{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox song | name = Death Defying | cover = DeathDefyingHG.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Hoodoo Gurus | album = Mars Needs Guitars! | B-side = Turkey Dinner | released = February 1986 | recorded = | studio = | genre = Rock | length = 3:19 | label = Big Time | writer = Dave Faulkner | producer = Charles Fisher | prev_title = Like Wow - Wipeout! | prev_year = 1985 | next_title = Poison Pen | next_year = 1986 }}

"'''Death Defying'''" is a song by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was written by Dave Faulkner.<ref name="APRA">{{cite web|url=http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch&switchDet=Y |title=Australasian Performing Right Association |publisher=APRA |accessdate=2008-01-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505235657/http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch&switchDet=Y |archivedate=2008-05-05 }}</ref> and released in February 1986 as the third single from the group's second studio album, ''Mars Needs Guitars!'' The song peaked at No.&nbsp;43 on the Australian charts.

Faulkner has said the song was written to address the HIV/AIDS crisis that was robbing him of friends in the mid-1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://themusic.com.au/reviews/fist-full-of-rock-hoodoo-gurus-you-am-i-enmore-theatre-ross-clelland/U2lER0ZJSEs/01-09-17/|title=Fist Full of Rock|website=themusic.com.au|date=1 September 2017|access-date=9 December 2021}}</ref>

In June 2000, Dave Faulkner said "One of my favourite songs I've written... I have vivid memories of shooting the video in Kakadu National Park after having awoken to see the news footage of the Challenger Space Shuttle exploding during take-off."<ref>{{cite web|date=June 2000 |last=Faulkner |first=Dave |url=http://www-personal.umich.edu/~juliat/hg/popandpunishment.html |publisher=juliat |title=Pop and punishment |accessdate=2008-01-26 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808085453/http://www-personal.umich.edu/~juliat/hg/popandpunishment.html |archivedate=2007-08-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Track listing== ; 7" single (BTS 1692) # "Death Defying" — 3:19 # "Turkey Dinner" — 4:14

==Personnel== * James Baker — drums * Clyde Bramley — bass, backing vocals * Dave Faulkner — lead vocals, guitar * Mark Kingsmill — drums, cymbals * Brad Shepherd — guitar, backing vocals, harmonica * Producer — Charles Fisher * Engineer — John Bee * Mastering — Don Bartley

==Charts== {| class="wikitable" !Chart (1986) !Peak<br>position |- |Australian (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=141}}</ref> |align="center"|43 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Hoodoo Gurus}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1986 singles Category:Hoodoo Gurus songs Category:1985 songs Category:Songs written by Dave Faulkner (musician)