"Hello America" is a 1980 song by the English
rock band
Def Leppard from their debut album, ''
On Through the Night''. The lyrics and title of the song are about the fantasies the band had about touring in America.
Background
The single’s B-side, “Good Morning Freedom” has only been released on cd in 2018 on the rareties volume one cd which was part of the CD Collection Part One boxset. The song was featured on a BBC studio session recorded in 1979 and the show has since been bootlegged. A live version of the song is also included on ''
Viva! Hysteria
''Viva! Hysteria'' is a double live album by the English rock band Def Leppard released on the 22 October 2013. The album was recorded on 29 and 30 March 2013 during the band's residency of the same name at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (L ...
'', released in October 2013, although Def Leppard have all but disowned ''On Through the Night'' and “Hello America” was one of the first songs to leave the setlist, having never been played live since the release of ''High 'n' Dry''.
‘Hello America’ in Def Leppard setlists
/ref>
An alternate recording of the song “Hello America” appeared as a b-side on the “Wasted” single, also an alternate recording. Both were recorded a few months earlier than the main album sessions.
Video
When the song was within the Top 50 in the UK Singles Chart, Mercury Records had the band record a performance for BBC’s '' Top of the Pops'', provided that the song advanced the following week. However, the song slipped off the charts, and the video never aired. It is, however, included in the band's video '' Historia''. What makes this video unique is that Rick Allen’s drum kit is placed in the front of the stage, while the rest of the band performs behind him. Joe Elliott is wearing a patriotic outfit because of the red and white striped shirt and his blue jeans.
Track listing
7": Vertigo – Phonogram / LEPP1 (UK)
# "Hello America"
# "Good Morning Freedom"
Personnel
Def Leppard
* Joe Elliott – lead vocals
*Steve Clark
''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen
Notable people with the name include:
steve jops
* Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people
* Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people
* Steve ...
– lead guitar
* Pete Willis – rhythm guitar
*Rick Savage
Richard Savage (born 2 December 1960) is an English musician best known for being the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of the English rock band Def Leppard. Savage and lead singer Joe Elliott are the only two remaining original ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals
* Rick Allen – drums
Additional personnel
*Chris M. Hughes – synthesizer
Charts
References
{{authority control
Def Leppard songs
1980 songs
Mercury Records singles
Songs about the United States
Songs written by Rick Savage
Songs written by Joe Elliott
Songs written by Steve Clark