1) A British … Read Full Bio ↴Demon is the name attributed to more than one artist:
1) A British hard rock/heavy metal band associated with the NWOBHM.
Formed during the first wave of NWOBHM by lyricist/vocalist Dave Hill and guitarist Mal Spooner, with Paul Riley on bass, Clive Cook on guitar and John Wright on drums, the Midlands, United Kingdom quintet hooked up with Clay Records supremo, Mike Stone, in 1980, to release their first single, 'Liar'. Issued on blood-red vinyl, in a limited edition run of just 5000 copies ,Dave Hill and Mal Spooner were in a glam rock band Iron Cross before forming Demon. "Liar" marked the beginning of an incredible story spanning two decades - and counting.
January 1981 saw the band venture into the studio to record their first album, 'Night of the Demon', whilst Clay Records struck a licensing deal with Carrere Records, to secure the album's release. Half tales of mystery and imagination, half straight-ahead rock, 'Night of the Demon' was both powerful and thoughtful - polished metal of the highest quality. Another single, 'Ride the Wind', also taken from the album, followed. The Demon machine was starting to gather momentum, which was infused with energy by the interest of Radio 1 DJ Tommy Vance. Invited to the BBC's studios at Maida Vale, in London, to record four tracks for broadcast on Tommy's Friday Rock Show, Demon produced one of the Radio 1 sessions of the year with rousing renditions of 'Full Moon'/'Night of the Demon', 'One Helluva Night', 'Father of Time' and 'Decisions'. As the second single from the album, 'One Helluva Night', was released, Riley and Cook left the band, to be replaced by Chris Ellis and Les Hunt, respectively.
1985–1992
The following release Heart of Our Time (1985) showed that the remaining members of the band were determined to continue, and it was the start of a new songwriting partnership between Hill and Watts. Although the album is regarded as the weakest of the band's releases, it paved the way for the critically acclaimed Breakout (1987) and its follow-up Taking the World by Storm (1989). Demon released two more albums in the 1990s: 1991's Hold On to the Dream and 1992's Blow Out, before splitting up in 1992 which, according to singer and founding member Dave Hill, was because of fatigue.
Reunion (2001–present)
Hill reunited the band with new members in 2001, and released a new album called Spaced Out Monkey. The band has since gone onto release a further three albums: Better the Devil You Know (2005), Unbroken (2012) and their latest release Cemetery Junction, which was released on 28 October 2016.
All of the band's post-reunion releases have received positive reviews from the press, leading the band to go on and play many festivals across Europe - including the Bang Your Head!!! festival and Sweden Rock Festival - but to rarely embark upon full tours. The band toured with Magnum singer Bob Catley in 2005, and in 2018 celebrated the 35th anniversary of The Unexpected Guest by touring the UK, playing all of the songs from the album, plus some other classics.
On March 26, 2024 the band announced a new album: Invincible, to be released May, 17.
2) Demon AKA Jéremie Mondon is a French House producer, who has already left behind him an unusual and promising trail. Though he was influenced by artists from a wide range of disciplines (Kitano, Bukowski), Hip-hop was his first musical love (Mobb Deep). Correspondingly, in the early '90s, while Rap is exploding in France to full effect, he produces an aggressively underground album ("Symbiose"), already beyond classic conventions and inspirations. For Demon, it's the creation of a label, 20000st, that in turn allows him to widen his musical horizons. From November 1997, he produces "A-Typique", his first 5-track EP, ahead of its time, claiming the combined influences of Hip-hop and Funk. This EP experienced an incontestable commercial and media success, the programming of "Lil'Fuck", highlight of this EP, was equally explosive on Radio as on the House scene. April 1998 was marked by the release of Demon's second EP, "Electronic Boogie", as precursory as ever, with its electro edge foreshadowing the present trends. Solid, the famous Parisian label, then chose to bestow on him responsibility of creating Poumtchak #6, following in the footsteps of Dimitri From Paris, Alex Gopher or indeed La Funk Mob. Given rave reviews in numerous magazines (NME, I.D., Magic, Groove Germany) this record achieved as equal a success in France as on the other side of the Channel. After having created remixes for Alex Gopher, Jean-Louis Murat, Mr. Oizo, Etienne De Crécy and a good many others, Demon launched his first LP "Midnight Funk" on february 2000. This LP confirmed the hopes made about the young phenomenon, who is already considered as one of the best artist of the "french touch" movement. Filled with melodic, groundbreaking house sounds, this opus is an end-of-century musical synthesis. "Midnight Funk" blends various styles (Hip-hop, funk, electro) on a trip to an imaginary world where a city resounds with music that is both melancholic and celebratory.
The extraordinary world success of Demon vs. Heartbreaker hit "You Are My High" and its sulphurous video, left us eager to discover Demon's future relases. This totally innovative video, nominated at the "Victoire de la Musique", is the essence of the single and has greatly contributed to give the single a large publicity in the media.
In 2002 Demon is nominated at the MTV Music Europe Awards for the "Best French Act", next to artists such as Manu Chao and Daft Punk. The same year, Demon worked on a new original music project, "Branding", a new album with famous and exclusive remixes, skilfully combining a variety of surprising rhythms. "Branding" is the result of Demon numerous works for various artists who asked him to mix some of their singles, such as Etienne Daho, Bran Van 3000, Benjamin Diamond, Roy Davis Jr., etc...
