Early years and split (1980–1987)
After various appearances at small festivals, the band recorded two songs for the compilation album Rock from Hell in 1983. A year later, Grave Digger, now comprising Chris Boltendahl (vocals), Peter Masson (guitar), Willi Lackmann (bass) and Albert Eckardt (drums), released their debut album Heavy Metal Breakdown.
In 1985, with Lackmann having left the band, they recorded and released their second album Witch Hunter. Only after the album was completed, a replacement on bass was found in the form of C.F. Brank. Further festival appearances followed, a tour with Helloween as special guest and, finally, their third album War Games in January 1986. To promote this album, a triple headline tour with Celtic Frost and Helloween followed. Thereafter, Peter Masson gave way to Uwe Lulis; in 1987 the band's name was changed to Digger, the name under which they released the album Stronger Than Ever. The album flopped, as it was not accepted by fans or the masses. As a result, Boltendahl declared at the end of 1987, the breakup of the band.
Reformation and Middle Ages Trilogy (1991–1999)
In 1991, the band was partially reformed. Boltendahl and Lulis, along with two newcomers, Tomi Göttlich and Jörg Michael, who had been the drummer for Rage and Running Wild, released a comeback record called The Reaper in 1993. This album was a return to the true roots of Grave Digger. In the same year, the album The Best of the Eighties was released. It represented a quasi Best-of-Album of their earlier songs.
An EP titled Symphony of Death followed in 1994. In the interim, Grave Digger, now with a new drummer, Frank Ullrich, toured Germany, playing as the warm-up act for Manowar. In 1995, the album Heart of Darkness appeared. It was a very dark album with many influences from the early works of Annihilator.
In 1996, Stefan Arnold became the band's new drummer. This year also marked the release of the concept album Tunes of War, which dealt with the history of Scotland. This album was the first part of the Middle Ages Trilogy. The second album, Knights of the Cross, with Jens Becker as bass guitarist, was released in 1998 and was about the rise and fall of the Knights Templar. The final part of the trilogy finished in 1999 with Excalibur. This album explored the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Shortly after, a tour soon followed through with keyboardist Hans-Peter Katzenburg, who later became a permanent band member.
The Grave Digger and Rheingold (2000–2004)
In 2000, Grave Digger celebrated their 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, they performed at a sell-out concert at the Zeche in Bochum. Many of the band's most popular songs were played alongside other less well-known ones. There were also a number of different supporting acts appearing with Grave Digger. This concert also marked a defining chapter in the band's history, as Uwe Lulis left a short while before the concert because of personal and business reasons. Lulis finally called his new band Rebellion.
A replacement, in the form of the ex-Rage guitarist, Manni Schmidt, was found. Along with him and the new record label Nuclear Blast, the album The Grave Digger, appeared in 2001. The works of Edgar Allan Poe served as an inspiration for the lyrics of the new album. Their first live album, Tunes of Wacken, appeared in 2002. This was coupled with the release of their first DVD of the same name. The next album Rheingold was released on 26 May 2003, which centered on the opera Der Ring des Nibelungen by Richard Wagner. They embarked on a tour in support of the album into early 2004.
The Last Supper and Ballads of a Hangman (2005–2009)
After the successful Rheingold Tour, the band recorded another album, The Last Supper, which was released on 17 January 2005. The artwork was first revealed in November 2004 which received positive feedback. A number of fans were disappointed by the artwork because of the motive. The band issued a statement saying that the cover isn't a message of the Devil and not against Christians, but a representation of a depressive Jesus Christ at his last days before his death. Unlike their previous albums, The Last Supper was not a concept album, despite several songs about the last days of Jesus. A few journalists described the album as the best since Tunes of War or Heavy Metal Breakdown. According to the band, it contains "more metal, more passion and more power" than the group's previous efforts. Less than a month later, the band began a tour with Stormhammer and Astral Doors in Andernach, the birthplace of Manni Schmidt.
October 2005 saw the release of a live DVD titled 25 to Live, which was recorded live in São Paulo, commemorating the band's 25th anniversary.
In December 2006, a number of release parties was announced for the band's follow-up album, Liberty or Death, which was released on 12 January 2007. A Double-Headline Tour together with Therion followed, beginning 17 January 2007 in Essen.
In late February 2008, Grave Digger began writing new material. In mid-August, they entered Principal studios with additional guitarist Thilo Hermann to record their 13th studio album entitled Ballads of a Hangman, which was released on 9 January 2009 under their new label Napalm Records. It was their first album with twin guitars.
In February 2009, the band parted ways with Thilo Hermann due to the built up excitement of a second guitarist and with the free space on stage and musical aspects that was observed by every old band member independently. In early October, Manni Schmidt left the band due to ongoing disagreements with Chris Boltendahl.
