Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980-1995)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980-1995)
Compilation album by Def Leppard
Released	October 31, 1995
Recorded	1980–1995
Genre	Hard rock, glam metal,[1] heavy metal
Length	70:56 (U.S.), 73:13 (Europe), 75:49 (Japan),
Label	Mercury Records
Producer	Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Mike Shipley, Def Leppard, and Pete Woodroffe
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau link
Def Leppard chronology
Retro Active (1993) Vault: Def Leppard's Greatest Hits (1980-1995) (1995) Slang (1996)

Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980-1995) is the first compilation album for the British hard rock band Def Leppard, released in 1995.   It includes 15 of their most successful singles around the world, commemorated on the 15th anniversary of the release of their debut.

One new track was recorded for this collection, "When Love & Hate Collide", previously a leftover from the Adrenalize recording sessions. The ballad became the band's most successful single ever in the UK, hitting #2 in the fall of 1995.

The selection criteria for Vault was simple: The song had to have been a hit single. Even though most song choices were obvious ("Pour Some Sugar on Me, "Photograph"), fans were surprised, in some cases disappointed,^{[citation needed]} by the exclusion of popular album tracks (This would be rectified on later compilations).

The songs are the original LP versions, with the following exceptions:

• "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is the video edit version. This version actually features an extended, distorted intro, making it longer than the Hysteria version, which has the shorter "Step inside, walk this way" intro.
• "Rocket" is the single edit, which runs shorter than its LP counterpart.
• "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" fades out slightly earlier than the LP version, where it segues into "Switch 625".

Vault was a major success all around the world, including the United States, where the compilation reached the Top 15 and sold a million units within the year. Over the next decade Vault would become a very popular catalog album in America, even hitting the top of that particular chart several times before being deleted in 2005 (to make way for an updated version in Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection). Vault has sold almost 9 million copies worldwide with over 4 million being in the U.S. alone. Although the album is no longer in print, the first disc of Rock of Ages is essentially the American release of Vault with two additional tracks added, down to the very track sequence. As of 2007, Vault seems to still be in print in the United States after all with its continual sales of thousands per week.

[edit] Track Variations in different regions

As previously noted, Def Leppard's criteria for what made the cut onto Vault, with the exception of the new recording, was the song had to be a hit single. However, apart from Hysteria, Def Leppard's chart success varied on both sides of the Atlantic for certain songs. Thus, different track listings were issued around the world. The American release is the most commonly known or available version of Vault.^{[original research?]}

Exclusive to the North American release of Vault:

• "Miss You In A Heartbeat"

Exclusive to the European release of Vault:

• "Action"
• "Make Love Like A Man"
• "Heaven Is"

Exclusive to the Japanese release of Vault:

• "Rock! Rock! Til You Drop"
• "Can't Keep Away From The Flame" (new track)

"Foolin'" does not appear on the European release, but does appear on the North American release and the Japanese release.

The Japanese release features the only official release of the song "Can't Keep Away From the Flame," a song which has never been released in other regions.

[edit] Track listing (North American version)

1. "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
2. "Photograph"
3. "Love Bites"
4. "Let's Get Rocked"
5. "Two Steps Behind"
6. "Animal"
7. "Foolin'"
8. "Rocket"
9. "When Love & Hate Collide"
10. "Armageddon It"
11. "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad"
12. "Rock of Ages"
13. "Hysteria"
14. "Miss You in a Heartbeat"
15. "Bringin' on the Heartbreak"

[edit] Track Listing (European Release)

1. Pour Some Sugar On Me
2. Photograph
3. Love Bites
4. Let's Get Rocked
5. Two Steps Behind
6. Animal
7. Heaven Is
8. Rocket
9. When Love & Hate Collide
10. Action
11. Make Love Like A Man
12. Armageddon It
13. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad
14. Rock Of Ages
15. Hysteria
16. Bringin' On The Heartbreak

[edit] Track Listing (Japan Release)

1. Pour Some Sugar On Me
2. Photograph
3. Love Bites
4. Lets Get Rocked
5. Two Steps Behind
6. Animal
7. Action
8. Rocket
9. When Love And Hate Collide
10. Rock Rock Till You Drop (Bonus Track)
11. Armageddon It
12. Foolin
13. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad
14. Rock Of Ages
15. Hysteria
16. Bringin On The Heartbreak
17. Cant Keep Away From The Flame (Bonus Track)

[edit] Bonus Live CD

Some editions of Vault came with a bonus limited edition live CD recorded at Don Valley, Sheffield, 6th June 1993.

1. "Let's Get Rocked" – 5:00
2. "Armageddon It" – 6:12
3. "Foolin'" – 4:52
4. "Rocket" – 9:28
5. "Two Steps Behind" – 5:01
6. "Pour Some Sugar on me" – 5:00
7. "Rock of Ages" – 5:55
8. "Love Bites" – 7:37
9. "Photograph" – 7:08

[edit] Sleevenotes

The sleevenotes for "When Love & Hate Collide" say "Vocal thanks to Roger Love". Love is a voice coach.

[edit] References

1. ^ Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits: Information and Much More from Answers.com