In 2002, after the release of WUZ, a project he has been working on with Alex Gopher, Demon released his second album "Music That You Wanna Hear".
Soldier of Fortune
Demon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fixing the price of another day's pay
Stalking the streets like a hired assassin
Changing your side like the night turns to day
Do you ever care who's right or wrong?
Are you just a hired hand who fights and feels no pain?
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Where's your pride?
Mercenary fighter out on the line
Your just a time bomb ticking inside
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Have you got no conscience?
Where's your pride?
Mercenary fighter out on the line
Your just a time bomb ticking
Leading the charge under cover of darkness
Blowing bridges in some South American state
Waiting for news of a new revolution
Catching a plane for some god forsaken place
Do you ever care who's right or wrong?
Are you just a hired hand who fights and feels no pain?
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Have you got no conscience?
Where's your pride?
Mercenary fighter out on the line
Your just a time bomb ticking inside
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Have you got no conscience?
Where's your pride?
Mercenary fighter out on the line
Your just a time bomb ticking
Surviving the heat in a sweltering jungle
Freezing to death at the edge of the world
Squeezing your finger so tight on the trigger
With the keenest of eyes and the deadliest nerve
Do you ever care who's right or wrong?
Do you ever care who's weak or strong?
Do you ever care who's right or wrong?
Are you just a hired hand who fights and feels no pain?
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Have you got no conscience?
Here's your pride
Mercenary fighter out on the line
Your just a time bomb ticking inside
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Have you got no conscience?
Here's your pride
Mercenary fighter out on the line
Your just a time bomb ticking
The lyrics of Demon's song Soldier Of Fortune address the life of a mercenary soldier, who is hired by different parties for their own interests. The opening lines portray the soldier as someone who searches for financial gain on a path they do not belong to. The lines "Are you just a hired hand who fights and feels no pain? / Soldier of fortune, dealer in life / Have you got no conscience? Where's your pride?" question the morality of the soldier, asking if they are just fighting for the money and not caring about the right or wrong of the situation. The repetition of the line "Soldier of fortune dealer in life" emphasizes the idea that the soldier is just selling their life for money without any concern about the people involved in the conflict.
The second verse talks about how the soldier carries out their tasks under the veil of secrecy, blowing up bridges in South America, waiting for news of a revolution, and traveling to different places. The lines "Your just a time bomb ticking inside" suggest that the soldier's life is in danger, and they are living on the edge of danger. The last verse talks about the physical hardships that the soldier has to go through, surviving in the jungle in sweltering heat or freezing at the edge of the world, and always on the lookout for their enemies.
Overall, the song Soldier Of Fortune comments on the morality and ethics of warfare and the effects it has on those who fight it. It portrays the life of a mercenary soldier, who is constantly fighting battles for financial gain, regardless of the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Searching for gold on another man's highway
Looking for wealth on someone else's territory.
Fixing the price of another day's pay
Manipulating the wages of others for personal gain.
Stalking the streets like a hired assassin
Moving through the urban environment with a sense of purpose and danger.
Changing your side like the night turns to day
Switching allegiances with ease and frequency, without regard for loyalty or integrity.
Do you ever care who's right or wrong?
Do you have any sense of moral responsibility or ethical concern?
Are you just a hired hand who fights and feels no pain?
Are you simply a mercenary, unfeeling and uncaring, motivated solely by financial gain?
Soldier of fortune dealer in life
Someone who makes a living by participating in armed conflicts and exploiting their own combat skills.
Have you got no conscience?
Do you lack any sense of moral or ethical values?
Where's your pride?
Why don't you have any self-respect or dignity?
Mercenary fighter out on the line
A professional soldier who is hired to fight for a foreign country or organization.
Your just a time bomb ticking inside
You are a dangerous individual who is likely to cause harm or damage at any moment.
Leading the charge under cover of darkness
Taking the lead in a military maneuver while concealed by darkness or other forms of concealment.
Blowing bridges in some South American state
Destroying important infrastructure in a foreign country, likely for financial gain.
Waiting for news of a new revolution
Anticipating and preparing for social upheavals or political changes that might lead to new military conflicts.
Catching a plane for some god forsaken place
Traveling to a remote or dangerous location that is considered to be cursed or abandoned by the divine.
Surviving the heat in a sweltering jungle
Enduring the harsh conditions of a tropical wilderness, likely while on a military mission.
Freezing to death at the edge of the world
Dying from exposure to extreme cold in a remote, inhospitable location.
Squeezing your finger so tight on the trigger
Holding the trigger of a firearm with intense pressure and control, perhaps in anticipation of imminent combat.
With the keenest of eyes and the deadliest nerve
Having excellent observational skills and undaunted courage in high-pressure situations.
Do you ever care who's weak or strong?
Do you have any empathy or concern for those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged?
Here's your pride
This is a sarcastic remark indicating the artist's disbelief or scorn for the subject's lack of dignity or self-respect.
Contributed by Sarah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.