The One You Love To Hate
Halford Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You may not like the future
And we're not here to preach to you
We'll take you to the killing floor.
You think you want to know me
You think you want to own me
But I have nothing you can buy.
I can break you
I can raise you
Bring you to your knees
'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't fool me
You can't rule me
You only want to hang around
'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
So come on get a load of this
Something you can't afford to miss
You're just a vulture in my veins.
Your nails won't crucify me
Got money, but you can't see
Your only future is your past.
I can break you
I can raise you
Bring you to your knees
'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't fool me
You can't rule me
You only want to hang around
'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
I can break you
I can raise you
Bring you to your knees
'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't fool me
You can't rule me




You only want to hang around
'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Halford's "The One You Love To Hate" suggest a sense of superiority and power, with the singer boasting about their ability to break and raise others, to bring them to their knees. The theme seems to revolve around the idea that the person being addressed is only interested in hanging around for the thrill of being around someone they consider beneath them, despite their clear disdain for the singer. The lyrics suggest that the singer knows this and is not impressed, feeling neither owned nor respect for their output. The chorus seems to emphasize the singer's ability to exert control over the other person, even though the other person believes they are in charge.


The song is essentially about power dynamics and the complicated interplay between people who loathe each other, but are still drawn toward the other for their own reasons. The persona being described is someone who is aware of their own value and is not afraid to play with the other person's emotions, to make them feel inferior and to find pleasure in it. However, the singer also seems to know that this dynamic is ultimately empty, and that both sides are trapped in their own game.


Line by Line Meaning

You may not like the future
We understand that the future may seem unappealing to you.


And we're not here to preach to you
We have no intention of trying to convince you of anything.


We'll take you to the killing floor.
We will show you the harsh reality of the situation.


You think you want to know me
You believe you understand who I am.


You think you want to own me
You believe you can control me.


But I have nothing you can buy.
My loyalty and trust cannot be purchased.


I can break you
I have the power to destroy you.


I can raise you
I have the power to help you succeed.


Bring you to your knees
I have the power to humble you and make you submit.


'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't resist being drawn to me and simultaneously despising me.


You can't fool me
I am not easily deceived.


You can't rule me
You don't have authority over me.


You only want to hang around
You simply want to be associated with me.


'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't resist being drawn to me and simultaneously despising me.


So come on get a load of this
You should pay attention to this important message.


Something you can't afford to miss
This is crucial information that you shouldn't overlook.


You're just a vulture in my veins.
You are a parasite who feeds off of me.


Your nails won't crucify me
Your attempts to harm me will not succeed.


Got money, but you can't see
You have financial resources, but lack insight and perception.


Your only future is your past.
You are trapped by your history and cannot move forward.


I can break you
I have the power to destroy you.


I can raise you
I have the power to help you succeed.


Bring you to your knees
I have the power to humble you and make you submit.


'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't resist being drawn to me and simultaneously despising me.


You can't fool me
I am not easily deceived.


You can't rule me
You don't have authority over me.


You only want to hang around
You simply want to be associated with me.


'Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't resist being drawn to me and simultaneously despising me.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRUCE DICKINSON, ROBERT HALFORD, ROGER RAMIREZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@dubitataugustinus

LYRICS:

You may not like the future
And we're not here to preach to you
We'll take you to the killing floor.
You think you want to know me
You think you want to own me
But I have nothing you can buy.
I can break you
I can raise you
Bring you to your knees
Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't fool me
You can't rule me
You only want to hang around
Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
So come on get a load of this
Something you can't afford to miss
You're just a vulture in my veins.
Your nails won't crucify me
Got money, but you can't see
Your only future is your past.
I can break you
I can raise you
Bring you to your knees
Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't fool me
You can't rule me
You only want to hang around
Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
I can break you
I can raise you
Bring you to your knees
Cause I'm the one you love to hate.
You can't fool me
You can't rule me
You only want to hang around
Cause I'm the one you love to hate.



@robertnewberry7799

Robert A. Newberry
Kenosha, WI local author
Book Project #4 (as yet untitled)

Isaiah 59:19

NLV

They will fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His shining-greatness from the rising of the sun. When the one who hates us comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a wall against him.



All comments from YouTube:

@jtimonen

Dickinson & Halford duet!!!! This is almost surreal. Awesome. Nothing and nobody in the world of (heavy metal) music comes even close to these 2.

@FlagerMiszcz

bro, do you know who Dio was? xD

@NickTheCrossdresser2149

@@FlagerMiszcz Dio is tied up. But there is a reason that Rob earned the nickname The Metal God.

@0goatman087

@@NickTheCrossdresser2149 bro, do you know what Dio means? xD

Luckily we have a whole bunch of pantheon of these where we can sacrifice our hearing!

@louiscsanko3673

Are you Familiar with a very little known singer named [ GeoffnTate?] Google him.

@louiscsanko3673

@@FlagerMiszcz exactly DIO( RIP) & Also Geiff Tate of Queensryche. 🤘🤘

4 More Replies...

@chrisnauta2467

The two best metal vocalists of all time

@iftoulfear1929

don't forget DIO \m/

@MrMarionikos

And Eric Adams

@TheGreatestVoice1958

@@MrMarionikos Adans is not even CLOSE to Bruce, Dio, and Halford. Adams has a good voice and is great screamer, but he will NEVER have as high quality of a voice as those other three.

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