Halford's first album "Resurrection" was included in Martin Popoff's "The Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time". As well, the songs "Silent Screams" and the title-track "Resurrection" were included in Popoff's list. The track "The One You Love to Hate" included guest vocalist Bruce Dickinson, from Iron Maiden.
In 2002, Halford released the second studio album "Crucible", although no live recordings have been officially released to promote this album. A high-quality soundboard bootleg titled "Live - From the Disney House of Blues" was made available for download along with a special DEP at Robhalford.com in 2004. Halford released bonus tracks in Japan, such as "She", "Fugitive", "Rock the World Forever" and "In the Morning".
On November, 2006, Halford released a single set from the Halford IV album, titled "Forgotten Generation." The first wave of Halford releases included remastered editions of his solo band's back catalogue and initially releasing them through Apple's online iTunes Store. Fight also celebrated a release, an early recording entitled "K5- War of Words Demos," which were the demos that Rob Halford had recorded back when Fight had first formed. Lastly, a compilation was included, called "Metal God Essentials, Vol. 1," which not only had the fans' favorite Halford tunes, but also had new songs called "Forgotten Generation" and "Drop Out."
Rob Halford's third solo record, entitled "Halford III - Winter Songs", was released worldwide through all retailers on November 3, 2009. The record features new tracks recorded by his solo band between 2008–2009, as well as traditional Christmas songs re-arranged to heavy metal renditions by Halford himself. The first single, "Get Into the Spirit" was released to radios on September 29, 2009.
On June 25, 2010, Halford released the first single, "The Mower", from his fourth solo studio album, "Halford IV - Made Of Metal", which was released in October 2010.
Studio albums
* Resurrection (2000)
* Crucible (2002)
* Halford III - Winter Songs (2009)
* Halford IV - Made Of Metal (2010)
EPs
* Silent Screams: The Singles EP (2006) (Exclusive to iTunes)
Live albums
* Live Insurrection (2001)
* LIVE - Disney House of Blues Concert (2004) (Formerly available for free download from www.robhalford.com.)
* Live in Anaheim (Original Soundtrack) (2010)
Compilation albums
* Metal God Essentials, Vol. 1 (2006) (Exclusive to iTunes, released as a CD in September 2007)
DVDs
* Halford - Live At Rock In Rio III (DVD) (2008)
* Live in Anaheim (DVD) (2010)
Stained Class
Halford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wild eyed and tight fisted
I'm fused to the bone
I stand contemplating
Impaled with betrayal
The tourniquet turns
Society's creation
Pole axed out and burnt
Long ago when man was king
His heart was clean
Now he's stained class
Time has slashed
Each un-touched thing
So now he's just
A stained class king
Transfixed at deliverance
Is this all there is?
Faithless continuum
Into the abyss
Fierce is my conviction
Absolute my belief
I spit at you apathy
And seducer deceit
Long ago when man was king
His heart was clean
Now he's stained class
Time has slashed
Each un-touched thing
So now he's just
A stained class king
Lethal, deadly, hung, drawn
And quartered he slaughtered and faltered
And altered the world.
But by doing so smashed
All his hopes and utopian dreams
Whipping, stripping peeling the flesh off
Relentless and senseless
His lust snapped like vipers
Whose fangs sank in deep
To infest and decay from the core.
Impaled with betrayal
The tourniquet turns
Society's creation
Pole axed out and burnt
Long ago when man was king
His heart was clean
Now he's stained class
Time has slashed
Each un-touched thing
So now he's just
A stained class king
Stained class king
The song Stained Class by Halford is a heavy metal anthem exploring the themes of societal corruption, betrayal, and the struggle of the individual against the system. The lyrics are charged with emotion and power, reflecting the frustration and anger of a generation that witnessed the decline of traditional values and the rise of a new world order. The opening lines, "Wild-eyed and tight-fisted, I'm fused to the bone, I stand contemplating, reacting alone," sets the tone for the rest of the song. It's a cry of defiance against a world that has lost its moral code and left individuals to fend for themselves.
The heart of the song lies in the chorus: "Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean, now he's stained class. Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king." Here, the song speaks to the loss of innocence, the corruption of human nature, and the destruction of the natural world. The "stained class king" is a metaphor for anyone who has been scarred by the evils of the world and is struggling to maintain their dignity and humanity in the midst of chaos.
Overall, Stained Class is a powerful, thought-provoking song that speaks to the human condition and the challenges we all face in a world gripped by corruption and decay.
