Deep Purple have had several line-up changes and were broken up for eight years from 1976 to 1984, with drummer Ian Paice being the band's only constant member. The first four line-ups, which constituted the band's original 1968–1976 run, are officially indicated as Mark I (1968–1969), Mark II (1969–1973), Mark III (1973–1975) and Mark IV (1975–1976). Mark I comprised the founding members of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Rod Evans (vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), Paice (drums) and Nick Simper (bass), while Mark II was the most commercially successful line-up, with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replacing Evans and Simper respectively. Mark III saw David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes replace Gillan and Glover respectively, while Mark IV featured Tommy Bolin replacing Blackmore. The band split in July 1976 and Bolin died from a drug overdose five months later. In 1984, Deep Purple reformed with the Mark II line-up, which remained in place until Joe Lynn Turner replaced Gillan in 1989. Gillan rejoined in 1992, with Blackmore leaving for the second and final time the following year. He was replaced temporarily by Joe Satriani and then permanently by Steve Morse. In 2002 Don Airey replaced Jon Lord, which saw Deep Purple settle into its longest running line-up, unchanged for the next twenty years, until Morse announced his departure from the band in 2022. His place was taken by Simon McBride. Paice, Glover, Gillan, Airey and McBride comprise the current line-up of Deep Purple.
Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme] and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them 5th among the "most influential bands ever". The band received the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards. Deep Purple (specifically Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Gillan, Glover, Coverdale, Evans, and Hughes) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Flight Of The Rat
Deep Purple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The rat is leaving town
The message is a song
The misery is gone
Once I had a dream
To sing before the queen
She didn't want to know
What a fright
I couldn't do it right
Oh what a night
Mystic demons fly
All about the sk
With memories of a clown
The saddest show in town
When I was seventeen
Me mother said to me
Be careful what you touch
You shouldn't take so much
I blew my mind
She was so kind
I could have cried
In my mind
I had to fin
A kind of new way
Of being oh so cool
Like a blue blooded
Well studded
English fool
Speak about the past
Times are changing fast
Once I was so weak
I couldn't even speak
Shaking put a curse
Nothing could be worse
Walking through the door
Who could ask for more
Now I'm free
And I can see
That I am me
Spread the word around
The rat is leaving town
The message is a song
The misery is gone
Shaking out a curse
Nothing could be worse
Walking through the door
Who could ask for more
Now I'm free
And I can see
That I am me
Please stay away
from me
The flying rat is free
Deep Purple's Flight of the Rat is a song that can be interpreted in multiple ways. At the surface level, it's about a rat leaving town and spreading the message that the misery is gone. However, if we dig deeper, we can see that the song is about the journey of self-discovery, growth, and self-realization. The singer, who once had a dream to sing before the queen, is rejected but learns to find a new way of expressing himself. He talks about the past, how he was weak and couldn't speak, and how he had to find a new way of being cool, like a blue-blooded English fool.
The lyrics suggest that the singer was once stuck, unable to grow or change, but now he's free, and he can finally see that he is himself. The song's mystic demons and sad clown memories may symbolize the internal struggle the singer had to overcome to become who he is now. The overall message of the song seems to be that no matter how stuck you are, or how many times you fail and are rejected, it's always possible to find a new way of being and to grow.
