Synopsis

Def Leppard perform "Rocket" inside a stark industrial warehouse surrounded by screens and projected images. The video cuts rapidly between the band, rocket launches, 1970s news footage, television appearances, sporting highlights, and photographs of influential rock artists. Its collage-like structure mirrors the song's celebration of the band's musical roots, turning the performance into a fast-moving trip through the culture, politics, and pop imagery of the 1970s.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1988.

• The warehouse had previously been used for the video for "Women," another song from the Hysteria album.

• Much of the footage reflects the song's lyrical references to 1960s and 1970s rock culture, with brief appearances by artists and groups connected to those influences.

• The montage also includes historical and political images, including Richard Nixon's resignation-era scandal, British political events, and the Apollo 13 mission.

• Soccer fans may recognize footage from the 1971 FA Cup Final, including Arsenal player Charlie George.

• "Rocket" was the final Def Leppard music video to feature guitarist Steve Clark, who died in 1991.

• The song became the seventh and final single released from Hysteria, arriving in 1989 after the album had already produced several major hits.