A couple weeks back, we discussed the ‘Hits Vegas: Live at Planet Hollywood’ show that Def Leppard released on vinyl. It was taken from the bands 2019 Sin City Residency. Well, what we have for you this week is a special snippet of that show. This is a 10″ E.P. that covers the acoustic portion of that show. And the nice thing about it is that it is a picture disc as well. You get 4 songs, all done acoustically, in a limited edition packaging. I believe this was also a European only release and put out some time in 2020. What songs do we get? Well, let’s see.
On Side A, it kicks off with “Let Me Be The One” off the 2002 album ‘X’. One of the best ballads the band has ever done and one that do not play live ever, sadly. Viv and Phil’s acoustic work is always superb and this one is no different. The band’s harmonies on the backing vocals are pretty great live (not studio quality, but who can).
If that wasn’t cool enough, they pull out “We Belong” from the 2015 self-titled album. What is cool about this is it has all 5 guys taking turns singing, which is a first for the band. One of my favorite songs from that album and here they just slay. Everyone sounds incredible and it is as if it was from the studio album it is that good. This time around, we get drums as they were absent on the first track so glad to Rick Allen get involved on the acoustic portion. This had never been played live ever until the Residency.
In 2020, Def Leppard released a really cool box set called London to Vegas. It had 2 shows, one from the 02 in London where they played the entire Hysteria album live and the other called ‘Hits Vegas: Live at Planet Hollywood’ where Def Leppard did another residency. The set had CDs for the shows as well as Blu Ray (or DVD) so you could watch it too. But that wasn’t all. They also released the albums individually and I bought each one as well, but this time on Vinyl.
This thing is impressive folks. You get 28 songs and they are full of deep cuts as well as the classics. This show is 2 1/2 hours long…2 1/2 hours…you heard that correctly. Now the actual show was about 4 songs less so you know they added a few songs from other shows to give you most, if not all the songs they played. The set is a 3 LP set in a beautiful gatefold packaging that include 3 beautiful transparent blue vinyl. They are really nice. However, since the cover has the U.S. flag on it and being 3 LP’s…wouldn’t a red, white & blue have been even cooler!? The answer is yes.
In a nutshell, the show was fantastic. Joe as you know is not as spot on with the vocals as when he was younger and that is not a problem here as the band does assist heavily with the harmonies and background vocals to help smooth that out. I would say after a couple songs, you don’t even notice and you just enjoy the show. I mean by the end, I thought everyone sounded great. It was very enjoyable.
We are finally to the 11th Studio album by Def Leppard. It comes off the longest break between albums sitting at 7 years. The last album was ‘Songs From the Sparkle Lounge’ back in 2008. Now, they did have some live albums in between the two studio albums and we reviewed those years ago, you can click those links below. Therefore, we are jumping to 2015 where the band released their first self-titled album. Why now? Simply put, the band felt this album was nothing but the Def Leppard sound. No one era of the band…a little bit of all of them. I can tell you for sure this does sound like a Def Leppard album…good or bad! The sound hasn’t changed and neither has the band as it is still Joe Elliott, Rick Allen, Rick Savage, Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell as it has been for over 20+ years. I still think of Vivian as the new guy though. LOL!!
The album was released on October 30, 2015 and it went #10 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. This was their seventh Top 10 album of their career. Now, it did go to #1 on the Rock Charts in case you were wondering. The album did spawn four singles, but of course none of them charted in the Top 40 as we are long past those days. But we do get an album that is what you want from the band and expect. It is a Def Leppard album, no doubt. There is also a lot of diversity on the album which can be good and can be bad if it isn’t done right. We will see if it was.
The band says the album is all Def Leppard from across the years, well the opening track “Let’s Go” is straight out of the ‘Hysteria’ era. A bombastic opening track that oozes everything from that album. It has a huge chorus full of those gang vocals they do so well. Listen to Sav’s bass lines, he does some great work on this one and of course there is a Leppardesque solo to boot. An arena rock track that puts you on notice the boys are back.
I’ve had this one in the collection for awhile and finally got the urge to write about it. It is from one of my favorite singers, Pat Benatar. The early 80’s saw her on a massive win streak. Everything she touched turn to gold including the lead single to her 1984 album ‘Tropico’ which is “We Belong”. The song did really well and went to #5 on the Billboard charts which tied the success of her massive hit “Love is a Battlefield”. The song was a success all across the world as well and even earning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She didn’t win as she was up against some other powerhouses such as Linda Rondstadt, Madonna, Tina Turner and Whitney Houston. Dang that is a pretty impressive category right there.