The Clans Will Rise Again and The Living Dead (2010–2018)
On 12 January 2010, Schmidt was replaced by Domain guitarist Axel Ritt after performing temporarily during the remaining dates of the band's previous tour. On 1 October 2010, Grave Digger released the album The Clans Will Rise Again in Europe, with a North American release following soon after. The band members explain that it is a loose sequel of the 1996 album Tunes of War, "but this time not a concept album about the Scottish history, rather a work about Scotland, its mysticism and its people." On 11 September 2011, a video for the song "Highland Farewell" was made available for streaming.
On 27 July 2012, the band released an EP entitled Home at Last with the album Clash of the Gods following on 31 August 2012. They performed a handful of shows in the UK and Europe from early to late 2012 and then toured throughout 2013 in Europe and a few shows in Brazil in support of the album.
In February 2014, the band began recording their next album titled Return of the Reaper, which was released on 11 July 2014, with later release dates elsewhere. In November 2014, keyboardist H.P. Katzenburg left the band in order to spend more time on outside projects. He was replaced by new member Marcus Kniep, who would continue performing as The Reaper.
In October 2015, Exhumation - The Early Years was released, which contains re-recorded versions of the band's "absolute classics with a dynamic and powerful sound of 2015," according to a press release.
In June 2016, Grave Digger entered the studio to begin working on their next album entitled Healed by Metal, which was released on 13 January 2017. They embarked on a tour with Blind Guardian as the support act on the second leg North American tour supporting the album Beyond the Red Mirror.
In March 2018, the band returned to the studio to record their nineteenth album The Living Dead, which was released on 14 September 2018, with a European tour taking place in January 2019. On 25 June 2018, longtime drummer Stefan Arnold departed the band. He was replaced by Marcus Kniep.
Fields of Blood (2020–present)
Grave Digger's twentieth album Fields of Blood was released on 29 May 2020, celebrating the band's 40th anniversary. The follow-up album Symbol of Eternity was released on 26 August 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave_Digger_(band)
Studio albums
Heavy Metal Breakdown (1984)
Witch Hunter (1985)
War Games (1986)
Stronger Than Ever (1986) (as Digger)
The Reaper (1993)
Heart of Darkness (1995)
Tunes of War (1996)
Knights of the Cross (1998)
Excalibur (1999)
The Grave Digger (2001)
Rheingold (2003)
The Last Supper (2005)
Liberty or Death (2007)
Ballads of a Hangman (2009)
The Clans Will Rise Again (2010)
Clash of the Gods (2012)
Return of the Reaper (2014)
Healed by Metal (2017)
The Living Dead (2018)
Fields of Blood (2020)
Symbol of Eternity (2022)
The Ballad Of Mary
Grave Digger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strong and cold, they keep me from home
Imprisoned like a wingless dove
Far away from the land I love
Lonely days count lonely years
I have cried a thousand tears
All that I tried to gain
At Carberry Hill I lost my crown
My husband fled my luck went down
In England's hands I fell
Eighteen years a living hell
The Scottish crown belongs to me
Yet I'm bound I can not flee
With iron claws England holds tight
All is lost no chance to fight
Silence, silence everywhere
[Chorus]
Cold walls are my reward
Loneliness engulfs my soul
I've been true I gave my heart
Stained tears I cried
I long to be free again
To walk in peace again
Scotland cries her queen is lost
Agony's her friend again
The lyrics to Grave Digger's song, The Ballad Of Mary, tell the story of Mary Queen of Scots who was imprisoned for 18 years by the English crown after losing her Scottish crown and her husband. The first verse describes Mary's imprisonment in a cold and strong castle, separated from her homeland and loved ones, "My fingers touch the solid stones, Strong and cold, they keep me from home." The second verse expresses her loneliness and despair during her captivity, "Lonely days count lonely years, I have cried a thousand tears, All that I tried to gain, Is lost the effort was in vain." Mary feels trapped and defeated by the English crown's control over her life, "The Scottish crown belongs to me, Yet I'm bound I cannot flee, With iron claws England holds tight, All is lost no chance to fight." The chorus portrays Mary's feeling of hopelessness and longing for freedom, "Cold walls are my reward, Loneliness engulfs my soul, I've been true I gave my heart, Stained tears I cried, I long to be free again, To walk in peace again, Scotland cries her queen is lost, Agony's her friend again."
