One Will
Halford Lyrics


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I see the gods in the arena
They stand beneath the blinding lights
The roar becomes a deafening silence
In reverence before the fight

One will live tonight
One will die tonight
One will stand and
One will fall

One in victory
One in misery
Only one will take it all

Then all at once begins the rumble
A mass of body hits the floor
Locked in a battle - strength and honor
Blood, sweat and tears becomes the score

One will live tonight
One will die tonight
One will stand and
One will fall

One in victory




One in misery
Only one will take it all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Halford's song One Will are about the arena where gladiators fought to the death in Ancient Rome. The singer describes how the gods stand in awe beneath the bright lights as the roar of the crowd silences in reverence before the fight between the gladiators. These fighters are risking their lives to win because only one of them will survive, earn glory, and take it all. The lyrics capture the tension, the intensity, the brutality, the glory, and the tragedy of the gladiatorial games that were a popular form of entertainment in Ancient Rome.


The chorus repeats the phrase, "One will live tonight, One will die tonight" as a reminder of the stakes of the fight. It is a portrayal of the harsh reality that only one fighter will emerge victorious, and the other will meet his demise. The singer also acknowledges that "Only one will take it all," implying that there is no such thing as a partial victory in the arena. The verse "Locked in a battle - strength and honor, blood, sweat and tears become the score" highlights the values of courage, strength, and honor in the face of death, with the knowledge that only one fighter will emerge victorious.


In conclusion, Halford's One Will evokes the atmosphere and the brutal reality of the Ancient Roman gladiatorial games. Through the lyrics, the masks of the heroes of this bloody spectacle are taken off, and the true picture of what it really took to succeed in the arena is revealed.


Line by Line Meaning

I see the gods in the arena
The singer imagines the fighters as gods in the arena.


They stand beneath the blinding lights
The fighters stand beneath the intense lights in the arena.


The roar becomes a deafening silence
The roar of the crowd fades into a deafening silence as the fighters take their positions.


In reverence before the fight
The audience is filled with reverence and awe before the fight begins.


One will live tonight
Only one of the fighters will live through the night.


One will die tonight
The other fighter will die in the arena that night.


One will stand and
The survivor will be standing, while the other fighter has fallen.


One will fall
The loser will fall, defeated.


One in victory
The winner will be in a state of victory.


One in misery
The loser will be in a state of misery.


Only one will take it all
Only one fighter will come out on top and take it all.


Then all at once begins the rumble
The intense fight begins with a loud rumble.


A mass of body hits the floor
The fighters will hit the floor as they fight for their lives.


Locked in a battle - strength and honor
The fighters are locked in a life-and-death battle that requires both strength and honor.


Blood, sweat and tears becomes the score
The score is determined by the amount of blood, sweat, and tears both fighters endure during the battle.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN BAXTER, MICHAEL CHLASCIAK, ROBERT HALFORD, PATRICK LACHMAN, ROGER RAMIREZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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