42. Rock Goes The Gospel - Def Leppard - "Rock Of Ages"

Def Leppard, more so than most bands, paid a steep price for their fast living. In 1984 their drummer Rick Allen lost an arm after losing control after racing his Corvette on a dangerous stretch of road near Sheffield, England. Lead singer Joe Elliott and guitarist Phil Collen stayed sober from this point forward, but their other guitarist, Steve Clark, couldn't shake his additions and died from an overdose of prescription drugs in 1991.

The band had the music written for this song, but were having trouble coming up with lyrics. Allegedly Joe Elliot found a hymn book in the studio and opened it up to the "Rock of Ages" Hymn. Used the title and wrote the rest of the lyrics from there. It was included in their 1983 album Pyromania.

Gunter glieben glauchen globen
All right
I got something to say
Yeah, it's better to burn out
Yeah, than fade away
All right
Ow Gonna start a fire
C'mon!
Rise up! gather round
Rock this place to the ground
Burn it up let's go for broke
Watch the night go up in smoke

Rock on! Rock on!

Drive me crazier, no serenade
No fire brigade, just Pyromania

What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock'n'roll, yes I do
Long live rock'n'roll

Oh let's go, let's strike a light
We're gonna blow like dynamite
I don't care if it takes all night
Gonna set this town alight

What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock'n'roll, Allright!
Long live rock'n'roll

Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin', keep a-rollin'
Rock of ages, rock of ages
Still rollin', rock'n'rollin'

We got the power, got the glory
Just say you need it and if you need it
Say yeah!

Heh heh heh heh
Now listen to me
I'm Burnin', Burnin', I got the fever
I know for sure, there ain't no cure
So feel it, don't fight it, go with the flow
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme one more for the road

What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock'n'roll, You betcha
Long live rock'n'roll

[Repeat Chorus]

We're gonna burn this damn place down
Down to the ground

Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh

The song "Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard is as song about the power and glory of rock and roll. with lyrics such as  "We got the power, got the glory"  and "Ow Gonna start a fire, C'mon!, Rise up! gather round, Rock this place to the ground"  It's an anthem that states the awesome power and authority of rock and roll.  It's something to give yourself to.  Many young people did give themselves to rock. Heavy Rock was my own following and I gave myself to the music, hook line and sinker. I wore the obligatory army jacket with bands patches and metal band pins all over it. Soaked in Patchouli oil. To coin a corny phrase "I was worshipping at the altar of Rock" 

Of course in the hymn book that Joe Elliot picked up "Rock of Ages" had a different meaning. The hymn was a hymn of worship just like the song Def Leppard had written but the original was written and offered to a different God all together.

In the bible the "Rock" was a symbol of strength and permanence and a place where people in danger often took refuge. God is depicted as the Rock of Israel, being the strength, security and deliverance for his people. It symbolised God's strength and faithfulness. His salvation and deliverance is often associated with the theme of the "Rock" in the bible.

Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold"

1 Samuel 2:2 “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God"

Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

1 Corinthians 10:4 "And all drank the same spiritual drink. (Speaking of the People of Israel in the wilderness) For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ." 

The hymn "Rock of ages" was written by Au­gus­tus M. Top­la­dy in 1776 and includes the first line "Rock of Ages, cleft for me,, Let me hide myself in Thee" It's a song that was written about the power and authority not of rock music but of Jesus Christ.

There are times in all of our lives that we need something to believe in that is bigger and stronger than our problems. For some that is friendship, or their partner, or love it's self. For some it's faith in the system but even that has been eroded of late. Some report to spiritual guidance - Tarot, Mediums, and other forms of spiritual guidance. Other still place their trust and faith in the old book, while others explore what it is to be in relationship with the one who influenced the old book. There are times when we need security, permanency, and an unshakable belief in something bigger. This is true of Def Leppard's lyrics - it's true of Augustus M. Toplady's lyrics  and It's true of our lives today. May you encounter protection from the storm, shade from the scorching sun, help to raise your sails in the wind. May each of us have a "Rock of Ages" in our lives today.