80's Video Critical Interpretation: Lesson One

In what may or may not become a recurring feature on the blog I am going to take one video from the 1980’s and truly dive into the treasure trove of symbolism and clichés held within. Tonight we will start with Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages.”

· First off, does anyone else find it strange watching a Def Leppard video in which the drummer has the use of both of his arms? We’re at the point now where a one armed drummer is considered the norm.

· The video starts off with the classic chorus of monks singing “Glooper Gleebum Glotten Globun”, which is Olde English for “Let’s hope this looks cool in twenty five years.”

· The monks appear from time to time throughout the video to provide a chorus. Typically bands would have scantily clad women perform this role but Def Leppard kept it real. They knew what their fans wanted and they wanted hooded monks.

· I have no idea why at one point the main image is of the guitarist’s ass in tight white jeans. That said, this video was made during an era where Judas Priest made videos featuring the band in studded leather and no one questioned the meaning of that at all.

· The primary portion of the video is your classic early eighties performance piece in which the band acts as though they are performing. Which would be true except that none of the instruments are plugged in, there are no monitors on the stage and they clearly aren’t on the same beat. Except for the drummer of course because no one could ever figure out how to fake hitting a cymbal.

· Keeping with the monks we also have the damsel in distress chained to some sort of tree like thing. This implies a whole dragon slayer motif that becomes especially clear when the lead singer pulls out a sword.

· Let’s examine the sword in more detail. First off, it is pretty clear what the sword symbolizes. Large, straight objects held at crotch level typically have only one meaning especially when they are so comically large that they would be a rather ineffective weapon in warfare against dragons. But more importantly, why did the lead singer grab a sword? I know it was the 80’s but wouldn’t there be a better item in the arsenal to defeat a fire breathing lizard?

· And in the most classic scene, the singer lays down his sword for it to become a guitar, thus showing that the guitar is the modern version of the sword and that the band are the metaphorical recreations of knights and thus should get all of the maidens to show them their wares backstage after the show. However, this doesn’t address the fact that the lead singer ends up with a guitar that he cannot play. I mean, what the hell is he going to do with it? Wouldn’t he want a mic stand instead?

· In the end the maiden is freed, the monks continue singing, and the band realizes that in the video for Photograph they really need to up the amount of scantily clad women.