Line by Line Meaning
Wild eyed and tight fisted
Full of aggression and with an iron grip
I'm fused to the bone
I am deeply committed
I stand contemplating
I pause to consider
Reacting alone
Without support from others
Impaled with betrayal
Feeling deeply hurt and deceived
The tourniquet turns
The situation worsens
Society's creation
The result of societal norms and values
Pole axed out and burnt
Destroyed by violence
Long ago when man was king
In a time when people had power and control
His heart was clean
People were pure and honest
Now he's stained class
Tainted by a negative label
Time has slashed
Time has brought change and destruction
Each un-touched thing
Everything that was once innocent
So now he's just
Reduced to only being
A stained class king
A leader who is defiled
Transfixed at deliverance
Hoping for freedom from suffering
Is this all there is?
Feeling disillusioned
Faithless continuum
A lack of belief that things will improve
Into the abyss
Falling into darkness
Fierce is my conviction
Strongly believing in something
Absolute my belief
Believing something without doubt
I spit at you apathy
Rejecting indifference
And seducer deceit
And the lies that try to deceive
Lethal, deadly, hung, drawn
Dangerous and deadly, executed publicly
And quartered he slaughtered and faltered
Killed and then butchered
And altered the world.
Changing the course of history
But by doing so smashed
But in the process destroyed
All his hopes and utopian dreams
All of his idealistic dreams and aspirations
Whipping, stripping peeling the flesh off
Inflicting pain and suffering
Relentless and senseless
Without any logic, continuing unabated
His lust snapped like vipers
His desire turned violent
Whose fangs sank in deep
Bit into his soul
To infest and decay from the core.
To corrupt from within
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Wild-eyed and tight fisted, I'm fused to the bone
I stand contemplating, reacting alone
Impaled with betrayal
The tourniquet turns
Society's creation
Pole-axed out and burnt
Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean now he's stained class
Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king
Transfixed at deliverance, is this all there is
Faithless continuum, into the abyss
Fierce is my conviction, absolute my belief
I spit at you apathy, and seducer deceit
Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean now he's stained class
Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king
Lethal, deadly, hung, drawn and quartered
He slaughtered and faltered and altered the world
But by doing so smashed all his hopes and Utopian dreams
Whipping, stripping, peeling the flesh off, relentless and senseless
His lust snapped like vipers whose fangs sank in deep to infest and decay from the core
Impaled with betrayal, the tourniquet turns
Society's creation, pole-axed out and burnt
Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean now he's stained class
Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king
Stained class king
Sean Graves
This is the best live metal album ever, period. Sorry, Kiss....Halford shreds Alive I to bits with this album!!
Louis Csanko
ROB IS A METAL GOD// KISS ARE COOL, BUT ARE NOT GODZ!!!!
John Maloney
This might be the best metal vocal performance ever
Leprosy
This version kicks so much ass. What a thrash masterpiece. Sends me into a frenzy. If I didn't have Stained Class back in '79 I wouldn't believe this song was released in '78. Waaay ahead of their time. Long Live the Metal Gods \m/
Louis Csanko
100% TRUTH// NOTHING COULD TOUCH THIS IN ( 1978)
tyrant1505
Magnificent version!!!!! The Stained Class album is one, if not, Priest's finest, outstanding!
Nicky T
His scream at the end is just insane
johnny zell
Wild-eyed and tight fisted, I'm fused to the bone
I stand contemplating, reacting alone
Impaled with betrayal
The tourniquet turns
Society's creation
Pole-axed out and burnt
Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean now he's stained class
Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king
Transfixed at deliverance, is this all there is
Faithless continuum, into the abyss
Fierce is my conviction, absolute my belief
I spit at you apathy, and seducer deceit
Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean now he's stained class
Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king
Lethal, deadly, hung, drawn and quartered
He slaughtered and faltered and altered the world
But by doing so smashed all his hopes and Utopian dreams
Whipping, stripping, peeling the flesh off, relentless and senseless
His lust snapped like vipers whose fangs sank in deep to infest and decay from the core
Impaled with betrayal, the tourniquet turns
Society's creation, pole-axed out and burnt
Long ago when man was king, his heart was clean now he's stained class
Time has slashed each untouched thing, so now he's just a stained class king
Stained class king
Mega Doc
Wow, you don't hear this everyday. Incredible version.
Steve F
Greatest Priest song ever!