80's Hair Metal Video Competition

5. Pour Some Sugar on Me- Def Leopard http://www.youtube.com... Arguably the signature song of Def Leopard [1], if not certainly among their most widely known songs, “Pour Some Sugar On Me” is in no uncertain terms a lyrical orgasm. Laden with sexual puns, hard guitar cords and set in a fast-paced, in your face, blaze of awesomeness, the song epitomizes the glam of what hair metal is all about. At its height, it reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 100 [2], and is No. 2 on VH1’s “100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s” [3]. Recently, in the film “Rock of Ages,” Tom Cruise covered the song while playing the character, Stacy Jaxx [4]. 4. Round and Round- Ratt http://www.youtube.com... As fast-paced glam metal goes, there was no more popular song theme then the rebellious adolescent courtship, in defiance of rules, convention and authority. “Round and Round” is perhaps the best within that category, and became the biggest hit Ratt ever recorded [5]. The video speaks for itself, as a terrorized conservative family’s dinner is overwhelmed by Ratt’s guitarist Warren DeMartini’s crashing through the attic floor [5]. 3. Welcome to the Jungle- Guns ‘n Roses http://www.youtube.com... In Rolling Stone’s “Readers Poll: The Best Hair Metal Songs of All Time,” Guns ‘n Roses’s “Welcome to The Jungle” earned the No. 4 slot [6]. The song’s staggering popularity has endured, and in 2009 VH1 named it the “Best Hard Rock Song of All Time” [7]. A frequent favorite of sports teams and video game fans alike, the “Welcome to the Jungle” is played when including Kansas City Royals pitcher Joakim Soria and Atlanta Braves pitcher Craig Kimbrel walk onto the field [8], and was featured in the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack [9]. 2. Rock of Ages- Def Leopard http://www.youtube.com... "I've got something to say / It's better to burn out / Than fade away!" The opening refrain from “Rock of Ages” references Neil Young in the opening lines in “My My, Hey Hey” which was released in 1979 [10], but in context foreshadows the legacy of both Def Leopard and the genre of hair metal. The name “Rock of Ages” became the chosen title for Tom Cruises latest Hollywood failure, but continues the spirit of glam metal in kind [11]. The song was featured on Rock Band 3, carrying on the legacy of glam metal awesomeness to future generations [12], and perhaps inspired Kurt Kobain’s self-inflicted life ending -forever improving humanity- as the lyrics were featured in his suicide note [12]. Fewer songs have had a more significant impact, and perhaps no song other than Paradise City is a more awesome Hair Metal ballad. 1. Paradise City- Guns ‘n Roses http://www.youtube.com... Paradise City is the story of Axl Rose’s life, his career and criminal activities in the process of growing up [13]. The song is about empowerment; where one takes control of their own life to live it as they choose. It is a song as much about freedom as it is about enjoyment. It describes the essence of what it means to live one’s life “in the fast lane.” Ranked among VH1’s “Greatest Metal Songs of All Time” and Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Songs of All Time,” it is Guns ‘n Rose’s lead guitarist’s favorite song of all time [14]. At its height, it peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 100 charts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] http://www.rollingstone.com... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org... [3] http://www.rockonthenet.com... [4] http://en.wikipedia.org...(2012_film) [5] http://en.wikipedia.org...(Ratt_song) [6] http://www.rollingstone.com... [7] http://music.spreadit.org... [8] http://en.wikipedia.org... [9] http://www.gtasanandreas.net... [10] http://www.songfacts.com... [11] http://www.slate.com... [12] http://en.wikipedia.org...(song) [14] http://en.wikipedia.org... [13] http://wiki.answers.com...'_Roses [14] http://en.wikipedia.org...