About The Song
“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.
When Robert John “Mutt” Lange originally brought the song to the band’s attention, it was a country ballad, which the band thought sounded like nothing they had done before. The band then added power rock elements and emotive backing vocals similar to those used in R&B ballads at the time. 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. Musically, the song has been described as glam metal, and is considered a classic of the genre.
Following the huge momentum generated by “Pour Some Sugar on Me”, the song was released in August 1988 and peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week. The song also reached number eleven in the United Kingdom, number two in New Zealand, number three in Canada, and number seven in Ireland. The “Love Bites” 45 release in Canada and UK included limited edition gatefold with complete “Hysteria” lyrics. This was the only official release of the “Hysteria” lyrics.
Video
Lyrics
If you’ve got love in your sights
Watch out, love bites
When you make love, do you look in your mirror?
Who do you think of?
Does he look like me?
Do you tell lies?
And say that it’s forever?
Do you think twice, or just touch and see?
Ooh, babe
Ooh, yeah
When you’re alone, do you let go?
Are you wild and willing or is it just for show?
Ooh, come on
I don’t want to touch you too much baby
‘Cause making love to you might drive me crazy
I know you think that love is the way you make it
So I don’t want to be there when you decide to break it, no
It’s bringing me to my knees (love lives, love dies)
It’s no surprise (Love begs, love pleads)
It’s what I need
When I’m with you are you somewhere else?
Am I getting through or do you please yourself?
When you wake up will you walk out?
It can’t be love if you throw it about
Ooh babe, I don’t want to touch you too much baby
‘Cause making love to you might drive me crazy, oh
It’s bringing me to my knees (love lives, love dies)
It’s no surprise (Love begs, love pleads)
It’s what I need
Oh yeah, I don’t want to touch you too much baby
‘Cause making love to you might drive me crazy
I know you think that love is the way you make it
So I don’t want to be there when you decide to break it, no
It’s bringing me to my knees (love lives, love dies)
(Love bites, love bleeds)
It’s bringing me to my knees (love lives, love dies)
It’s no surprise (love begs, love pleads)
It’s what I need
If you’ve got love in your sights
Watch out, love bites
Yes it does, it will be hell