Love Bites (song)
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2008-06-29T14:44:31Z
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/* In pop culture */
{{Infobox Single
| Name = Love Bites
| Cover = lovebites.jpg
| Artist = [[Def Leppard]]
| from Album = [[Hysteria (album)|Hysteria]]
| B-side = [[Billy's Got a Gun|Billy's Got a Gun (Live)]]
| Released = [[1988]]
| Format = [[vinyl record|7"]]
| Recorded = 1984-1987
| Genre = [[Glam metal]], [[power ballad]]
| Length = 5:46
| Label = [[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
| Writer = [[Joe Elliott]], [[Phil Collen]], [[Steve Clark]], [[Rick Savage]], [[Robert John "Mutt" Lange]]
| Producer = [[Robert John "Mutt" Lange]]
| Chart position = <ul><li>#1 <small>([[United States|US]])</small>, #11 <small>([[United Kingdom|UK]])</small></li>
| Last single = "[[Armageddon It]]" <br>(1988)
| This single = "'''Love Bites'''" <br>(1988)
| Next single = "[[Rocket (Def Leppard song)|Rocket]]" <br>(1989)
}}
"'''Love Bites'''" is a [[power ballad]] recorded by British rock band [[Def Leppard]] in 1987 on the album ''[[Hysteria (album)|Hysteria]]''. It is Def Leppard's only number-one single on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] to date.
== Song ==
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 of 1988 and quickly shot to the top of the U.S. charts, dethroning [[Bobby McFerrin]]'s "[[Don't Worry Be Happy]]". It stayed there for one week before giving up the position to [[UB40]]'s "[[Red Red Wine]]". The song also hit number eleven in the UK (their second best showing from the album).
"Love Bites" was ranked #8 on the list of "[[VH1]]'s 25 Greatest Power Ballads" and #52 on the list of "[[VH1]]'s 100 Greatest Love Songs".
==Ending of "Love Bites"==
A popular [[rumor]] about the song concerns the final seconds. After the line "If you got love in your sights, Watch out, Love Bites", what is seemingly heard is "Jesus of Nazareth, Go to Hell" . This rumor has been refuted by the band, most notably on a ''Hysteria'' documentary. The line is in fact producer [[Mutt Lange]] rambling in a Yorkshire accent, to the effect of "Yes it does, Bloody Hell", with the aid of a [[vocoder]].
==Video==
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq6OYpJjG0Y
==In pop culture==
*The song was covered in Brazil by guitar player [[Robertinho do Recife]], receiving very strong airtime in the country.
*The song was also covered by Techno band, QED on their album Mobius.
*"Love Bites" was featured in 2006 [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] TV commercials.
== Track listing ==
=== 7": Bludgeon Riffola / Vertigo / Polygram / 830 675-1 (USA) ===
# "Love Bites"
# "Billy's Got a Gun (Live)"
==See also==
*[[Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1988 (USA)]]
*[[Def Leppard]]
*[[Hysteria (album)|Def Leppard's Hysteria album]]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5koGpyAYLY Lip Sync Video on YouTube]
==External links==
*[http://www.defleppard.com/discography/lyrics_hysteria.html#song_04 Song lyrics]
{{start box}}
{{succession box
| before = "[[Don't Worry, Be Happy]]" by [[Bobby McFerrin]]
| title = [[Billboard Hot 100]] [[List of number-one hits (United States)|number one single]]
| years = [[October 8]] [[1988]]
| after = "[[Red Red Wine]]" by [[UB40]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{Def Leppard}}
[[Category:Def Leppard songs]]
[[Category:ARC Weekly Top 40 number-one singles]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles]]
[[Category:1988 singles]]
[[Category:Rock ballads]]
[[Category:Pop ballads]]
[[fr:Love Bites (chanson)]]