The song was written by Eric Lowen and Dan Navarro (his first cousin is Dave Navarro if you are interested in knowing that fact). The song was inspired by Dan as he was sitting around lamenting on an old flame. He wanted to get the point across that although there are more important than them, they however belong together. My copy of the single is a standard U.S. release so nothing special, but I like it.
Part 3 of the Def Leppard Live Series is ‘And There Will Be A Next Time…Live From Detroit’. This the latest released from Def Leppard and sparked my reason behind reviewing all three of the Live albums they have released. The other two are as follows:
‘And There Will Be A Next Time…’ was recorded back over the Summer of 2016 in Detroit, MI (obviously) in support of their album that was simply titled ‘Def Leppard’. The release was in both CD form and in Blue Ray / DVD and consisted of 17 tracks. The track listing is below:
This weeks My Sunday Song #18 is by my all time favorite band, Def Leppard. The song is off their latest self-titled album and is called “We Belong”. Def Leppard just released the new video in the last couple days while promoting their upcoming DVD which is called And There Will Be a Next Time – Live From Detroit. It is a DVD-Blu-ray/two-CD set which will be released On Feb. 10, 2017. They are taking preorders at Pledgemusic.com.
The Tracklisting is 17 songs and includes the following:
1. “Rocket”
2. “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak”
3. “Switch 625″
4. Medley: “Hysteria” / “Heroes”
5. “Let’s Get Rocked”
6. “Pour Some Sugar on Me”
7. “Rock of Ages”
8. “Photograph”
I will be getting my copy for sure. Go get yours.
Now back to the song. This is the first song that every band member has a part in the lead vocals. That to me is the charm behind this great song and one of my favorite songs on the album.
I tried to look up the meaning behind the song, but really couldn’t find anything on it. In reading the lyrics it looks like it is about God. With lyrics like “You’re all that I am, You’re all that I see, The keys to the kingdom Are waiting for me” and “If you cast the first stone I will roll it away, I will kneel at your throne Hold my hands up and pray” are why I have the impression it is about his faith.
You can interpret it anyway you want, but this is my take away and why I wanted to showcase the song. To me, it screams I am not good enough to be loved by God and how can I be a part of His Kingdom.
I hope you get something out of it and enjoy. Let me know your thoughts on the song.
“We Belong”
Sometimes I feel I don’t belong here
Sometimes I just don’t feel
I feel so uninvited
A wound that never heals
I need a little shelter
Just for a little while
Sometimes I hide the sadness
Behind a painted smile
If you cast the first stone
I will roll it away
I will kneel at your throne
Hold my hands up and pray
I will hold back the tide
Push the oceans aside
Save the day
But I can be stronger
You’re all that I am
You’re all that I see
The keys to the kingdom
Are waiting for me
So don’t hold me back
Don’t hold me down
Just hold me and don’t let go
You’re all that I am
You’re all that I do
The end of the rainbow
Is waiting for you
So tell me I’m right
Cause this can’t move on
Not if we belong
Whatever happened to forgiveness
Are the words too hard to say
What happened to the answers
They disappeared along the way
I hide behind the madness
Still looking for the clues
And there’s nothing left to chance
When there’s nothing left to lose
And the voice in my head
Screams the words I believe
And the light in the dark
Is the air that I breathe
You’re all that I am
You’re all that I see
The keys to the kingdom
Are waiting for me
So don’t hold me back
Don’t hold me down
Just hold me and don’t let go
You’re all that I am
You’re all that I do
The end of the rainbow
Is waiting for you
So tell me I’m right
Cause this can’t move on
Back where we belong
As you cast the first stone
And I roll it away
And I kneel at your throne
These words that I say
You’re all that I am
You’re all that I see
The keys to the kingdom
Are waiting for me
So don’t hold me back
Don’t hold me down
Just hold me and don’t let go
You’re all that I am
You’re all that I do
The end of the rainbow
Is waiting for you
So tell me I’m right
Cause this can’t be wrong
Not if we belong
2 Loud 2 Old Music 