"Let's Get Rocked" is a song by English
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
band
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drummer), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, ...
from their fifth studio album, ''
Adrenalize'' (1992). Released in March 1992, the song peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard''
Album Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States. It is an administrative category that combines the " active rock" and " heritage rock" fo ...
chart, number 15 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, number two on the
UK Singles Chart, and number three on the Canadian ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines.
One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
'' 100 Hit Tracks chart. It was the band's first release after the death of guitarist
Steve Clark.
Background and release
The lyrics are about a teenager disobeying the orders of his parents. According to a
Joe Elliott statement on the ''
Rock of Ages'' and ''
Best Of
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'' compilation albums, this song was an escapism since the band was working on the "
White Lightning" song and felt like doing something to lighten the atmosphere. Thus, this song wound up being the last song written for the album, inspired by
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
character
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew Jo-Jo "Bart" Simpson is a character in the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' who is part of the titular family. Bart made his television debut in the short " Good Night" on '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' on Apri ...
. According to Elliott, the song was written in 2 and a half days and recorded in 10 days.
Def Leppard Adrenalize Interview CD with Joe Elliott on "Let's Get Rocked"
/ref>
Music video
The song was accompanied by a then state-of-the-art computer-animated music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
directed by Steve Barron
Steven Barron (born 4 May 1956) is an Irish-British filmmaker and music video director. Among the music videos he has directed are "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, " Burning Up (Madonna song), Burnin Up" by Madonna, "Summer of '69" and "Run t ...
. The video consists of the band playing in a computer generated stadium on top of an LED lit stage in the shape of the flag of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, along with CGI animated scenes featuring a character named Flynn. Flynn is seen in various moments of a typical day of a teenager's life, which include being berated by his father to do chores, or sexual activity from his girlfriend.
This video is not only the band's first without Steve Clark, who died the previous year, but their only video as a four-piece. Guitarist Vivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbell (born 25 August 1962) is a Northern Irish musician. He came to prominence in the early 1980s as the guitarist of Dio. He has also been the guitarist of Def Leppard since 1992 (replacing Steve Clark after his death). C ...
had not yet been selected to replace Clark. As such, initial live performances of the song were as a four-piece before Campbell joined the band.
Track listings
12-inch maxi (Bludgeon Riffola) / DEFXP 7 – UK / INT 866 587-1 / picture disc
This 12-inch single picture disc has a blue eye graphic in the cover. On the back side of the picture disc has the band's picture. The back cardboard has the 12-inch single information and the same band picture. Pictures by Pamela Springsteen. Artwork and Design by Andie Airfix at Satori.
# "Let's Get Rocked"
# "Only After Dark"
# "Too Late for Love" (live)
Track 3 was recorded at McNichols Arena, Denver, Colorado on 12 & 13 February 1988[notes on single sleeve]
CD maxi (Bludgeon Riffola) / DEFCD 7 – UK / 866-591-2 – INT
# "Let's Get Rocked"
# "Only After Dark"
# "Women" (live)
Track 3 was recorded at McNichols Arena, Denver, Colorado on 12 & 13 February 1988
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
1992 singles
1992 songs
Def Leppard songs
Mercury Records singles
Music videos directed by Steve Barron
Songs written by Joe Elliott
Songs written by Phil Collen
Songs written by Rick Savage
Songs written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange