Great Forgotten Songs #19 – Def Leppard “High N’ Dry (Saturday Night)”

From 1981 “High ‘n’ Dry (Saturday Night)” is the title track from Def Leppard’s multi-platinum album High ‘n’ Dry. The song was ranked number 33 on VH1’s 40 Greatest Metal Songs and it is one of five songs by Def Leppard, which had a promotional video.

The track was part of the “Filthy Fifteen”, a list of songs criticized by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), an American committee formed in 1985, for having explicit lyrics.

The group’s mission was “to educate and inform parents” about “the growing trend in music towards lyrics that are sexually explicit, excessively violent, or glorify the use of drugs and alcohol,” and to seek the censorship and rating of music.

The lyrics involving “Drug and Alcohol Use” contributed for the song to be included in the list. Although there are lines in the lyrics that describe alcohol use and intoxication, the song is generally perceived to be about having fun on a Saturday night in a rock and roll, albeit hedonistic, lifestyle.

Hear the song below:

“High ‘n’ Dry (Saturday Night)” by Def Leppard

High n Dry (1981)

The album “High ‘n’ Dry” is the second studio album by Def Leppard and it was released in 1981. The record was Pete Willis’ last full-time album with Def Leppard and it charted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 and No. 26 on the UK Albums Chart.

“Bringin’ On the Heartbreak” (Remix), essentially the same recording with a few synthesiser overdubs. The remix was released in 1984 as a single, peaking at No. 61 in the US charts.

Videos for both were made, featuring Phil Collen (who was not in the band at the time of the album’s recording). Both bonus tracks were omitted from the mid-1990s re-releases of the album.

Hear more Great Forgotten Songs