“WE BELONG” performed LIVE for the very first time by the English band, Def Leppard. This is music that stirs my soul. Truly one of my all-time personal favorite songs.
“We Belong” is Def Leppard’s first and only song in their astonishing 48 year long history together in which LEAD VOCALS are shared by ALL FIVE bandmembers. Joe Elliott’s design and intention in writing it this way was/is to emphasize the meaning and message of the song and it’s title: that they are each an integral part of the band and like FAMILY to him and to one another-a brotherhood in which each individual is important and to which ALL BELONG. This mindset was very personally exemplified when, in 1984, as the band was on the verge of achieving legendary fame & fortune, as they were in the midst of recording their album “Hysteria” (which went on to become one of the top selling record albums of all time) the band’s drummer, Rick Allen, had his left arm completely ripped off in a terrible high-speed roll-over accident while driving his Corvette. As the record company pushed the rest of the bandmates to complete the album which they had already started working on, the boys decided together that they wouldn’t work without Rick who had been their drummer since he was 15-years-old. If Rick couldn’t or wouldn’t learn to play drums again, the band told the record company they were done. Inspired by the obvious loyalty, love, and encouragement of his bandmates, Rick healed, overcame the loss of his arm and relearned the art of drum playing thru the addition of a custom-made foot-pedal kit that allowed him to use both feet to compensate for the complete loss of his arm. It took the band three long years to finish making that album and bring it to the point of public release, but as noted above, it went on to become one of the top-selling records in worldwide music history. Throughout Def Leppard’s nearly HALF A CENTURY of very active, productive years of music making and personal history together, each member of the band has come to know and feel that THEY BELONG-TOGETHER. And by extension, that principle of “family” applies to each member of Def Leppard’s worldwide fan base of millions. AND, it extends & applies to each & all of us as members of the family of mankind to which “WE BELONG”.
-Randall
12 сен 2024
