Hell Bent for Leather

Hell bent for leather is a popular expression, though a bit archaic by our time, used for expressing an unwavering need for speed.

The phrase consists of two parts: “hell bent” which refers to a strong determination, and “for leather” which is an allusion to the material a saddle is made of, resembling the phrase Big Iron.

Although it is not known when exactly the expression “Hell bent for leather” was formed, it comes from a similar colloquialism, originating from the British Army: “Hell for Leather”, which first appeared in the early 1860’s.

“Hell bent for leather” was first published in print in The London Magazine in 1912.

Throughout the 20^th century, the popularity of the phrase grew significantly, becoming associated with the wild west, thanks to the romanticizing work of western motion pictures and novels.

A notable film of the Western genre, titled “Hell Bent for Leather” premiered in the United States on February 1^st, 1960.

It was also the title of a 1978 Judas Priest song, that inspired many covers and remakes in the years to follow.

• Dailywritingtips.com – “Hell-bent” and “Hell-for-leather”
• Quora.com – What is the origin and meaning of the phrase, “Hell-bent for leather”?
• Wikipedia.org – Hell Bent for Leather