Love Bites (Def Leppard song)


"Love Bites" is a power ballad recorded by the English rock band Def Leppard in 1987 on the album Hysteria. It is Def Leppard's only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 to date.

Song

When Robert John "Mutt" Lange originally brought the song to the band's attention, it was a country ballad, which the band thought sounded like nothing they had done before. The band then added power rock elements and emotive backing vocals similar to those used in R&B ballads at the time. The title "Love Bites" was originally used for a very different song that was eventually re-titled "I Wanna Be Your Hero", and which appeared as a Hysteria B-side and later on the album Retro Active.
Following the huge momentum generated by "Pour Some Sugar on Me", the song was released in August 1988 and quickly shot to the top of the U.S. charts for one week. The song also hit number eleven in the UK.
The "Love Bites" 45 release in Canada and U.K. included limited edition gatefold - with complete "Hysteria" lyrics. This was the only official release of the "Hysteria" lyrics.

Track listing

7": Bludgeon Riffola / Vertigo / Polygram / 830 675-1 (USA)

  1. "Love Bites"
  2. "Billy's Got a Gun "

    12" /CD: Bludgeon Riffola / Vertigo / Polygram / (USA/UK)

  3. "Love Bites"
  4. "Billy's Got a Gun "
  5. "Excitable "
The live track was recorded at Tilburg, Netherlands in 1987

Personnel

Def Leppard

Additional

Year-end charts