones, on a lightning raid
Just like a river runs, like a fire needs flame
I burn for you
I gotta feel it in my blood
(Whoa-oh)
I need your touch don't need your love
(Whoa-oh)
And I want,
And I need,
And I lust,
Animal.
And I want,
And I need,
And I lust,
Animal.
I cry wolf, given mouth to mouth
Like a movin' heartbeat in the witching hour
I'm runnin' with the wind, a shadow in the dust
And like the drivin' rain
Yeah, like the restless rust
I never sleep
I gotta feel it in my blood
(Whoa-oh)
I need your touch don't need your love
(Whoa-oh)
And I want,
And I need,
And I lust,
Animal.
And I want,
And I need,
And I lust,
Animal.
(Huh!)
(Oh!)
Cry wolf baby
Cry tough
Gonna hunt you like an, uh, uh, animal
Gonna take your love n' run
I gotta feel it in my blood
(Whoa-oh)
I need your touch don't need your love
(Whoa-oh)
And I want,
And I need,
And I lust,
Animal.
And I want,
And I need,
And I lust,
Animal.
And I want (And I want)
And I need (And I need)
And I lust (And I lust)
Animal (Animal)
And I want (Take me)
And I need (Tame me)
And I lust (Make me)
Animal (Your Animal)
And I want (Show me)
And I need (Stroke me)
And I lust
(Let me be your...)
Animal (Animal)
And I want (I want)
And I need (Ooh-ooh-ooh)
And I lust (Yeah Animal)
Animal
(Animal)
(Heh! Heh!)
04 Love Bites (05:46)
If you've got love in your sights
Watch out, love bites
When you make love, do you look in the mirror?
Who do you think of, does he look like me?
Do you tell lies and say that it's forever?
Do you think twice, or just touch 'n' see?
Ooh babe ooh yeah
When you're alone, do you let go?
Are you wild 'n' willin' or is it just for show?
Ooh c'mon
I don't wanna touch you too much baby
'Cuz making love to you might drive me crazy
I know you think that love is the way you make it
So I don't wanna be there when you decide to break it
No!
Love bites, love bleeds
It's bringin' me to my knees
Love lives, love dies
It's no surprise
Love begs, love pleads
It's what I need
When I'm with you are you somewhere else?
Am I gettin' thru or do you please yourself?
When you wake up will you walk out?
It can't be love if you throw it about
Ooh babe
I don't wanna touch you too much baby
'Cos making love to you might drive me crazy
Repeat Chorus
[guitar solo]
Ooh yeah
Repeat Bridge
Love bites, love bleeds
It's bringin' me to my knees
Love lives, love dies
Repeat Chorus
If you've got love in your sights
Watch out, love bites
Yes it does
Bloody Hell
05 Pour Some Sugar on Me (04:27)
Step inside, walk this way, you and me babe, HEY HEY
Love is like a bomb, baby, c'mon get it on
Livin' like a lover with a radar phone
Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp
Demolition woman can i be your man?
Razzle 'n' a dazzle 'n' a flash a little light
Television lover, baby, go all night
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet
Little miss innocent sugar me,
yeah
yeah
C'mon, take a bottle, shake it up
Break the bubble, break it up...
Pour some sugar on me
(Ooh, in the name of love)
Pour some sugar on me
(C'mon fire me up)
Pour your sugar on me
(Oh, I can't get enough)
I'm hot, sticky sweet
From my head to my feet, yeah
Listen! red light, yellow light, green-a-light, go!
Crazy little woman in a one man show
Mirror queen, mannequin, rhythm of love
Sweet dream, saccharine, loosen up
oh, loosen up
You gotta please a little, squeeze a little
Tease a little more
Easy operator come a knockin' on my door
Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet
Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah
yeah!
yeah!
Give a lil' more
Take a bottle, shake it up
Break the bubble, break it up
Pour some sugar on me
(Ooh, in the name of love)
Pour some sugar on me
(C'mon fire me up)
Pour your sugar on me
(Oh, I can't get enough)
I'm hot, sticky sweet
From my head to my feet
yeah
[guitar solo]
You've got the peaches, I've got the cream
Sweet to taste, saccharine
'Cuz I'm hot, hot, so hot, sticky sweet
From my head, (my head,) to my feet
Do you take sugar..... one lump or two?!!!
Take a bottle, shake it up
Break the bubble, break it up
Pour some sugar on me
(Ooh, in the name of love)
Pour some sugar on me
(C'mon fire me up)
Pour your sugar on me
(Oh, I can't get enough)
Pour some sugar on me
(Oh, in the name of love)
Pour some sugar on me
(Get it, come get it)
Pour your sugar on me
(Ooh)
Pour some sugar on me
(Yeah! Sugar me!)
