By this time, bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath were emerging, and Atkins was interested in pursuing a similar direction. Fellow Birmingham musicians K.K. Downing and Ian Hill had similar musical interests, so they teamed with Atkins to form a new band called Freight. Atkins did not like the name, so he suggested they be called Judas Priest, as he had rights to the name. After gaining a following in Birmingham, the Atkins-led Priest recorded a demo in 1971, which attracted the attention of Tony Iommi's management but failed to endear them with any of London's major record labels. Though the gigs began to improve, the band also had to contend with higher overhead, and no record deal was in sight.
As Atkins had a young daughter to support, he was forced to leave Priest in 1973 in favor of a day job. He was replaced by Rob Halford, who found himself singing many songs that were originally written by Atkins. Consequently, the album Rocka Rolla gives a portrait of Atkins' original vision for the band. Atkins eventually formed another band, Lion and went solo after it dissolved. Atkins has retained close ties to his former Priest bandmates, who assisted him on Victim of Changes, which featured rerecorded versions of songs he had written in the early 1970s.
Solo discography:
Judgement Day (1990)
Dreams of Avalon (1992)
Heavy Thoughts (1994)
Victim of Changes (1998)
Demon Deceiver (2007)
Winter
Al Atkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got no pillow for my bed
And the winter it gets stronger
Got to ease my aching head
In the morning when I wake up
Get this feeling deep inside
And I wonder if I'll die young
I still get this awful feeling
When the snow falls to the ground
It still sends my senses reeling
Going winter underground
I still get this awful feeling
When the snow falls to the ground
And it sends my senses reeling
Going winter
The lyrics of Al Atkins's song Winter are about a feeling of desolation and despair during the cold winter months. The singer describes having no money, no comfortable place to sleep, and feeling physically and emotionally drained. He feels a strong sense of foreboding and uncertainty about his future, wondering if he will meet an early demise or succumb to mental breakdown. The imagery of snowfall only adds to his feelings of isolation and despair, as he seems to be sinking into a kind of winter-induced depression.
The song is a poignant exploration of the emotional and psychological toll that winter can take on a person. It speaks to the feeling of being trapped and helpless in the face of cold, unforgiving weather, and the way in which this can exacerbate existing feelings of inadequacy or despair. The lyrics strike a chord with anyone who has struggled with mental health issues, or who has felt overwhelmed by the challenges of daily life.
Overall, the lyrics of Winter are a powerful reflection on the impact that the changing seasons can have on both our physical and emotional well-being. They serve as a reminder to take care of ourselves during the long, dark winter months, and to seek the support we need to stay healthy and strong.
Line by Line Meaning
Got no silver in my pockets
I don't have any money or valuables.
Got no pillow for my bed
I don't have any comfort or luxury.
And the winter it gets stronger
The winter becomes harsher and more difficult to endure.
Got to ease my aching head
I need to find a way to relieve my emotional pain and suffering.
In the morning when I wake up
At the start of the day.
Get this feeling deep inside
I experience a strong emotion or intuition.
And I wonder if I'll die young
I contemplate the possibility of dying before my time.
Or just go out of my mind
Or losing my sanity or mental stability.
I still get this awful feeling
I continue to experience this negative emotion.
When the snow falls to the ground
During a snowstorm or snowfall.
It still sends my senses reeling
It still overwhelms me or causes me to feel disoriented.
Going winter underground
Feeling isolated or withdrawn during the winter season.
Contributed by Jake Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aurelijus Vekerotas
Got no silver in my pockets
Got no pillow for my bed
And the winter it gets stronger
Got to ease my aching head
In the morning when I wake up
Get this feeling deep inside
And I wonder if I'll die young
Or just go out of my mind
I still get this awful feeling
When the snow falls to the ground
It still sends my senses reeling
Going winter underground
I still get this awful feeling
When the snow falls to the ground
And it sends my senses reeling
Going winter
Aurelijus Vekerotas
Got no silver in my pockets
Got no pillow for my bed
And the winter it gets stronger
Got to ease my aching head
In the morning when I wake up
Get this feeling deep inside
And I wonder if I'll die young
Or just go out of my mind
I still get this awful feeling
When the snow falls to the ground
It still sends my senses reeling
Going winter underground
I still get this awful feeling
When the snow falls to the ground
And it sends my senses reeling
Going winter
Jordan Piper
One of Priests most Sabbathy sounding songs. Love it. I can totally picture Ozzy in his prime singing this tune. Epic early metal.......
Guillaume Joan Pépin Viano
Not sabbath .
Trapeze .
Try the song touch my life
AIS
Great 1998 version. Al Atkins, Paul May (guitars), Pete Emms (bass), Dave Holland (drums).
Régis Blanc
fine seventies vibes , with still a really heavy ' n groovy edge !!!
Abelardo Draken
great! al atkins and rob halford the metal gods!
AvP MetalArt
!!! !! !!!
Thanasis Mavromixailidis
Written 1970!
tankermottind
It didn't stop people from trying. Rolling Stone described them as "Black Sabbath played at 78 rpm." Also keep in mind that Black Sabbath became increasingly metallic through the early and mid '70s. Songs like "Symptom of the Universe" and "The Writ" (both of which feature Ozzy shrieking like Halford) are very different from rock and roll.
tankermottind
@Danny Hood Pretty sure "total monstrosity" is something desirable in heavy metal so I don't see what the problem is. If it's not monstrous it's not doing its job.