Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by member… Read Full Bio ↴Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weikath and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. By the time Hansen quit Helloween in 1989 to form Gamma Ray, the band had evolved into a five-piece, with Michael Kiske taking over as lead vocalist. Schwichtenberg and Kiske both parted ways with Helloween in 1993; Schwichtenberg died two years later as the result of suicide. Between then and 2016, there had been numerous line-up changes, leaving Grosskopf and Weikath as the only remaining original members. As a septet, their current lineup includes four-fifths of the Keeper of the Seven Keys: Parts I and II-era (1987–1988) lineup, featuring three additional members, vocalist Andi Deris (who had replaced Kiske in 1994), guitarist Sascha Gerstner and drummer Daniel Löble.

Since its inception, Helloween has released 16 studio albums, three live albums, three EPs and 30 singles, was honored with 14 gold and six platinum awards and has sold more than ten million records worldwide. Helloween has been referred to as the "fathers of power metal", as well as one of the so-called "big four" of the genre's early German scene, along with Grave Digger, Rage and Running Wild, and as one of power metal "big four" overall, along with Blind Guardian, Sabaton and DragonForce.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helloween

Studio albums
Walls of Jericho (1985)
Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I (1987)
Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II (1988)
Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991)
Chameleon (1993)
Master of the Rings (1994)
The Time of the Oath (1996)
Better Than Raw (1998)
The Dark Ride (2000)
Rabbit Don't Come Easy (2003)
Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy (2005)
Gambling with the Devil (2007)
7 Sinners (2010)
Straight Out of Hell (2013)
My God-Given Right (2015)
Helloween (2021)

02. Locomotive Breath
Helloween Lyrics

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In the shuffling madness
Of the locomotive breath,
Runs the all, time loser,
Headlong to his death.

He feels the piston scraping
Steam breaking on his brow
Old Charlie stole the handle and

The train it won't stop going

No way to slow down.
He sees his children jumping off
At the stations - one by one.
His woman and his best friend

In bed and having fun.
He's crawling down the corridor
On his hands and knees
Old Charlie stole the handle and

The train it won't stop going
No way to slow down.
He hears the silence howling
Catches angels as they fall.

And the all-time winner
Has got him by the balls.
He picks up Gideons Bible
Open at page one

God He stole the handle and

The train won't stop going
No way to slow down.

Overall Meaning

The song "Locomotive Breath" by Helloween is a cover of a song by Jethro Tull, with lyrics originally written by Ian Anderson. It tells the story of a man who is trapped on a speeding train that is headed towards his inevitable death. The "locomotive breath" refers to the steam and heat that the train is emitting, symbolizing the man's impending demise. The man is a "time loser" who is doomed to fail, and he is powerless to stop the train from hurtling towards disaster.

As he crawls down the corridor on his hands and knees towards his ultimate fate, the man sees his family and friends moving on without him. His children jump off at the stations one by one, and his woman and best friend are in bed together, enjoying themselves while he is destined for destruction. The man catches angels as they fall, representing his desire to cling to hope and salvation even as he hurtles towards his doom. But ultimately, he is powerless to escape his fate, as "the all-time winner" (perhaps representing Death or fate) has him "by the balls."

Overall, "Locomotive Breath" is a tragic and powerful song about the inevitability of death and the struggles of a man who is powerless to escape his own fate. The lyrics are resonant and haunting, painting a vivid picture of a man hurtling towards his doom on a speeding train.

Line by Line Meaning

In the shuffling madness Of the locomotive breath, Runs the all-time loser, Headlong to his death.
The immense chaos of the steam engine that represents life carries the singer towards a disastrous fate as he struggles to keep up.

He feels the piston scraping Steam breaking on his brow Old Charlie stole the handle and The train it won't stop going No way to slow down.
The man can sense the intense pressure of life and he has no control over it; someone else is driving and he cannot stop the inevitable pain and frustration.

He sees his children jumping off At the stations - one by one. His woman and his best friend In bed and having fun.
As the man hurtles through life, he witnesses his family and friends moving on without him, finding joy in their own lives while he suffers alone.

He's crawling down the corridor On his hands and knees Old Charlie stole the handle and The train it won't stop going No way to slow down.
The man is on his last legs, barely holding on as life drags him through endless struggles; the driver has abandoned him and he cannot stop the relentless force.

He hears the silence howling Catches angels as they fall. And the all-time winner Has got him by the balls.
As the man fights for survival, he hears emptiness and despair all around him while others succeed at his expense; his adversary has complete control over his fate.

He picks up Gideons Bible Open at page one God He stole the handle and The train won't stop going No way to slow down.
In his final moments, the man turns to religion but finds no comfort there as even God appears to have abandoned him; life continues on its path of destruction.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN ANDERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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