Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
Composer – Def Leppard
Where to find this song – High ‘N’ Dry track #4
Release Date – July 1981
This is the second installment of albums from the band. Leppard’s new age British heavy metal approach skyrocketed them to rock stardom. Producer Mutt Lange (AC/DC’s associate) was able to throw a band to the wolves in a world of pop rock. Even though Def Leppard had a very pop-friendly sound, there metal rage allowed them to be seen in a different light.
Intro Riff
The intro riff is compromised of two guitars playing harmony. Here’s what they sound like together:
Guitar 1
Guitar 2
How To Play It
Guitar 1
Part 1
To start this measure, barre the fifth frets on the “G” and “B” strings with your 1st finger. Play the fifth fret on the “G,” and then use your 3rd finger to play the seventh fret on the same string, and then play the “B” string where you barred the fifth fret. Play the fifth fret a total of three times for the second measure, and then use your 3rd finger once again to play the seventh fret of the same string. To end the second measure, play the fifth fret on the “B” string where you barred it earlier. The third measure is almost the same, except at the beginning. To hit the seventh fret, use your 3rd finger and place it on the “D” string. Play that once hard and once a little easier, barely accenting that note. Then barre the fifth fret with your 1st finger on the “G” string and the “B” string . Use your 3rd finger to hit the seventh fret this time on the same string. Then just play the fifth fret on the “B” string.
Part 2
The fourth measure is where you will have to perform a full bend. Do this by placing your 3rd finger on the seventh fret. What you will want to do is bend the string upwards until it sounds like the video. Do that twice, and only hit the string at the beginning of the bend. Do not hit it while it is being released. Then use your 4th finger on the eighth fret on the “B” string. Play that once, and then bend again as said above. Finalize this measure by playing the fifth fret on the same string with your 1st finger.
Part 3
The fifth measure is crazy. You will begin with a hammer-on. A hammer-on is the exact opposite of a pull-off. The hammer-on is when you strike the lower note, and then use another finger to hit the higher note all in the same transition. Only the first note is actually played. Play this by using your 1st finger and hitting the “B” string on the third fret. Notice that this is a hammer-on, so when you play the third fret, immediately bring your 3rd finger to the fifth fret. Play the fifth fret lightly again, and either move your 3rd finger to the third fret of the same string, or let off of your 3rd finger and put your 1st finger back there. Now move up a string. Play the fifth fret on the “G” string once harshly, and once lightly, with your 1st finger, and then move it back to the fourth fret of the same string. Next you will perform a pull-off. That is the opposite of what you just did with the hammer-on. Use your 2nd finger to hit the fifth fret, and then immediately pull off of the note to the fourth fret fingered with your 1st finger. Remember to only play the first note of the pull-off. To end it, take your 1st finger and place it on the fifth fret of the “D” string and play that once. To end the riff for this guitar part, move from the fifth fret to the seventh fret of the same string and just slide that string and you are done!
Guitar 2
Part 1
Start by barring your 1st finger on the “D” string and the “G” string. Play the “D” string first, and then the “G” string. Next, just place either your 3rd or 4th finger on the sixteenth fret and play that on the “G” string. Leave your barred finger in place ( your 1st finger). For the next measure, play the fourteenth fret on the “D” string three times, with emphasis on the first and third time. After you have done that, just hit the “G” string where it is barred, and then use your 4th finger to hit the seventeenth fret on the “B” string. Play that once.
The third measure still shows you that as long as you kept your 1st finger barred, you will still be cool. Start by playing the fifteenth fret with your 2nd finger one time harshly and one time softer. Then, just let off of the fifteenth fret and play the “D” string and then the “G” string. Next, just play the sixteenth fret with your 3rd finger on the “B” string, and slide.
Part 2
The fourth measure is treated the same way as the second guitar part’s note bending. For this, just use your 3rd finger on the twelfth fret on the “G” string and bend it to how it sounds on the video. Play that twice, and only play the notes the first time on the bend, not after it, and leave it there. Now for the next part, all you have to do is place your 4th finger on the thirteenth fret on the “B” string. Play that once, and then play the twelfth fret and bend it one full note ( where you kept your 1st finger). Then move to the ninth fret and play that once.
Part 3
The fifth and sixth measures are pretty easy. You will only be playing one strign until the end, so arrange your fingers however it feels more comfortable to you. You just move on the “G” string from the twelfth fret to the tenth fret to the ninth fret. Then you move from the seventh fret onto a pull-off from the ninth fret to the seventh fret of the same string. Last, just use any finger and play the ninth fret on the “D” string, and then move it to the tenth fret on the same string. You are done with the riff! Now wasn’t that fun?
Verse Riff
How To Play It
This is where you will find yourself when you are just jamming along with the guitar, and stumble upon something that you had to write down immediately or you would forget. It is a bit painstaking to play this, but the whole riff for this guitar is LOOSELY based around chords that are very common.
Part 1
To start the first measure, place your 2nd and 3rd fingers on the “D” string ( for the 2nd finger) and the “G” string (3rd finger). Now, start by playing the “A” string open and then play the “D” string, and follow with the “G” string. Take your 3rd finger off of the “G” string and play that string open. Next, you just need to play the “D” string once, and slide to the third fret of the same string with your 2nd finger. Don’t forget to play the “A” string at the same time. To end this measure, use your 1st finger and place it on the “B” string on the first fret. Play that once, let off the string, play that once, and then put it back. That ends the measure.
The second measure is based around an Am7 chord at the beginning. Start by playing the “A” string open, and then place your 2nd finger on the second fret of the “D” string and leave it there for the next note. Play that once, and then place your 1st finger on the first fret of the “B” string. Play that once. Play the “D” string where you let your finger stay. To play the third fret on the “low E” string, move your 3rd finger to it and play that once. Let the “B” string play open once, and if you kept your finger on the second fret of the “D” string, then just play that once. To end this measure, just put your 3rd finger back where it was, and slide to the end of the neck around the first fret.
Part 2
The third measure is easy. Place your 1st finger on the first fret of the “low E,” your 3rd finger on the second fret of the “G” string, and your 4th finger on the third fret on the “B” string. Play that starting from the “low E” to the “G,” to the “B” string, and then back to the “G” string. Next, allow the open “high E” to play once. If you kept your fingers where they were, then all you have to do is play the “B” string, then the “G” string, and then open on the “D” string.
The fourth measure is weird, but not hard. Place your 1st finger on the first fret on the “high E” string. Play that note once, and then barre the “G” and “B” strings for the next set of notes with your 1st finger. Play the “B” and then the “G,” and then the “B” again. When you go to play the third fret for the slide, and after you have played the third fret on the “G” string, slide your 1st finger to the fourth fret of the same string, and then place your 1st finger again on the “B” string on the first fret. Play that once, hit the “high E” that is open, and then play the third fret on the “B” string one last time. That is the riff for the first guitar part.
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