Line by Line Meaning
Spread the word around
Let everyone know
The rat is leaving town
I'm leaving this place for good
The message is a song
This is the message I want to convey through music
The misery is gone
My suffering is finally over
Once I had a dream
I once had a goal
To sing before the queen
To perform in front of royalty
She didn't want to know
The queen wasn't interested
She wouldn't see the show
She refused to watch me perform
What a fright
I was scared
I couldn't do it right
I messed up my performance
Oh what a night
It was a terrible experience
Mystic demons fly
Strange and supernatural creatures
All about the sky
Flying through the air
With memories of a clown
Thinking of a sad performance
The saddest show in town
The most depressing performance
When I was seventeen
At the age of 17
Me mother said to me
My mother told me
Be careful what you touch
Be mindful of your actions
You shouldn't take so much
Don't be too greedy
I blew my mind
I got high
She was so kind
My mother was understanding
I could have cried
I was emotional
In my mind
In my thoughts
I had to find
I needed to discover
A kind of new way
An innovative approach
Of being oh so cool
To appear really cool
Like a blue blooded
Like an aristocrat
Well studded
Very wealthy
English fool
A silly person from England
Speak about the past
Talk about history
Times are changing fast
Things are evolving rapidly
Once I was so weak
I used to be very vulnerable
I couldn't even speak
I couldn't communicate effectively
Shaking out a curse
Releasing bad luck
Nothing could be worse
Things couldn't possibly get any worse
Walking through the door
Entering a new phase of life
Who could ask for more
What else could I possibly want
Now I'm free
I am liberated
And I can see
I have gained clarity
That I am me
I have become my true self
Please stay away
Please don't try to hold me back
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RITCHIE BLACKMORE, IAN GILLAN, ROGER GLOVER, JON LORD, IAN PAICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Spread the word around
The rat is leaving town
The message is a song
The misery is gone
Once I had a dream
To sing before the queen
She didn't want to know
She wouldn't see the show
What a fright
I couldn't do it right
Oh what a night
Mystic demons fly
All about the sk
With memories of a clown
The saddest show in town
When I was seventeen
Me mother said to me
Be careful what you touch
You shouldn't take so much
I blew my mind
She was so kind
I could have cried
In my mind
I had to fin
A kind of new way
Of being oh so cool
Like a blue blooded
Well studded
English fool
Speak about the past
Times are changing fast
Once I was so weak
I couldn't even speak
Shaking put a curse
Nothing could be worse
Walking through the door
Who could ask for more
Now I'm free
And I can see
That I am me
Spread the word around
The rat is leaving town
The message is a song
The misery is gone
Shaking out a curse
Nothing could be worse
Walking through the door
Who could ask for more
Now I'm free
And I can see
That I am me
Please stay away
@iangmk
Spread the word around
The rat is leaving town
Message is a song
The misery is gone
Oh yes it is
I once had a dream
To sing before the queen
She didn't want to know
She wouldn't see the show
What a fright
I couldn't do it right
Oh, what a night
What a night
Mystic demons fly
All above the sky
Memories of a clown
The saddest show in town,
yeah
When I was seventeen
My mother said to me
Careful what you touch
Shouldn't touch too much
I blew my mind
She was so kind
I could have cried
Oh in my mind
I had to find
A kind of new way
Of being, oh, so cool
Like a blue blooded
Well studded English fool
Speak about the past
Times are changing fast
Once I was so weak
I couldn't even speak
Not a word
Shaking out a curse
Nothing could be worse
Walking through the door
Who could ask for more
Now I'm free
And I can see
That I am me
Yes I am me
Spread the word around
The rat is leaving town
Message is a song
The misery is gone
Shaking out a curse
Nothing could be worse
Walking through the door
Who could ask for more
Now I'm free
And I can see
That I am me
Yes I am me
Please stay away
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@Studio-62
One of the best albums ever made. Blackmore, Lord and Paice are outstanding.
@cyberdonblue4413
You forgot Gillan and Glover - they gave the band a soul
@carlsam1516
Best album ever
@threeballedtomcat9380
I wish I had a dollar for every time my band and I did this song. Blackmore heavily influenced me in the late 1960s..Damn how I love these guys, even still !
@michaelloof6693
For me are the album Fireball the best. For example:Fireball,The Mule and No No No. What a amazing songs on this album.
@hakonhaugen
Seriously... the organ solo is so amazing. This entire album is the fundament of metal, but more importantly one of the best rock albums of all time. Deep Purple is unfortunately very underrated. Mark 2 is probably my favorite lineup of any band ever, with the exeption of the Rainbow Rising lineup. Wishing Jon Lord was still here.
@ColonelHogin
When I heard of Jon Lord passing I was so bummed. Going out back looking Eastward in the Sky I witnessed the brightest star planet God kiss. Amazing
@robertathow1970
Couldn't agree more, spot on 👍Amazing. 😊😊
@stevesteve2696
I felt like this me too. We love jon and we miss him
@TheZumph
Mark II is the only line-up