Two Steps Behind

Last updated

"Two Steps Behind"
Def-Leppard-2SB uklepcd12.jpg
Single by Def Leppard
from the album Retro Active and Last Action Hero: Music from the Original Motion Picture
B-side
Released24 August 1993 (1993-08-24)
Recorded
  • 1989 (Joe's demo/original electric version)
  • April 1992 (acoustic version)
  • 7–11 June 1993 (new parts to electric version)
Genre Rock
Length
  • 4:58 (Joe's demo)
  • 4:11 (Adrenalize acoustic B-side version)
  • 4:16 (acoustic version/Retro Active/Last Action Hero Soundtrack mix)
  • 4:29 (electric version)
Label Bludgeon Riffola
Songwriter(s) Joe Elliott
Producer(s)
Def Leppard singles chronology
"I Wanna Touch U"
(1993)
"Two Steps Behind"
(1993)
"Desert Song"
(1993)
Music video
"Two Steps Behind" on YouTube

"Two Steps Behind" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their 1993 compilation album Retro Active and the soundtrack to the film Last Action Hero . It reached number five on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video was directed by Wayne Isham. In the 1993 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards, the song was voted "Song of the Year" and "Best Song from a Movie Soundtrack". [1]

Contents

Background and recording

Def Leppard recorded two different versions of the song - an electric version and an acoustic version - the widely released one was the acoustic version which featured on the greatest hits Vault . The widely released acoustic version differs from the original B-side, as it featured the addition of strings by Michael Kamen, for usage on Last Action Hero.

The song was composed and demoed by lead singer Joe Elliott in 1989 during the writing and recording sessions for the band's fifth album Adrenalize . The track was shelved for three years until it resurfaced following a late-night acoustic jamming session with the Hothouse Flowers in March 1992, which yielded three B-side tracks. When Elliott suggested recording "Two Steps Behind", Collen suggested that it be recorded as an acoustic version. The track was recorded in a few hours in April 1992 and was released as the B-side to "Make Love Like a Man" in the UK.

Later in 1993, the producers of the film Last Action Hero contacted the band requesting a new song for the film's soundtrack. As the band were on tour at the time, they were unable to record brand new material for the soundtrack. Instead, they sent the producers the multitracks to the acoustic version of "Two Steps Behind". The track was remixed and conductor Michael Kamen added an orchestral string treatment to the song. The inclusion of the song on the film's soundtrack inspired the band to create the compilation album Retro Active from B-sides and unreleased material, and record new parts to the electric version of the song on 7–11 June.

Along with the song "Let's Get Rocked" from their 1992 album Adrenalize , this is one of only two songs by the band released after the 1980s that is still regularly performed live on nearly all of the bands' tours. Def Leppard's acoustic version also features on the CMT Crossroads DVD with Taylor Swift as a bonus feature.

Critical reception

Eduardo Rivadavia, reviewing Retro Active for AllMusic, called "Two Steps Behind" along with "Miss You in a Heartbeat" "solid, but hardly groundbreaking ballads" and one of the album picks.[ citation needed ]

Music video

The music video for "Two Steps Behind" was directed by American director Wayne Isham, [2] and the approximate shoot date was 10 July 1993. This video shows the band playing in car park, Joe Elliott singing on the street while all the people around go backwards and live footage at a concert. The live footage was shot on Irvine Meadows, California. The video was aired in August 1993.

Track listings

  1. "Two Steps Behind"
  2. "Tonight" (acoustic version)
  3. "SMC"
  1. "Two Steps Behind"
  2. "Tonight" (acoustic version)

Charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Two Steps Behind"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref(s).
United States24 August 1993Cassette Columbia [22]
United Kingdom6 September 1993
  • CD
  • cassette
Bludgeon Riffola [23] [24]
Japan20 December 1993CD [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Def Leppard</span> British rock band

Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, it has consisted of Rick Savage, Joe Elliott, Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen, and Vivian Campbell. They established themselves as part of the new wave of British heavy metal of the early 1980s. Their greatest commercial success came between the early 1980s and early 1990s.

<i>Adrenalize</i> 1992 studio album by Def Leppard

Adrenalize is the fifth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 31 March 1992 through Mercury Records. It is the first album by the band recorded without guitarist Steve Clark, who died in 1991, although most songs were written and partially demoed before his death, they were re-recorded solo by Phil Collen in 1991-1992. It is the only album recorded by Def Leppard as a four-member band. Spawning seven singles, four of them – "Let's Get Rocked", "Make Love Like a Man", "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad", and "Stand Up " – were major hits.

<i>Slang</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Def Leppard

Slang is the sixth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 14 May 1996. The album marked a musical departure from their signature sound; it was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe and was their first album since 1980 without involvement by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Slang is the first album with new material to feature new guitarist Vivian Campbell. It charted at #14 on the Billboard 200 and #5 on the UK Albums Chart. It is also the only Def Leppard album that does not feature their recognisable font logo on the album cover, though all its singles still bore the classic logo.

<i>X</i> (Def Leppard album) 2002 studio album by Def Leppard

X is the eighth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 30 July 2002 by Island Records in the US and sister label Mercury worldwide. Much like 1996's Slang, it featured another departure from their signature sound by moving into the pop genre. The album charted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart. Most of the album was produced by Pete Woodroffe and the band, with remaining tracks produced by either Marti Frederiksen or Per Aldeheim and Andreas Carlsson.

<i>Retro Active</i> 1993 compilation album by Def Leppard

Retro Active is a compilation album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released in 1993. The album features touched-up versions of B-sides and previously unreleased recordings from the band's recording sessions from 1984 to 1993. The album charted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980–1995)</i> 1995 greatest hits album by Def Leppard

Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980–1995) is the first greatest hits album and the second compilation album by English hard rock band Def Leppard. The album was originally released in the band's home country on 23 October 1995 by Mercury Records. It was released in North America a week later on 31 October by the same label. Vault went on to be certified gold in four countries, platinum in three and multi-platinum in two. In the US, the album is currently certified 5× platinum by the RIAA, and in June 2011 it topped the five million mark in sales there. It won Metal Edge magazine's 1995 Readers' Choice Award for "Best Hits or Compilation Album."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Bites (Def Leppard song)</span> 1988 single by Def Leppard

"Love Bites" is a song by English glam metal band Def Leppard from their album Hysteria. The power ballad is Def Leppard's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a top-10 hit in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. On the UK Singles Chart, the track peaked at number 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pour Some Sugar on Me</span> 1987 single by Def Leppard

"Pour Some Sugar on Me" is a song by the English rock band Def Leppard from their 1987 album Hysteria. It reached number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 23 July 1988, behind "Hold On to the Nights" by Richard Marx. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is considered the band's signature song, and was ranked #2 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 80s" in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Def Leppard discography</span>

The English rock band Def Leppard have released 12 studio albums, four live albums, six compilation albums, and two extended plays. Def Leppard also have sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal (Def Leppard song)</span> 1987 single by Def Leppard

"Animal" is a song recorded by English rock band Def Leppard in 1987 from the album Hysteria. It was the first single release off the album, and became the band's first Top 10 hit in their native UK, reaching No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armageddon It</span> 1987 single by Def Leppard

"Armageddon It" is a song by the English rock band Def Leppard from their 1987 album Hysteria. It was released as a single in 1988 and went to No. 3 in the United States, becoming their 3rd top 10 hit. It also reached the top 10 in Canada and New Zealand and the top 20 in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Get Rocked</span> 1992 single by Def Leppard

"Let's Get Rocked" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their fifth studio album, Adrenalize (1992). Released in March 1992, the song peaked at number one on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, number two on the UK Singles Chart, and number three on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. It was the band's first release after the death of guitarist Steve Clark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make Love Like a Man</span> 1992 single by Def Leppard

