This section looks at the 'Wasted' UK single chart peak. A standalone single featuring early versions of the title track and 'Hello America'.

"It was always fun to play live."

Def Leppard's classic early single Wasted reached Number 61 on this day in 1979 in the UK.

The second single released by the band after 'Getcha Rocks Off' which had been a repackaging of the original 'Def Leppard E.P.'.

It entered the UK single Top 100 chart on this day in 1979 at its peak position of 61.

The single was first released on 9th November and spent a further two weeks on the chart.

The song had been recorded at Olympic Studios in London with producer Nick Tauber. The band and management were not happy with his production style and dropped two of the other songs recorded during the sessions ('Glad I'm Alive' and 'Rock Brigade').

The first version of 'Hello America' was used as the B Side for this seven inch single release. Their first new release for Photogram Records having signed to them in August 1979.

The single was released off the back of their successful support slots with Sammy Hagar and AC/DC.

The sleeve featured live photos taken by Ross Halfin at their first public show in London on 16th September 1979.

Read some quotes about the song below including the story of how the music was written by Steve Clark shortly after joining the band.

Def Leppard 1979

UK Singles Chart - 17th November 1979

• 01 - Dr. Hook - When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman
• 02 - Lena Martell - One Day At A Time
• 03 - Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
• 04 - The Jam - The Eton Rifles
• 05 - The Commodores - Still
• 61 - Def Leppard - Wasted - (New/Peak Position)

Dr. Hook were at Number One this week and went on to record an album at Startling Studios just before Def Leppard entered the complex to make 'On Through The Night'.

Queen were also in the Top 3.

Rock drummer Cozy Powell was at Number 62 with 'Theme One'.

Wasted - Steve Clark Story By Rick Savage (From Animal Instinct)

"Suddenly, we heard these footsteps on the cobblestones outside in the courtyard of the spoon factory. Then the footsteps came up the stairs. The door burst open and Steve raced across the room. He picked up his guitar where he'd left it the day before and started playing this riff he later said had come to him on the bus on the way down."

"It was a brilliant riff, but he didn't say anything to anybody when he first came in, in case he forgot it. He just ran across the room, and started playing this riff. That riff became the basis for Wasted."

Def Leppard 1979

"But he had more than just the riff. He'd put chords after it for the bridge and he had an idea for the middle section. He walked off that bus with an instant song. F**king brilliant."

Def Leppard Wasted - Band Quotes

Joe Elliott

"Another song from the first album that I still like. I sang it in the third person and not the first. As a lot of people seemed to think. It was a pretty good lyric for an 18-year-old who'd never taken a drug and barely had a drink. Maybe I'd seen enough movies to make it convincing?."

Rick Allen

"It was always fun to play live. We still include it on those special nights. And the die-hards love that we're delving back to it."

Listen to the song on Spotify

related pages/releases

• Wasted Section