Man Enough

Album: Def Leppard (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen told TeamRock the story of the song. "I had this bass riff floating around my head, and I wanted it to have a similar vibe to 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson - almost a disco vibe," he recalled. "I didn't know what it was going to be called, then I played it to Joe [Elliott, vocals]; we went to [drummer] Rick Allen's 50th birthday, and he said, 'S--t! I've got a great idea for this song! And it's called 'Are You Man Enough To Be My Girl'."

    "People have said it reminds them of 'Another One Bites The Dust' by Queen," Collen continued. "It has this dancey appeal. Our song 'All Night' was a bit like that, and 'Excitable' on Hysteria. But I think this is the first time we've really made it work. It just fell into place, and I think that's because we didn't restrict ourselves. Every song on the album's like that. It was, like, 'F--k everybody. This album was done for us.' It wasn't a business venture. We really didn't care what anybody thought. We went to town on it; it was a lot of fun."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Bass Player Scott Edwards

Bass Player Scott EdwardsSong Writing

Scott was Stevie Wonder's bass player before becoming a top session player. Hits he played on include "I Will Survive," "Being With You" and "Sara Smile."

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.