Def Leppard

FRED HALE SR. · 11-09-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

I listened more carefully to the guitar playing in Leppard's "Action" compared to the original by Sweet, and I agree with you that Def Leppard's guitar is better.

What are some reasons you don't like the song? I'm curious, because I'm finding that the more I listen to it, the more I like it!

The last three days as I've been thinking of other things, in the back of my mind I'll start hearing a beat and realize...hey! That's "Action"! And before long, I'm singing the chorus in my mind, quite happy.

One thing I like about the song besides its upbeat sound and curiously frenzied guitar intro (that seems to be in a minor key, giving a disturbed feeling to the song), is that I'm not sure exactly what the song is about.

Do the lryics mean "Do you want action" as in "Do you want an intellectual fight? Well, bring it on!"

Or do they mean "action" as in, "Babe, do you still want to get it on, even though you've done me wrong?"

Or both?

I also like the song because it sounds confident, feisty, and kind of cocky. It reminds me of someone I knew.

I will opt for choice 2. Sounds like a classic love gun ripoff.

sopsych · 11-09-2012, 06:55 PM

I was going dismissively say, "I don't like it because I don't like it," but I've since come up with a few reasons. Lyrically, "Action" seems low-brow, incomplete, and about something unimportant. I agree that "it sounds confident, feisty, and kind of cocky" - and I generally dislike that in songs and people. Musically, it lacks the Def Leppard's usual great use of melody. For example, from that era, there's the lyrically dumb "Make Love Like a Man," which at least sounds good musically.

Unknown Soldier · 11-11-2012, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopsych

I was going dismissively say, "I don't like it because I don't like it," but I've since come up with a few reasons. Lyrically, "Action" seems low-brow, incomplete, and about something unimportant. I agree that "it sounds confident, feisty, and kind of cocky" - and I generally dislike that in songs and people. Musically, it lacks the Def Leppard's usual great use of melody. For example, from that era, there's the lyrically dumb "Make Love Like a Man," which at least sounds good musically.

I think you're taking this too seriously. The Sweet were one of those fun loving British glam rock bands of their era. Of course they were feisty and cocky because that was the image of the band and the song represents that. The Def Leppard version is just a straight forward cover released on a B-sides/unreleased stuff album. The Raven version is another cover of the song and comes as one song with "Hellraiser"

Raven - Hellraiser/Action [The Sweet cover] - YouTube

VEGANGELICA · 11-14-2012, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR.

I will opt for choice 2. Sounds like a classic love gun ripoff.

Hmm...maybe you're right, but I hope that Sweet originally intended both interpretations of their "Action" song, because I like the idea of their relishing a rousing intellectual fight. It makes the song more interesting to me.

I listened to Kiss' "Love Gun" and feel "Action" is much better, whether played by Sweet or Def Leppard. (I didn't like the punkish Raven cover at all.) I think the repetition of "love gun" over thirty times was a tad too many!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopsych

I was going dismissively say, "I don't like it because I don't like it," but I've since come up with a few reasons. Lyrically, "Action" seems low-brow, incomplete, and about something unimportant. I agree that "it sounds confident, feisty, and kind of cocky" - and I generally dislike that in songs and people. Musically, it lacks the Def Leppard's usual great use of melody. For example, from that era, there's the lyrically dumb "Make Love Like a Man," which at least sounds good musically.

Thank you for thinking of some reasons.

It's true: "Action" *does* sound low-brow and about something unimportant, and the song does make the singer sound feisty, confident, and kind of cocky, attributes that would make knowing someone difficult if she or he always acted that way.

I do like the song's melody, though, and I prefer it to that of "Make Love Like a Man." But the Dr. Seuss-like lyrics of "Make Love Like a Man"...(just looked them up)....HA HA HA HA HA!!!...they are good for a chuckle:

"I'm a man.
That's what I am."
(Sam I am! Green eggs and ham!!)

And what in the world does it mean, "Make love like a man"? I mean, if the man *is* a man, then how could he *not* make love like a man. Phhbt. Silly song.

Speaking of Def Leppard songs with silly lyrics: I've always liked Def Leppard's song "Animal," even though the "I'm an animal and I lust" theme in rock music is eye-rollingly trite. Part of me looks down on "Animal" because it extols lust as the main source of value in the relationship. But, gosh, I still like the song! Its chorus sounds splendid to me, like a splash of brilliant light.

Leppard's "Animal" brings to mind several other "animal" songs in which people embrace their animal side. These animal songs interest me because they suggest that people don't think of themselves as animals in the first place, otherwise they wouldn't make a big deal of equating their lust with being animals.

Songs like "Animal" also make me wonder: do some people feel lust is a bad thing, fearing perhaps that lust prevents them from feeling love? What causes people to write songs such as this one that try to break down the false dichotomy between "human" and "animal"? I think embracing our animalness is a good thing...but the equating of animal with lust reflects a lack of human appreciation of our animal cousins, some of whom are very loving (mate for life, for example).

I think somewhere on MusicBanter long ago I bemoaned the dearth of romantic songs that mesh love and lust. Most songs I've heard seem to focus just on lust or love rather than treating them as two sides of a single entity (if a relationship can be called an entity).

"Animal" -- a song I kind of hate to admit I like.
I watched this video for the first time today and realized (probably twenty years late) that...WHOA! THE DRUMMER ONLY HAS ONE ARM!!!! I never realized that before. Now that I have read about Rick Allen, I see I am twenty-eight years behind the times.

He's a good drummer. I think I never noticed before that he's missing an arm because I'm always mesmerized by his cool drum set. (Drool.)

Def Leppard - Animal - YouTube

The Batlord · 11-15-2012, 09:23 AM

^^^

On the one hand, I think you are giving WAY too much thought to Def Leppard's lyrics. They're dumb cause they're dumb, and they don't need any analysis. It's just fun music for fun times.

On the other, I find your over analysis endearing. If you were anyone else, I would call you pretentious, but you honestly seem to derive pleasure from giving this much thought to Def Leppard lyrics. After all, what pseudo intellectual tool would even bother to analyze Def Leppard in the first place. Please, don't ever change.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 11-15-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

On the one hand,

FRED HALE SR. · 11-15-2012, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger ?

I was wondering who else caught that, caught that. LOL

The Batlord · 11-15-2012, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger ?

FRED HALE SR. · 11-15-2012, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Google Image Result for http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=199795&stc=1&d=1139693 589

The Batlord · 11-15-2012, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR.

Google Image Result for http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=199795&stc=1&d=1139693 589

11-09-2012, 06:55 PM	#132 (permalink)
sopsych Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: indoors Posts: 722	I was going dismissively say, "I don't like it because I don't like it," but I've since come up with a few reasons. Lyrically, "Action" seems low-brow, incomplete, and about something unimportant. I agree that "it sounds confident, feisty, and kind of cocky" - and I generally dislike that in songs and people. Musically, it lacks the Def Leppard's usual great use of melody. For example, from that era, there's the lyrically dumb "Make Love Like a Man," which at least sounds good musically.