"Make Love Like a Man" is a 1992 single by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their multi-platinum album Adrenalize. The song reached No. 3 on the Album Rock Tracks chart and No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion)</span> 1992 single by Def Leppard

"Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion)" is a 1993 single by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their multi-platinum album Adrenalize. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Album Rock charts, and #34 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was the fourth single from the Adrenalize album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad</span> 1992 single by Def Leppard

"Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their fifth studio album, Adrenalize (1992). In the United States, the song reached number seven on the Album Rock Tracks charts and number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, making the song the most successful single from the album in the US. The Acoustic Hippies from Hell, credited on the B-side tracks, was the name used by Def Leppard and the Hothouse Flowers performing together. The song was performed extensively during the Adrenalize and Slang tours but rarely after, most recently being done acoustically during the band's 2019 Vegas residency, and the 2022 Stadium Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonight (Def Leppard song)</span> 1993 single by Def Leppard

"Tonight" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their fifth album, Adrenalize (1992). It was originally recorded during a break in the Hysteria World Tour as a possible B-side to one of the singles from their fourth album, Hysteria, but was shelved and re-recorded during the Adrenalize sessions. "Tonight" is the sixth international single from Adrenalize and the fifth single in both the US and UK, released by Bludgeon Riffola and Mercury. In the US, the song reached number 13 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks charts and number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at number 34 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven Is</span> 1993 single by Def Leppard

"Heaven Is" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their 1992 album, Adrenalize. The single was released in January 1993 and reached number 13 in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Work It Out (Def Leppard song)</span> 1996 single by Def Leppard

"Work It Out" is a 1996 song by the English hard rock band Def Leppard from their gold album Slang. It was written entirely by new guitarist Vivian Campbell. It was released as a single later that year, reaching number six on the US Mainstream Rock chart and number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When Love & Hate Collide</span> 1995 single by Def Leppard

"When Love & Hate Collide" is a song by English rock band Def Leppard from their 1995 greatest hits album Vault, written by Joe Elliott and Rick Savage. The power ballad was originally written and demoed for Adrenalize, but not finalized until 1995 for its inclusion on Vault. The demo version is much more heavily produced in the signature style of Hysteria and Adrenalize, and the final version is more stripped down, supposedly toward the style of the following studio album Slang. The original demo version contains the final recorded guitar solo by late original guitarist Steve Clark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss You in a Heartbeat</span> 1993 single by Def Leppard

"Miss You in a Heartbeat" is a 1994 song by English hard rock band Def Leppard. The song was released as a single from their album Retro Active.

References

  1. Metal Edge, June 1994
  2. Def Leppard UK.com
  3. Def Leppard Discography - Two Steps Behind LEPCD 12 (UK)
  4. Def Leppard Discography - Two Steps Behind 38T-77116 (US)
  5. "Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  6. "Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2284." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  8. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2298." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  9. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 40. 2 October 1993. p. 13. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  10. "Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Def Leppard". Irish Singles Chart.
  12. "Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. "Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind". Top 40 Singles.
  14. "Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind". Singles Top 100.
  15. "Def Leppard: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  16. "Def Leppard Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. "Def Leppard Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  18. "Def Leppard Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  19. "Def Leppard Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  20. "The RPM 100 Top Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM . Retrieved 8 November 2022 via Library and Archives Canada.
  21. "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Archived from the original on 10 November 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  22. "23 Years Ago Def Leppard Release Two Steps Behind Single In USA". deflepparduk.com. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  23. "23 Years Ago Def Leppard Release Two Steps Behind Single In The UK". deflepparduk.com. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  24. "Single Releases". Music Week . 4 September 1993. p. 25.
  25. "ツー・ステップス・ビハインド | デフ・レパード" [Two Steps Behind | Def Leppard] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved 13 September 2023.