The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s and the departure of singer Rob Halford in 1992. Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Winter's Bane, replaced Halford in 1996 and recorded two albums with Judas Priest, before Halford returned to the band in 2003. The current line-up consists of Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis. The band's best-selling album is 1982's Screaming for Vengeance, with their most commercially successful line-up featuring Ian Hill, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, guitarist K. K. Downing, and drummer Dave Holland. Tipton and Hill are the only two members of the band to appear on every album.
Halford's operatic vocal style and the twin guitar sound of Downing and Tipton have been a major influence on heavy metal bands. Judas Priest's image of leather, spikes, and other taboo articles of clothing were widely influential during the glam metal era of the 1980s. The Guardian referred to British Steel as the record that defines heavy metal. Despite a decline in exposure during the mid-1990s, the band has once again seen a resurgence, including worldwide tours, being inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2010, and having their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero and the Rock Band series. In 2022, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Priest
Studio albums
Rocka Rolla (1974)
Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Sin After Sin (1977)
Stained Class (1978)
Killing Machine (1978)
British Steel (1980)
Point of Entry (1981)
Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
Defenders of the Faith (1984)
Turbo (1986)
Ram It Down (1988)
Painkiller (1990)
Jugulator (1997)
Demolition (2001)
Angel of Retribution (2005)
Nostradamus (2008)
Redeemer of Souls (2014)
Firepower (2018)
Invincible Shield (2024)
Breaking the Law
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All inside it's so frustrating as I drift from town to town
Feel as though nobody cares if I live or die
So I might as well begin to put some action in my life
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
So much for the golden future, I can't even start
I've had every promise broken, there's anger in my heart
You don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue
If you did you'd find yourselves doing the same thing too
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
You don't know what it's like
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Breaking the law, breaking the law
Judas Priest’s song “Breaking the Law” was released in 1980 and is a classic metal tune that resonates with many listeners. The lyrics depict a feeling of frustration and desperation in the face of a seemingly hopeless situation. The singer of the song is out of work and feels like no one cares about him. He’s been let down by broken promises and is now filled with anger. In this state of mind, he decides that breaking the law is the only way to put some action in his life.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase “Breaking the law,” creating a sense of urgency and defiance. The lyrics suggest that the singer is aware of the consequences of his actions but chooses to break the law anyway. The line “So much for the golden future, I can’t even start” suggests that he feels like he has nothing to look forward to, making breaking the law a viable option.
Line by Line Meaning
There I was completely wasting, out of work and down
I was feeling hopeless and useless as I wandered aimlessly without a job
All inside it's so frustrating as I drift from town to town
My inner turmoil was mounting as I moved from place to place without any direction
Feel as though nobody cares if I live or die
I'm overwhelmed by the feeling of being completely alone and unnoticed by anyone
So I might as well begin to put some action in my life
I decided to take matters into my own hands and create some excitement in my dull existence
Breaking the law, breaking the law
I've decided to engage in illegal activity
So much for the golden future, I can't even start
The bright prospects that once existed now seem utterly unattainable
I've had every promise broken, there's anger in my heart
People have let me down so many times that I've started to feel bitter and resentful
You don't know what it's like, you don't have a clue
You can't possibly understand what I'm going through
If you did you'd find yourselves doing the same thing too
If you were in my shoes, you would also act in the same way
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Glenn Raymond Tipton, Kenneth Downing, Robert Halford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind