Love Bites (Def Leppard song)

"Love Bites" is a song by English glam metal band Def Leppard from their album Hysteria. The power ballad^[1][2] is Def Leppard's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-10 hit in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. On the UK Singles Chart, the track peaked at number 11.

"Love Bites"
Single by Def Leppard
from the album Hysteria
B-side	"Billy's Got a Gun" (live)
Released	4 July 1988
Genre	Glam metal
Length	5:46
Label	Mercury
Songwriter(s)	Robert John "Mutt" Lange Phil Collen Steve Clark Joe Elliott Rick Savage
Producer(s)	Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Def Leppard singles chronology
"Armageddon It" (1988) "Love Bites" (1988) "Rocket" (1989)
Music video
"Love Bites" on YouTube

Song history and composition

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.^[3] 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. Musically, the song has been described as glam metal,^[4][5][6] and is considered a classic of the genre.^[2]

Following the huge momentum generated by "Pour Some Sugar on Me", the song was released in August 1988 and peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week.^[7] The song also reached number eleven in the United Kingdom, number two in New Zealand, number three in Canada, and number seven in Ireland.^{[8][9][10][11]} The "Love Bites" 45 release in Canada and UK included limited edition gatefold with complete "Hysteria" lyrics. This was the only official release of the "Hysteria" lyrics.^[12]

Track listings

"Billy's Got a Gun" was recorded at Tilburg, Netherlands, in 1987.^[13]

7-inch: Polygram/870-402-7 (US)

1. "Love Bites" (5:46)
2. "Billy's Got a Gun" (live) (5:21)

7-inch: Polygram /870-402-7 (DJ) (US)

1. "Love Bites" (Radio Edit) (4:45)
2. "Love Bites" (Radio Edit) (4:45)

Personnel

• Joe Elliott – lead vocals
• Phil Collen – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Steve Clark – lead guitar
• Rick Savage – bass, backing vocals
• Rick Allen – drums
• Robert John "Mutt" Lange – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1988–1989) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[14] 21 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 3 Canada Retail Singles (RPM)[15] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 38 Ireland (IRMA)[11] 7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] 25 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 23 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[8] 11 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[7] 3 US Cash Box Top 100[20] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1988) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 51 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 25 US Billboard Hot 100[23] 30 Chart (1989) Position Australia (ARIA)[24] 84

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[25]	Gold	15,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of glam metal albums and songs
• List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1988