06 Armageddon It (05:24)
Ya better come inside when you're ready to
But no chance if ya don't wanna dance
You like (a) four letter words when you're ready to
But then you won't 'cos you know that you can
You got it
But are you gettin' it?
You say that love is (a) won when you get some
But then your finger won't trigger the gun
You know you (ya) can't stop it, so don't rock it
You know you got it
Hey, but are you gettin' it?
Ooh, really gettin' it?
(Oh)
Come get it from me
(Gimme all of you lovin')
Ev'ry little bit
(Gimme all that you got)
Ev'ry bit of it
(Ev'ry bit of your lovin)
Oh, c'mon live a bit
(Never wanna stop)
Yeah, but are you gettin' it?
(Armageddon it!)
Ooh, really gettin' it?
(Yes, Armaggedon it!)
C'mon get it
Yeah
Do, do, do
Uh oh
You try comin' on when you need some
But then you don't 'cos you already did
Yeah, you jangle your jewels while your shakin' ya
And drive the pretty boys outta their heads
You got it
But are you gettin' it?
You flash your bedroom eyes like a jumpin' jack
Then play it pretty with a pat on the back
C'mon, Steve, get it
Huh!
Take it, take it, take it from me
I got an itchy finger following me
Pull it, pull it, c'mon trigger the gun
'Cos the best is (a) yet to come
I say
('Cos the best is yet to come)
Oh, are you gettin' it?
Oh, really gettin' it?
Yes, are you gettin' it?
Whooh, really gettin' it?
(Oh) Come get it from me
(Gimme all of you lovin')
Ev'ry little bit
(Gimme all that you got)
Ev'ry bit of it
(Ev'ry bit of your lovin')
Oh come on live a bit
(Never want it to stop)
Oh, are you getting it?
(Gimme all of your lovin')
Ooh really gettin' it?
(Gimme all that you got)
Oh are you getting it?
(Gimme all of your lovin')
Oh live a bit
(Gimme all that you got)
No
Live a bit
You've gotta live it
(Gimme all of your lovin')
Ooh baby live it
(Gimme all that you got)
C'mon and give it
(Ev'ry bit of your lovin')
Oh come on and give it
(Never want it to stop)
Oh are you gettin' it?
(Gimme all of your lovin')
Ooh really gettin' it?
(Gimme all that you got)
Oh are you gettin' it?
(Ev'ry bit of your lovin')
Oh live a bit
(Never want it to stop)
Whoah
(Gimme all of your lovin')
(Gimme all that you got)
07 Gods of War (06:37)
Feelin' like it's all over, feelin' like there's no love
Feelin' like it's not easy, breathin' life in the dust
On a countdown to zero take a ride on the nightmare machine
There ain't gonna be heroes, there ain't gonna be anything
Here it comes, here comes the night
Here it comes, hell in the night
Here it comes, here comes the night
When we all fall down
When we walk into silence, when we shadow the sun
When we surrender to violence, then the damage is done
Put away that gun
I don't wanna be there, I don't wanna be anywhere
Here it comes, here comes the night
Here it comes, hell in the night
Here it comes, here comes the night
That's right
We're fightin' for the gods of war but what the hell we fightin' for
We're fightin' with the gods of war but I'm a rebel
And I ain't gonna fight no more, no way
On a countdown to zero, take a ride on the nightmare machine
There ain't gonna be heroes, there ain't gonna be anything
Here it comes, here comes the night
Here it comes, hell in the night
Here it comes, here comes the night
Don't ya know that's right
We're fightin' for the gods of war but what the hell we fightin' for
We're fightin' with the gods of war
And I ain't gonna fight no more
Stop fightin' for the gods of war
Yeah what the hell we fightin' for
What in the hell we fightin' for
We're fightin' with the gods of war
Heavy
08 Don't Shoot Shotgun (04:26)
Run for cover
Don't shoot, shoot
She's so dangerous
Shotgun, gun, don't shoot shotgun
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right
Fallin' head over heels at the speed of light
Hey little miss heaven on earth
Won't you walk this way
But I see a red alert
Oh, my senses say keep away
So don't shoot, don't shoot shotgun
Dream on nightmare, touch 'n' go
Dove turned destroyer, she cut you up, she's a slave of love
Run for cover, she's so dangerous
Undercover, she's so shameless
So don't shoot shotgun, you got me bitin' my lip
Don't shoot shotgun, you're shootin' straight from the hip
So don't shoot shotgun
Shoot me baby
Hit 'n' miss, flesh and blood
She's sweet and indiscreet, she can't get enough
A little midnight madness, oh baby, you can't hide
So wild 'n' unpredictable, step aside
Cause you're, you're shooting wide
Run for cover, she's so dangerous
Undercover, she's so shameless
Don't shoot shotgun, you got me bitin' my lip
So don't shoot shotgun, ya shootin' straight from the hip
Shake it, shake it!
