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)
The Departed
Helloween Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dust on my face
My mouth parched and dry
Memories racing
Flashing scenes through my mind
I know what's ahead
Today would be a good day to die
Once I thought my dreams would never shatter
Now I stand here
Jaded and cold
Epitaph being carved on my tombstone
I would die for you - would you die with me?
No, you can't deny
Would you catch the bullet that was meant for me?
Blaze across the sky
Sun is going down
And there's no tomorrow
Sun is going down
Going down on me
Sun is going down
No more time to borrow
Dance with the devil
Sun is going down
For the lonely hearted
Sun is going down
In a blink of an eye
Sun is going down
On the departed
Laugh at the devil
I would die for you - would you die with me?
Caught in a fight I was drawn again
I never thought I'd be betrayed
By my best friend
He lost his life as he went for mine
If this is the end I want to die with you
Would you catch the bullet that was meant for me?
Blaze across the sky
Sun is going down
And there's no tomorrow
Sun is going down
Going down on me
Sun is going down
No more time to borrow
Dance with the devil
In the song "The Departed" by Helloween, the lyrics evoke the feeling of someone who has fought a long and hard battle, and now stands at the end, ready to accept their fate. The opening lines describe the dusty and desolate landscape that the singer finds themsleves in, with memories flashing through their mind. The idea of dying being the culmination of their experiences is evident in the line, "Today would be a good day to die," which signifies that they are ready to embrace their fate, having lived a life that has been meaningful to them. The next few lines recall a time when the singer had a bright outlook on life, and thought that nothing could bring them down. The lines "Once I thought I had a golden heart/Once I thought my dreams would never shatter" give a sense of innocence and naivety that has now been lost. The shift in tone from the beginning of the song to this point is stark, from a place of readiness and acceptance to a place of regret and disillusionment.
The next few lines present a question – "would you die with me?" – that is repeated throughout the song, as if the singer is inviting their listener to join them in their journey into the afterlife. The lines "No, you can't deny/Would you catch the bullet that was meant for me?" suggest that the singer has a deep connection with someone else, someone who they would willingly lay down their lives for, and who they hope would do the same for them. This idea of a bond between two people, a bond that transcends death, is a recurring theme in the song.
The final lines of the song paint a picture of a sun setting, and the inevitability of death. Despite the bleakness of the imagery, there is also a sense of defiance, of not giving up until the very end. The line "Laugh at the devil" is a final act of rebellion against fate, a refusal to be brought down by what is to come. Overall, the lyrics of "The Departed" create a powerful and moving song that explores themes of death, loyalty, and the struggle to find meaning in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
There I stood with the sun in my eyes
I stood there with the sun shining in my eyes
Dust on my face
My face was covered with dust
My mouth parched and dry
My mouth was dry and dehydrated
Memories racing
My mind was busy with flashbacks and memories
Flashing scenes through my mind
My mind was racing with quick scenes flashing by
I know what's ahead
I understood what was coming next
Today would be a good day to die
I felt that today would be a fitting day to pass away
Once I thought I had a golden heart
I used to think my heart was pure and noble
Once I thought my dreams would never shatter
I believed that my dreams would never fall apart
Now I stand here
Presently, I am standing right here
Jaded and cold
I feel disillusioned and unfeeling
Epitaph being carved on my tombstone
My death is being prepared for and my tombstone is being engraved
I would die for you - would you die with me?
I'm willing to die for you, would you do the same for me?
No, you can't deny
You cannot refuse to answer
Would you catch the bullet that was meant for me?
Would you protect me from harm's way?
Blaze across the sky
Rapidly move across the sky
Sun is going down
The sun is setting
And there's no tomorrow
There is no future
Going down on me
I'm feeling low
No more time to borrow
There is no more time to waste
Dance with the devil
Take risks and live dangerously
For the lonely hearted
For those who feel alone and abandoned
In a blink of an eye
Extremely quickly
On the departed
On those who have passed away
Laugh at the devil
Defy evil and embrace life
Caught in a fight I was drawn again
I found myself in another conflict
I never thought I'd be betrayed
I didn't expect to be let down and deceived
By my best friend
By the person I trusted the most
He lost his life as he went for mine
He died while trying to save me
Contributed by Hailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@xael
Probably my favorite song on this album. Extremely underrated.
@sleven8013
It amazes me how close to perfection The Dark Ride is. The Departed is the absolute highlight of this record, underrated and not as recognized as the hits. But the moment I say this I realize how good every other song on this mind-blowing record actually is. Oh my..
@5ar_
Isak Ronestjärna This album can compare with Keepers, in every aspect
@JoseDlucca
To bad that they dislike this record and never play the sogs live
@rocknroller81
Best song off their best album. There, I said it. In my opinion, of course.
@OneHundredPoints
I disagree, their best album is Better than raw, and the best song from the dark side album is If i could fly.
@asmodeus58XX
rocknroller81 Yeah. The Keepers are also amazing, but they have six and eight songs, respectively. This one has 11 songs and is still near flawless.
@asmodeus58XX
Jonathan BarSela That being said, I'm going to be predictable and prefer Salvation.
@marcelx2151
Best Album. I agree.
@Scodrom
disagree : not their best album (but the best with Andy) / agree best song of the dark side album and the Andy era !