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Def Leppard Tour History Fan Archive.
33 Years Ago Def Leppard's Rock Of Ages At Number 41 In UK Chart

Saturday, 3rd September 2016





Rock Of Ages 1983.
Rock Of Ages Seven Inch

Def Leppard's classic single Rock Of Ages reached Number 41 on the UK Top 100 Singles chart 33 years ago today in 1983.

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

It reached Number 41 on the Top 100 singles chart spending 4 weeks on there in total.

It had entered at Number 45 on 27th August and rose to its peak of 41 the week after.

The single almost became their first UK Top 40 single entry. Had it done so they may have received exposure on Top Of The Pops.

Top 40 and Top 10 success would come later with 'Animal' in August 1987 when it reached Number 6.

The closest the band had been to the Top 40 before this was 'Hello America' getting to Number 45 in March 1980.

In the same week UB40 were at Number One and fellow UK rockers Whitesnake were just below them at Number 42 with 'Guilty Of Love'.

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

UK Singles Chart - 3rd September 1983

  • 01 - UB40 - Red Red Wine
  • 02 - KC And The Sunshine Band - Give It Up
  • 03 - Spandau Ballet - Gold
  • 04 - Madness - Wings Of A Dove
  • 05 - Elton John - I'm Still Standing
  • 41 - Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages

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."

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