Take this, little hit 'n' miss
So don't shoot shotgun, you got me bitin' my lip
Don't shoot shotgun, ya shootin' straight from the hip
Don't shoot it
Don't shoot shotgun, shake it, shake it
Take this little hit 'n' miss
Don't shoot shotgun
Oh shoot it, don't shoot it
Oh shotgun
Shoot me, baby
Let it blow
09 Run Riot (04:39)
Living by the law is a bloody necessary bore
Everybody are you gettin' what you're lookin' for
Livin' by the rule is somethin' that you gotta do
But does it matter if we break a rule or two
Get up, break out, don't be the odd one out
Livin' on the edge, I'm a tryin' to keep a level head
Every morning it's a bummer gettin' out of bed
Same old story does a nothin' ever ever change
Yeah, they lock me up and then they let me out again
Get up, break out, don't be the odd one out
Come on, it's alright, we're hot tonight
You better run, run riot
You gotta run, run riot
You know the time has come
Run, run riot, I mean everyone
Run, yeah, run riot
Oh, gotta run riot babe
Goin' through the motions desperation guaranteed
Whoa, get f-f-frustrated easily
Pedal to the metal senses working overtime
Hey, gonna fight to the finish baby
Draw the line
Get up, break out, don't be the odd one out
C'mon, it's alright we're hot tonight
Run, run riot
You gotta run, run riot
You know the time has come
Run, run riot, I mean everyone
Run, yeah, run riot
Speak to me
They lock me up, they let me out but I'm up and runnin'
I scream and shout
Get up, break out, don't be the odd one out
Come on, it's alright we're hot tonight
You better run, run riot
You gotta run, run riot
You know the time has come
Run, run riot, come on, run with me
Run, run riot
Run, run riot
I'll take you from your misery
Come on, stick with me
10 Hysteria (05:54)
Out of touch, out of reach, yeah
You could try to get closer to me
I'm in love, I'm in deep, yeah
Hypnotized, I'm shakin' to my knees....
I gotta know tonight
If you're alone tonight
Can't stop this feelin'
Can't stop this fire
(CHORUS)
OH I get hysterical, hysteria
Oh can you feel it?
(Oh can you feel it?)
Do you believe it?
(Do you believe it?)
It's such a magical mysteria
When you get that feelin'
(When you get that feelin')
Better start believin'
(Better start believin')
'Cause it's a miracle, oh say you will
Oh, babe
Hysteria when you're near
Out of me, into you, yeah
You could hide, it's just a one-way street
Oh, I believe I'm in you, yeah
Open wide, that's right
Dream me off my feet
Oh believe in me
I gotta know tonight
If you're alone tonight
Can't stop this feeling
Can't stop this fire
OH I get hysterical, hysteria
Oh can you feel it?
(Oh can you feel it?)
Do you believe it?
(Do you believe it?)
It's such a magical mysteria
When you get that feelin'
(When you get that feelin')
Better start believin'
(Better start believin')
'Cause it's a miracle, oh say you will
Oh, babe
Hysteria when you're near
I gotta know tonight
If you're alone tonight
Can't stop this feeling
Can't stop this fire
(CHORUS)
11 Excitable (04:19)
Stand up, say yeah, stand up
Stand up, say yeah, stand up
Never go down
Check it out
Ah, this o-o-obsession, it's gettin' a-invitin'
A little X-rated, a little bit excitin'
Stand up, say yeah, stand up
Stand up, say yeah, stand up
Come on get in the groove
Ya know I get so excitable
I really get so excitable
I wanna get you excitable
So come, let's go
Ah, baby, don't say no
Ah, this te-temptation, it gets-a a-outrageous
It's such a sensation, a little bit co-contagious
Stand up, say yeah, stand up
Stand up, say yeah, stand up
Come on get in the groove
Ya know I get so excitable
I really get so excitable
I wanna get you excitable
So baby, let's go
This obsession
Check it out
Inch by inch, mile by mile, what I do I do in style
You got your leather, lace, long and lean
Ballistic lipstick dream machine
You got to do it
Ah, do it, do it
Hey, come on and do it
Ya know I get so excitable
I really get so excitable
I wanna get you excitable
So come on, let's go
Oh I really get so excitable
Ya know I get so excitable
I wanna get you excitable
So baby let's go excitable
Ya know I get so excitable
I really get so excitable
I wanna get you excitable
Excitable
Excitable
Excitable
Baby, let's go
Excitable
Ya got me shiverin'
Shakin' and shiverin'
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Altre recensioni
Di SmknToyz87
Un puro concentrato di Energia, una successione di potenziali hit da classifica ottantiani.
Che sono uno di quei gruppi capaci di sperimentare in diversi campi senza mai, però, cambiare pelle?