Line by Line Meaning
My fingers touch the solid stones
I am imprisoned in a castle with thick, heavy walls
Strong and cold, they keep me from home
The walls are so powerful that they prevent me from traveling back to my homeland
Imprisoned like a wingless dove
I feel trapped and helpless, like a bird that can't fly
Far away from the land I love
I am very far from Scotland, the country that I cherish
Lonely days count lonely years
Every day feels lonely and the years add up to a miserable existence
I have cried a thousand tears
I have shed many tears due to my unhappy fate
All that I tried to gain
Despite my efforts,
Is lost the effort was in vain
I have nothing to show for it and my hard work was pointless
At Carberry Hill I lost my crown
During a battle at Carberry Hill, I lost my right to rule Scotland
My husband fled my luck went down
My husband abandoned me and my fortunes took a turn for the worse
In England's hands I fell
I was captured by the English and became their prisoner
Eighteen years a living hell
I have been held captive for eighteen years and it has been a terrible experience
The Scottish crown belongs to me
I am the rightful owner of the Scottish monarchy
Yet I'm bound I can not flee
But I am unable to escape my captivity
With iron claws England holds tight
The English are holding me captive with an unbreakable grip
All is lost no chance to fight
I have no hope left and can't see a way to regain my freedom
Silence, silence everywhere
The castle is silent and desolate, there is no outside noise
Cold walls are my reward
Instead of a reward for my service to Scotland, I have been imprisoned in a cold and lonely castle
Loneliness engulfs my soul
I am consumed by feelings of isolation and despair
I've been true I gave my heart
I have been loyal to Scotland and gave everything I had
Stained tears I cried
My tears have left a permanent mark on my face
I long to be free again
I desire my freedom and want to be able to leave the castle walls
To walk in peace again
I wish to be able to live my life calmly instead of always feeling trapped and afraid
Scotland cries her queen is lost
Scotland is mourning the loss of their queen who has been captured and imprisoned by the English
Agony's her friend again
The Scottish people are consumed by their pain and sorrow
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS BOLTENDAHL, THOMAS GOETTLICH, UWE WALTER LULIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
João Paulo Angotti
My fingers touch the solid stones
Strong and cold, they keep me from home
Imprisoned like a wingless dove
Far away from the land I love
Lonely days count lonely years
I have cried a thousand tears
All that I tried to gain
Is lost the effort was in vain
At Carberry Hill I lost my crown
My husband fled my luck went down
In England's hands I fell
Eighteen years a living hell
The Scottish crown belongs to me
Yet I'm bound I can not flee
With iron claws England holds tight
All is lost no chance to fight
Silence, silence everywhere
[Chorus]
Cold walls are my reward
Loneliness engulfs my soul
I've been true I gave my heart
Stained tears I cried
I long to be free again
To walk in peace again
Scotland cries her queen is lost
Agony's her friend again
Carlos F.
A Balada de Mary (Rainha Dos Escoceses)
Meus dedos tocam as paredes sólidas
Resistentes e frias
Elas me mantêm longe de casa
Aprisionada como uma pomba sem asas
Longe da terra que eu amo
Dias solitários formam anos solitários
Eu chorei lágrimas incontáveis
Tudo aquilo que eu tentei ganhar
Está perdido, o esforço foi vão
Nas colinas de Carberry eu perdi minha coroa
Meu marido fugiu
Minha sorte me caiu
Nas mãos da Inglaterra eu sucumbi
18 anos um inferno de viver
A coroa escocesa pertence a mim
Ainda estou aprisionada, não consigo fugir
Com mãos de ferro
A Inglaterra me prende
Tudo está perdido, sem chance de lutar
Silêncio
Silêncio em toda parte
Paredes frias são minha recompensa
A solidão envolve minha alma
Eu fui fiel, entreguei meu coração
Lágrimas maculadas eu chorei
Eu desejo ser livre novamente
Para andar em paz novamente
A Escócia chora, sua rainha está perdida
A agonia é sua amiga novamente
João Paulo Angotti
My fingers touch the solid stones
Strong and cold, they keep me from home
Imprisoned like a wingless dove
Far away from the land I love
Lonely days count lonely years
I have cried a thousand tears
All that I tried to gain
Is lost the effort was in vain
At Carberry Hill I lost my crown
My husband fled my luck went down
In England's hands I fell
Eighteen years a living hell
The Scottish crown belongs to me
Yet I'm bound I can not flee
With iron claws England holds tight
All is lost no chance to fight
Silence, silence everywhere
[Chorus]
Cold walls are my reward
Loneliness engulfs my soul
I've been true I gave my heart
Stained tears I cried
I long to be free again
To walk in peace again
Scotland cries her queen is lost
Agony's her friend again
jkthewonderguy
This band has so much talent. I sure wish American music had some real meaning to their songs like these guys
Mirai Hi
When she sung "The Scottish crown belongs to me" I felt that.
🍀Bep Kororoti🍀
This version is above anything...Always shivers
Sethalos
Doro, still gorgeous and still the Queen of Metal. Love this song.
G G
2021
Kyro Morieta
@G G 2022
Alexander S
@Kyro Morieta 2023
Plinio Ebert
Muito boa essa música Grave Digger álbum maravilhoso!
MonkeySponge
i was there too! Unbelievable performance's from all bands. This was truly legendary.